TLDRs;
- Serve Robotics shares surged 28.63% after announcing a long-term partnership with DoorDash.
- The deal expands Serve’s sidewalk delivery operations beyond Uber to DoorDash’s vast U.S. network.
- DoorDash aims to integrate Serve’s autonomous robots alongside its in-house “Dot” delivery fleet.
- Analysts say the collaboration underscores growing investor confidence in delivery automation.
Serve Robotics Inc. (NASDAQ: SERV) shares skyrocketed 28.63% on Thursday following the announcement of a multi-year delivery partnership with DoorDash (NASDAQ: DASH).
The deal enables Serve to deploy its sidewalk robots for DoorDash customers in Los Angeles, with plans to expand to more U.S. cities throughout 2026.
The agreement represents a milestone for the San Francisco-based robotics company, which has until now primarily partnered with Uber. Serve’s CEO, Ali Kashani, described the new partnership as a strategic leap that broadens the company’s operational footprint and brings its robots to areas where DoorDash dominates the market.
“Now that we have a significant fleet size, we can provide more supply and we’re looking for more demand so our robots always have jobs,” Kashani said in a statement.
Robots Meet Record Growth
Serve Robotics, originally a spinoff from Postmates in 2017, has grown rapidly despite industry headwinds. The company currently operates in Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, and Atlanta, and has completed over 100,000 deliveries from more than 2,500 restaurant partners.
Earlier this week, Serve deployed its 1,000th third-generation robot and remains on track to reach 2,000 units by the end of 2025.
The stock rally follows Serve’s momentum in expanding its U.S. presence and scaling production amid rising investor appetite for automation. Analysts note that the partnership with DoorDash could double Serve’s addressable market, providing a much-needed demand pipeline for its growing robot fleet.
DoorDash Embraces a Hybrid Delivery Future
DoorDash has been steadily ramping up its automation initiatives, unveiling its in-house delivery robot, Dot, earlier this year. Dot is an electric, five-foot-tall delivery vehicle equipped with multiple cameras, sensors, and a six-hour battery life. It can travel at speeds of up to 20 mph across roads, bike lanes, and sidewalks while carrying up to 30 pounds of cargo.
The partnership with Serve highlights DoorDash’s “hybrid delivery model,” which combines human Dashers, autonomous robots, and drones. According to DoorDash Labs head Stanley Tang, the company’s goal is to “get this technology to as many places as we can,” balancing efficiency with accessibility.
Despite challenges in the delivery robot sector, where companies like FedEx and Amazon have exited, DoorDash remains bullish on automation’s potential to reduce delivery times and costs.
The Broader Race Toward Delivery Automation
The Serve–DoorDash alliance comes as competition in last-mile logistics heats up. Tech giants including Alphabet’s Wing and Coco have been developing similar robotic and drone delivery systems. Serve’s latest deal positions it as one of the few startups successfully scaling sidewalk robots beyond niche deployments such as college campuses.
While the hype around autonomous delivery cooled post-pandemic, this renewed momentum from DoorDash and Serve could signal a turning point for the sector. Industry observers say the key differentiator lies in software precision, not just robot hardware.
“You’re trying to solve a much harder problem with far less capital and compute power,” said Bern Grush, Executive Director of the Urban Robotics Foundation.
Still, Serve’s consistent progress and DoorDash’s strategic investment reflect a shared belief that autonomous delivery is here to stay.
