Everyone is jumping on the AI bandwagon and DoorDash isn’t about to be left behind. The food delivery giant has launched Zesty, a new AI-powered social app that aims to make discovering new restaurants easier.
The app’s main purpose is to cut out all the legwork involved in finding new places to try. Instead of spending hours scrolling through reviews on Google, checking menus, or hunting for popular spots on social media, users can simply chat with Zesty’s AI chatbot to get personalized recommendations based on their cravings.
An Instagram promo of the app shows how users can use natural language prompts like, “A low-key dinner in Williamsburg that’s actually good for introverts” to receive tailored suggestions. Users can also choose from a range of sample prompts to kick off discovery. The chatbot also learns from user interactions, refining its recommendations over time.
In an X post, DoorDash cofounder Andy Fang revealed that Zesty aggregates information from DoorDash, Google Maps, TikTok, and more to curate recommendations. These appear as cards in a carousel over a map view, which users can tap to see key details like the address and operating hours, popular dishes, and what most people tend to order. Users can also bookmark and share recommendations.
Google’s Gemini already does something similar
While DoorDash’s new app looks promising, it could face stiff competition from Google’s Gemini, which recently received an upgrade introducing similar card-style results for nearby restaurant searches.
When I tried the same sample prompt shown in Zesty’s promo video in Gemini, I received comparable recommendations, with each restaurant’s card featuring a concise review summary alongside sections like “Tips from reviewers,” “People love to order,” and “People go here for.”
Gemini also has an edge in scope and availability. Its discovery feature extends beyond restaurants and is already available to a wide audiences, while Zesty is currently limited to iOS users in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York. A broader rollout could help level the playing field, but DoorDash hasn’t confirmed any expansion plans yet.
