DoorDash Launches ‘Zesty,’ an AI App That Helps You Find Local Restaurants

DoorDash is stepping beyond deliveries and into restaurant discovery with a new app that wants to help people decide where to eat, not just what to order.

The company has launched Zesty, a standalone app that uses AI to help users find local restaurants. The app is now live in public testing in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York, according to DoorDash.

DoorDash co-founder and CTO Andy Fang announced the launch on X, writing, “We’re excited to launch Zesty, a new food discovery app to help you find the best local places.” He added that the app is “Powered by AI to help you search how you want and ask questions like a concierge.”

How Zesty works

Unlike the main DoorDash app, Zesty focuses on discovery first. Users sign in with their DoorDash accounts and explore nearby restaurants or ask questions in a chat-style search box.

Zesty lets users search more naturally by using full sentences rather than keywords. People can describe what they are in the mood for, and the app’s AI suggests restaurants that match.

Fang noted that the recommendations are built using information from several platforms, including DoorDash, Google Maps, TikTok, and others. The app shows where its suggestions come from, such as ratings, social media engagement, or online mentions.

Zesty also includes social features. Users can post photos, share thoughts about places they have visited, follow other users, and browse restaurant-related posts, making it a lightweight social network focused solely on food spots.

However, the app does not allow users to order food directly within Zesty’s chat interface. DoorDash also says restaurant suggestions do not imply paid promotion or partnerships.

DoorDash explains the goal

A DoorDash spokesperson said the company is testing new ways to connect people with nearby businesses.

“At DoorDash, we’re always looking for new ways to help people connect with the best of their communities,” the spokesperson told TechCrunch. “We’re piloting an app called Zesty to make it easier to discover great nearby restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and more through personalized search and social sharing. We’re excited to learn from early testers as we keep shaping what local discovery can look like.”

The Zesty launch is the latest sign that DoorDash is expanding beyond food delivery. Over the past year, the company has added dine-in reservations, tested delivery robots, and invested heavily in new tools and products.

Although Zesty remains an experiment, it shows how DoorDash is betting that AI, social sharing, and personalized search could change how people decide where to eat next.

To learn more about how delivery rivals are competing on speed, see Amazon’s same-day fresh grocery delivery expansion.
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