DoorDash Is Introducing A New Delivery Method, But Customers Can Already See The Flaws

DoorDash recently announced that it is now an air carrier. You read that correctly; the delivery app has acquired Part 135 air carrier certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. Not for flying human passengers, but small cargo. It's called DoorDash Air, and the company thinks it could revolutionize delivery — but customers and (human) Dashers see some problems already.

Setting aside built-in drone concerns like noise pollution and load stability — nobody wants it to be raining burritos and sodas — many called it out as a gimmick. One Reddit user pointed out that "Amazon has bailed on drone delivery for a variety of reasons. I don't see how this is anything but a publicity stunt. It's just not practical." Others called it investor bait riding the coattails of a frenzy for automation. "Anything to keep from paying your drivers," another Reddit user said, which raises another question.

With DoorDash Air, it's unclear who actually prepares drones for delivery. Expecting it from restaurant staff would be inconvenient and time-consuming in an industry where time is in short supply. Or, as one human Dasher worried, drivers might have to pick the food up anyway, likely for no tip because the customer believes it's automated, and deliver to a drone facility about as far away as the actual dropoff. Evidence suggests it may be a combination of both. "This is a gimmick at best and I don't see many people using drone delivery," the Dasher told Reddit.

Drone food delivery once seemed like a sci-fi fantasy, but this isn't the first time it's been attempted. In 2018, Uber made headlines for getting into drone delivery, but the attempt was short-lived due to strict aviation regulations. But with regulators now allowing greater levels of risk, drone delivery is becoming fashionable again. Uber relaunched its own efforts, and DoorDash Air already claims tens of thousands of successful deliveries.

Drones aren't the only way technology is turning the food industry upside down. Yum! Brands embraced AI technology in 2023, promising a business-wide AI overhaul. And despite some viral mishaps related to this push, including a man who accidentally ordered 18,000 water bottles, the company continues to forge ahead with AI-powered ordering.

In some cases, AI and robotics are combining to threaten nearly every job at a restaurant. In 2023, Sweetgreen piloted a new restaurant almost entirely run by AI robots. Human employees include a host to make the experience feel more personable, and a garnish station for a final human touch. Everything else is handled by computers and robotics. And as futuristic as it sounds, Sweetgreen is expanding the concept: in a few years, the CEO expects all locations to be automated.