AI agents were supposed to order your dinner. DoorDash says it's seen only a few hundred orders
· 1 min read · Drafted with AI help, reviewed by Kepler Oates
"Let your AI assistant handle it" is one of the biggest promises in tech this year. Book the trip, buy the gift, order dinner. But when an analyst asked DoorDash how many orders AI agents are actually placing, the answer was refreshingly honest: a few hundred.
What DoorDash said
The number. DoorDash has received only "several hundred" orders from third-party AI agents such as Muse, Instinct and Fo, it said on its third-quarter earnings call, TechCrunch reports.
For scale. DoorDash completes an average of about 3 million deliveries a day, according to its 2025 report.
The CEO's take. Tony Xu called agent ordering a very dynamic area but said the company should be realistic about where agents are today. Most people still order in the DoorDash app.
Still betting on it. DoorDash wants to learn from agent use and work with agent makers, and Xu floated advertising inside AI agents as a possible future business.
InteractiveDoorDash's own AI ordering tools in 2026Tap a step, or use Next.
Ask DoorDash A chatbot that takes orders from text prompts and photos.
Command-line agent An agent for people who order from a computer terminal.
Text-to-order An AI agent that places orders from a text message.
Connector for other chatbots A connector that lets other AI assistants place orders, aimed at corporate ordering.
TechCrunch doesn't give one reason, but the context helps. It's early, habits are strong, and the web hasn't decided whether to let agents in: Amazon blocks personal AI agents, while Walmart welcomes them to win business. When half the stores lock the door, agents can't do much shopping. Earlier this month, banks also complained about agents logging into customer accounts (our story on that).
What it means for you
Don't feel behind. If you're still tapping the app yourself, so is almost everyone.
Use agents where they're good today: comparing options, drafting a shopping list, finding a recipe. Keep the final "buy" click yourself.
Watch your card. If you try an agent that can order for you, set spending limits and turn on purchase alerts so a mistake doesn't become an expensive one.
Delivery adds up. Fees, tips and markups can make a $15 meal cost $30. The free budget planner below shows what takeout really costs you each month.
Not financial advice. This summarizes public reporting for information only. It is not investment, tax or legal advice. Do your own research or talk to a licensed professional.
