DoorDash fans in Los Angeles, California and Chicago, Illinois, there are now more reasons to try ordering via the app since DoorDash has finally introduced delivery robots in these two locations.
Sidewalk robots
On Thursday, DoorDash announced in newest deal with Coco Robotics to offer sidewalk robot delivery for DoorDash customers in those key markets in the United States, the delivery app told the media.
Coco Robotics is a company that provides and operates a fleet of sidewalk robots for last-mile food delivery. These robots are remotely piloted.
These robots will deliver DoorDash food from local restaurants to your home, offering a faster, more reliable, and more sustainable alternative to traditional food delivery methods.
Coco Robotics’ delivery process involves robots stationed close to restaurants, featuring app-based ordering, real-time tracking, and designated pickup locations.
Through this partnership, customers can receive sidewalk deliveries with over 600 merchants participating. And, according to DoorDash, Coco Robotics’ robots have already completed more than 100,000 deliveries during the initial pilot phase. Congrats!
Coco Robotics’ deliveries for DoorDash in Los Angeles and Chicago are not the first in history. The company has been making deliveries for the delivery app in Helsinki, Finland, since late 2024, via its global sub-brand, Wolt.
Coco robots have been making deliveries for DoorDash in Helsinki since late last year through its international sub-brand Wolt. DoorDash says that Coco robots completed over 100,000 deliveries during this initial pilot phase.
“Not every delivery needs a [two-ton] car just to deliver two chicken sandwiches,” stated Harrison Shih, DoorDash Labs senior director. “We believe the future of delivery will be multi-modal, and we’re thrilled to partner with Coco to expand sidewalk robot deliveries that complement the Dasher network as we continue to enhance the DoorDash experience for customers and merchants.”
What experts think
Experts over at technology news website Engadget have shared their insights about this new partnership.
For them, this is a good move since robots make it easier for human workers to complete the delivery process. However, what has made this a bad move is that gig workers may lose jobs, though they reiterated that this method is better for the environment.
The Engadget correspondent also pointed out how this is part of DoorDash’s “multimodal deliveries,” a setup that combines human workers with drones and autonomous robots to “meet increasing demand while lowering costs and emissions.”
Delivery apps have gone a long way, and delivery robots are the future. DoorDash is not the only international delivery platform that has incorporated and experimented with robots. Grubhub also recently introduced delivery robots to colleges, while Uber Eats expanded its autonomous deliveries in Japan. The plot thickens. For more stories like this, sign up for your account on this website.