Key facts
- Serve Robotics has partnered with Grubhub for robot delivery services in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Alexandria.
- The partnership aims to replace order volume from Serve's expiring agreement with Uber Eats.
- Serve Robotics has also expanded services with DoorDash into San Jose and Washington D.C.
- Serve is implementing 'micro depots' to facilitate robot stationing, charging, dispatch, and maintenance.
- Serve is also deploying its next-generation Moxi hospital robots following its acquisition of Diligent Robotics.
Serve Robotics is expanding its robot delivery services through a new partnership with Grubhub, aiming to offset the anticipated loss of volume from its expiring alliance with Uber Eats. The collaboration will initially deploy Serve's sidewalk robots for order fulfillment on the Grubhub platform in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Alexandria.
This move comes as Serve Robotics prepares for its Uber Eats delivery agreement to conclude early next year. Serve CEO Ali Kashani expressed confidence that the Grubhub partnership, along with other initiatives, will more than replace the volume lost from Uber, enabling faster growth.
In parallel, Serve Robotics has launched services with DoorDash in San Jose, California, and Washington, D.C., marking its seventh and eighth major U.S. markets. The company is also implementing a strategy of rolling out "micro depots" in Miami. These smaller facilities are designed for robot stationing, charging, dispatch, and maintenance, aiming to reduce costs and development timelines compared to full-scale operations, thereby enabling quicker market entry.
Grubhub's parent company, Wonder, is also increasing its focus on automation within the food delivery sector to reduce labor costs. This includes plans for drone deliveries in Texas starting in January.
Furthermore, Serve Robotics is expanding into the healthcare automation market by rolling out the next generation of its Moxi hospital robots. This initiative is bolstered by its recent acquisition of Diligent Robotics, a move intended to diversify Serve's revenue streams.
Separately, Uber Technologies and Zipline announced a partnership to bring autonomous drone delivery to Uber Eats customers across the United States, with Uber also making a strategic investment in Zipline. The companies aim for 1 million drone deliveries per day by the end of 2029, with initial deliveries starting later this year.