DoorDash Leverages AI to Streamline Merchant Onboarding and Enhance Food Listings

DoorDash has rolled out a suite of new AI-driven tools designed to support its merchants. The additions aim to simplify the onboarding process, improve the visual appeal of food listings, and provide restaurant owners with more comprehensive website solutions. The company's onboarding tool, similar to one launched by Amazon in 2024, allows merchants to expedite the listing creation process.

By directing the tool to their existing website, merchants can automatically import crucial information such as photos, store hours, and menu items. This data can then be reviewed and edited before being published on the DoorDash app. In addition to the onboarding tool, DoorDash has revamped its video library to offer more interactive and insightful features.

Merchants can now tag specific dishes in videos, enabling customers to place orders directly. The library also provides valuable statistics, including total views, video-driven sales, and new customer sales. Merchants will also benefit from AI-powered photo editing tools.

AI Retouch can refine images by replacing backgrounds, sharpening details, and optimizing lighting without altering the dish itself. Meanwhile, AI Replate can transform pictures of dishes to make them appear professionally plated, adjusting lighting and color as needed. Merchants can even provide a reference image to apply a specific style to an existing photo.

“At DoorDash, we’re constantly building tools to help merchants succeed, from their very first day on the platform, to every order after. These new tools reflect our belief that the right technology should remove friction, not add it, so merchants can focus on what they do best: making great food and delivering incredible customer experiences,” said Brian Tolkin, head of merchant product at DoorDash. The company is further expanding its commerce platform with features that enable restaurant owners to create websites based on their existing DoorDash content, such as menu items and photos.

During testing, merchants saw an average order conversion rate of nearly 10%. Additionally, a new marketing campaign builder has been introduced, allowing merchants to automate content creation, email outreach, and scheduling.