DoorDash Partners with Serve Robotics for LA Deliveries

DoorDash Expands Delivery Options with Robotics Partnerships

Customers of DoorDash in Los Angeles may soon experience food deliveries facilitated by sidewalk delivery robots from Serve Robotics. A multi-year collaboration between the two organizations was announced on Thursday. This partnership will involve the deployment of autonomous robots for deliveries throughout the United States.

Introducing DoorDash's Own Delivery Bot: Dot

This development follows DoorDash’s recent unveiling of Dot, an autonomous food delivery robot developed internally. Initial deployments of Dot are currently underway in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Unlike the Serve Robotics bots, which primarily utilize sidewalks, Dot is designed to operate on roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks, achieving speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.

A Broader Strategy for Multimodal Deliveries

Serve Robotics represents the latest in a series of technological partnerships for DoorDash. The company has already collaborated with sidewalk bot innovator Coco and drone delivery startup Wing. Ashu Rege, VP of Autonomy at DoorDash Labs – the company’s robotics and automation division – explains that these efforts are part of a larger initiative to establish DoorDash as a platform supporting diverse delivery methods.

Similar Partnerships with Uber

DoorDash is not alone in exploring these avenues. Uber has also been forging partnerships with autonomous vehicle companies across its ride-hailing, delivery, and freight operations. Serve Robotics is among the companies collaborating with Uber, and, mirroring the gig worker model, its bots will concurrently serve both Uber and DoorDash.

DoorDash's Independent Approach

However, DoorDash is uniquely pursuing its own development efforts in this space.

Lessons from Past Attempts

Previous attempts by other companies to manage both the technology and the platform for autonomous vehicles have faced challenges. Uber and Lyft both previously tried and ultimately abandoned operating the complete technology stack and platform for autonomous ride-hailing. Similarly, AV startup Nuro initially focused on a vehicle similar to Dot before recognizing the substantial capital investment required for manufacturing.

These companies ultimately determined that concentrating on their core technologies and services was a more efficient strategy.

DoorDash's Confidence in its Strategy

Rege believes DoorDash will achieve success where others have struggled. The company intends to manufacture Dot on a large scale, though specific details regarding production remain undisclosed. DoorDash achieved its first profitable year in 2024 and reported record profits in the first half of 2025, driven by a 20% increase in delivery volume year-over-year. He contends that expanding delivery capabilities is essential to accommodate the company’s expanding customer base.

The Unique Value Proposition of Dot

Furthermore, Rege highlights that Dot offers capabilities not found in other delivery solutions. “We identified a need that wasn’t being met. There’s a distinction between sidewalk robots and robotaxis, which excel at transporting people, but neither effectively addresses the final 10 feet of delivery,” he stated. “A food order cannot independently reach a customer’s doorstep, and businesses prefer not to require customers to retrieve their orders from a robot parked some distance away.”

Bridging the Gap in Suburban Deliveries

While sidewalk robots are well-suited for densely populated urban areas, Rege explains that Dot will address the need for deliveries in “dense suburban environments” within a three-to-five-mile radius. The robot’s ability to navigate both roads and sidewalks is considered a crucial advantage.

Human Workforce for Complex Deliveries

Although automated solutions are being implemented, DoorDash intends to reserve its human delivery personnel for more intricate tasks involving restaurant, retail, or grocery orders.