Are Robots the Future of Food Delivery? DoorDash Bets Big on Sidewalk Machines

Your next DoorDash order might arrive via robot—no tips required. DoorDash and Coco Robotics just expanded their sidewalk delivery bot partnership to Los Angeles and Chicago, marking a major shift in how food reaches our doorsteps. But can these cooler-sized machines reshape urban delivery—or will they become sidewalk nuisances? Let’s dive in.

🚨 The Problem: Why 2-Ton Cars Deliver 2-Pound Burritos

• 💸 Inefficiency Overload: Using gas-powered cars for small orders costs merchants and customers extra—both financially and environmentally.
• 📈 Scale Challenges: DoorDash’s 100,000+ Coco robot deliveries in Helsinki proved demand, but U.S. cities have denser traffic and stricter regulations.
• 🌍 Sustainability Gap: Traditional delivery vehicles account for 11% of U.S. transportation emissions. Coco’s bots are fully electric.

✅ The Solution: Sidewalk Bots + Drones + Dashers = Multi-Modal Mastery

DoorDash isn’t replacing human couriers—it’s building an all-star delivery team:

• 🤖 Coco’s Robot Army: 1,000+ emission-free bots now serve 600+ U.S. merchants, with a “taxi line” system (as seen at LA’s Main Chick Hot Chicken) slamming orders out during rush hours.
• 🚀 DoorDash Labs’ Tech Stack: Combined with Wing drones (tested in Australia) and the existing Dasher network, DoorDash aims to match every order to the fastest, cheapest, greenest method.
• 💡 Merchant Wins: Restaurants report 20% faster turnaround during peak times, translating to happier customers and repeat orders.

⚠️ Challenges: Will Cities Welcome Our New Robot Overlords?

• 🚧 Sidewalk Space Wars: Pedestrian-heavy areas like Chicago’s Magnificent Mile could become bot traffic jams.
• ❓ Public Trust: Early Coco users report bots being “adorable but slow”—can they handle 30-minute delivery promises?
• ⚖️ Regulatory Hurdles: Only 7 U.S. states currently allow commercial delivery robots. DoorDash is lobbying hard for expansion.

🚀 Final Thoughts: A Delivery Revolution—If Bots Can Navigate Reality

DoorDash’s multi-modal strategy makes sense on paper, but success depends on:

• 📈 Scaling Seamlessly: Adding bots without disrupting Dashers’ earnings or delivery times.
• 🤝 Community Buy-In: Proving bots reduce congestion—not add to it.
• Tech Reliability: Rain, hills, and potholes are robot kryptonite…for now.

As a Chicagoan, I’m torn between wanting faster tacos and fearing sidewalk bot jams. What’s your take—are delivery robots genius or gimmick?

Let us know on X (Former Twitter)

Sources: DoorDash. DoorDash and Coco Expand Global Partnership with U.S. Sidewalk Robot Delivery Launch, Apr 10, 2025. https://about.doordash.com/en-us/news/doordash-and-coco-expand-global-partnership