AI Apps That Pick Your Food: Is It Worth Trusting the Suggestions?
Food delivery apps have started rolling out AI assistants that help customers decide what to order, answering prompts like "something light tonight" or "I want something spicy" and suggesting dishes and restaurants accordingly. The trend raises a practical question from both sides of the counter: does this actually help the customer, and what changes for businesses that sell through delivery?
How it works in practice
Instead of scrolling through an entire menu looking for something that fits their craving, the customer describes what they're after in a few words, and the assistant matches it against menus available in the area, suggesting specific dishes and restaurants.
The upside of this trend
- Cuts down the time spent deciding what to order, especially helpful for customers with little patience for scrolling long menus;
- Can help customers discover new restaurants in the area that might otherwise go unnoticed in a regular search;
- In theory, understands dietary preferences set in a profile, which is helpful for anyone with restrictions.
The catch to watch for
AI suggestions in consumer apps tend to prioritize business partners, promotions, and higher-ticket items, that's simply how the app's business model works. In other words, the "perfect" suggestion for the customer isn't necessarily the cheapest one, and for sellers, showing up in these suggestions may depend on participating in paid campaigns within the app itself.
What this means if you sell through delivery
If your business depends on delivery apps, it's worth following how these AI tools change customer search behavior, more specific dish descriptions and better photos tend to gain relevance in this kind of automatic recommendation, the same way they already help with the app's traditional algorithm. For anyone deciding between running their own delivery or using delivery apps, these algorithm changes are one more factor to weigh when choosing your main sales channel.
AI features in delivery apps change frequently and vary by platform; for details on how to appear better in recommendations, check the help center of the app your business uses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the AI assistant know a customer's dietary restrictions?
It depends on the app; most let customers set preferences and restrictions in their profile, and the AI uses that to filter suggestions. Still, customers should always double-check ingredients before finalizing an order.
Does this kind of feature make food more expensive for customers?
Not directly. The assistant only suggests options from the restaurant's existing menu, so the final price depends on what the customer chooses to order.
How do I get my business to show up in a delivery app's AI suggestions?
There's no guarantee, but clear, specific menu descriptions, quality photos, and good reviews tend to help with both traditional search and automatic AI recommendations.