What Are DoorDash's New AI Tools for Merchants?

DoorDash announced a suite of AI-powered merchant tools on May 4, 2026, covering five areas of the merchant experience including onboarding, video content, photo editing, direct ordering websites, and marketing automation.

The updates reflect a broader push to embed AI across DoorDash's platform as a way to reduce the manual work that currently sits between a restaurant owner and their first order, according to the press release.

The most significant update is the AI-powered self-serve onboarding experience. The tool works by pulling information directly from a merchant's existing online presence to automatically surface photos, store hours, and menu items for their DoorDash listing.

Merchants review and edit the pre-populated details rather than entering everything manually. DoorDash says the new process helps merchants launch more than 35% faster than the previous onboarding flow.

"We just got started on DoorDash using the self-serve onboarding experience and honestly, I was surprised by how quick and painless it was," said Jonathan Mallinson, owner of Backstreet Pizza & Pub. "The process was a lot easier than I expected."

Content and Media Tools

According to the press release, the Video Library gives eligible merchants a centralized hub within the Merchant Portal to upload, organize, and manage video content at no additional cost.

Merchants can tag specific menu items within videos so customers can order directly from what they watch. The library also surfaces performance metrics including views, video-driven sales, and new customer acquisition, giving merchants data on what content is actually converting.

On the photo side, DoorDash is expanding access to three AI editing tools it has been developing internally. AI Retouch replaces cluttered or inconsistent backgrounds with a clean surface, sharpens image quality, and optimizes lighting while keeping the food unchanged.

AI Replate reportedly transforms food photos into professional-level images by matching dishes with appropriate dinnerware and enhancing lighting and color without altering the food item, quantity, or portion.

A third tool lets merchants apply the visual style of one image to another, making it easier to maintain consistency across a menu. Since DoorDash first launched AI photo enhancement last year, millions of photos have been improved across the platform.

Direct Ordering and Marketing

The DoorDash Commerce Platform received two AI-powered additions. AI-Powered Websites auto-build branded, SEO-optimized direct ordering sites using the menu, branding, and images a merchant already has on DoorDash.

Website setup is reduced from hours to minutes. During testing, merchants saw order conversion rates of nearly 10% on average, according to the press release.

"With our branded website, we've seen a huge increase in the direct orders we've been receiving," said Johnny Bojinoff, owner of Johnny OX Pizzeria. "And being able to save money with zero-percent commissions is great."

AI-Powered Marketer allows merchants to automate email outreach, generate campaign content, and schedule sends tied to relevant occasions without building campaigns manually.

"With AI helping power those campaigns, we're able to stay connected with customers without spending time creating every message from scratch," said Trena Wallace, owner of Fishhook Seafood.

"At DoorDash, we're constantly building tools to help merchants succeed, from their very first day on the platform, to every order after," said Brian Tolkin, Head of Merchant Product at DoorDash. "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."