DoorDash Plans to Spend Big on Tech and Robots, Stock Falls 20%

DoorDash is investing heavily in new technology, delivery robots, and other initiatives that it says will drive growth — but it comes with a hefty price tag.

The delivery service said in earnings results on Wednesday that it plans to invest “several hundred million dollars more in new initiatives and platform development in 2026 than we did in 2025.”

With all that spending, DoorDash plans to create a “new global tech platform” for all of the brands that it has built or bought. DoorDash has acquired multiple delivery brands, such as Wolt, which operates in Europe and Asia. Each currently uses separate tech, DoorDash CEO Tony Xu said. After the upgrade, DoorDash should be able to roll out new features globally, Xu said.

The new tech platform will also include more AI tools to “free up engineering capacity to do a lot more work,” Xu said.

DoorDash reported earnings per share for the third quarter that were lower than analysts expected. Shares of DoorDash fell roughly 20% in after-hours trading on Wednesday.

Xu said DoorDash also plans to invest in new products next year, including autonomous delivery options and fulfillment options through its DashMart online convenience store. “We’re doing this now for future growth,” Xu said.

In September, the company unveiled Dot, a delivery robot that can navigate sidewalks and bike lanes to get food to customers.

Last month, DoorDash also said it would make some deliveries using self-driving Waymo cars.

“We wish there was a way to grow a baby into an adult without investment, or to see the baby grow into an adult overnight, but we do not believe this is how life or business works,” the company said in its earnings release.

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