DoorDash on Monday, May 4, introduced a new set of artificial intelligence-powered tools for merchants as it tries to make it easier for restaurants to get online, manage content and sell directly through its platform. The update brings faster onboarding, video management, photo editing, branded websites and automated marketing into one package.
The new self-serve onboarding flow automatically pulls details such as photos, store hours and menu items from a merchant’s online presence, then lets the merchant review and edit the information instead of entering everything by hand. DoorDash said that can help businesses launch 35% faster. Brian Tolkin said the point is to remove friction rather than add it, so merchants can focus on making good food and serving customers well.
DoorDash also rolled out a Video Library that lets merchants upload and organize clips, tag menu items inside videos so customers can order from what they see, and keep a storage page refreshed with new material while tracking performance metrics. A separate photo editing suite includes AI Retouch, AI Replate and Match the Style. AI Retouch improves existing menu photos, AI Replate pairs food with suitable dinnerware and other surroundings, and Match the Style creates images that look like other visuals chosen by the merchant. DoorDash said the tools alter the presentation without changing how the food itself appears.
Another upgrade uses AI to turn a merchant’s existing menu, branding and images on DoorDash into a branded website for direct ordering. A separate feature automates marketing campaigns around events such as Mother’s Day. The new tools arrive as DoorDash expands beyond delivery into a wider commerce platform that blends software, advertising, fulfillment and autonomy. In February, PYMNTS reported that DoorDash was evolving from a food delivery app into a broader commerce platform.
The latest launch fits with what the company has been saying for months about owning more of the software and logistics stack behind local commerce. During DoorDash’s fourth quarter earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Ravi Inukonda said the company was making the right investments as it works toward becoming the operating system for local commerce. The merchant tools show that shift in practical terms: DoorDash is trying to build the tools that restaurants use to run their business, not just the app customers use to place an order.