Uber Eats announced on Wednesday that it will now allow restaurants and merchants to chat with customers to help prevent issues with orders. The app is also introducing new AI tools for merchants and inviting users to submit photos of their orders if the item doesn’t yet have a menu image.
With the new “Live order chat” feature, merchants can message customers in real-time to confirm replacements for sold-out items, clarify special requests, or check dietary and allergy preferences. Uber states that users cannot initiate chats with merchants—customers can only message merchants if contacted first. The chat feature is available for both delivery and pickup orders and ends once the food is handed off to a courier or customer.
The launch follows DoorDash’s introduction of a similar merchant-customer chat feature three months ago.
Uber Eats is also rolling out AI-powered summaries of customer reviews to help merchants understand feedback more efficiently. Additionally, AI-generated item descriptions will be added to menus, assisting users in making informed ordering decisions.
The app will use AI to enhance low-quality food images by improving lighting, resolution, framing, and plating. For example, a photo of food in a takeout container might be transformed into an image of the same dish on a plate.
Uber Eats is encouraging users to submit photos of their delivered meals, as the company recognizes that customers are more likely to order dishes they can visualize. If a user’s photo is selected and published, they can receive $3 in Uber Cash if they reside in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, or the U.K.
To submit a photo, users can tap the “Add Photos” button on the rate order screen after their delivery is complete.