DoorDash is betting big on robots to deliver your next meal. The food delivery giant just announced a multi-year partnership with Serve Robotics to deploy sidewalk delivery bots across Los Angeles and eventually nationwide. This comes just a week after DoorDash unveiled its own autonomous bot called Dot, signaling the company's aggressive push into multimodal delivery automation.
DoorDash just made its boldest move yet in the autonomous delivery wars. The food delivery platform announced Thursday it's partnering with Serve Robotics to roll out sidewalk delivery bots across Los Angeles, with plans to expand nationwide in a multi-year deal that could reshape last-mile logistics.
The timing isn't coincidental. Just last week, DoorDash unveiled Dot, its own proprietary delivery robot that's already hitting Phoenix streets. Unlike Serve's sidewalk-only bots, Dot can navigate roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks at speeds up to 20 mph, giving DoorDash a unique edge in what VP of Autonomy Ashu Rege calls "dense suburban deliveries."
"We felt there was a gap," Rege told TechCrunch. "On one end, you have sidewalk robots, and on the other hand robotaxis, which are great for moving people, but they do not address the delivery problem of that last 10 feet. A burrito is not going to walk itself to your door."
This dual-robot strategy puts DoorDash in direct competition with Uber, which has been striking partnerships with autonomous vehicle companies across its ride-hail, delivery and freight businesses. Serve Robotics already works with Uber, and similar to gig workers, the company's bots will now serve both platforms simultaneously.
But DoorDash is taking a different approach by building its own technology stack alongside partnerships. It's a risky move that's burned other companies before. Uber sold its self-driving unit after burning through millions, Lyft offloaded its autonomous division to Toyota, and AV startup Nuro pivoted from manufacturing after realizing it was a "capital sinkhole."
Rege believes DoorDash will succeed where others failed, pointing to the company's financial strength. DoorDash posted its and reported in the first half of 2025, driven by a 20% jump in delivery volumes. The company plans to manufacture Dot at scale, though Rege declined to share specifics.