DoorDash launches gifting feature in time for the holidays

DoorDash, the contentious delivery platform that recently filed for IPO, is launching a new gifting feature for its own app and Caviar to make it easier to send personalized gifts during the holidays and beyond.

You could technically already “gift” something to friends and family just by changing the address of a delivery order, but through the new Gifting feature, you’ll get a formal interface and ways to personalize your gift with digital cards you can send in advance.

Ordering works the same way it traditionally does on mobile and the web, only now at checkout, you can select to “send as a gift,” launching the new interface. From there, you can schedule the delivery, select from a collection of cards to personalize with a message, enter in the gift recipient contact information, and send. DoorDash also lets you send along tracking information with your personalized card, so the gift isn’t left sitting outside or lost at drop-off.

DoorDash has been busy over the last year launching new features, like a streamlined way for restaurants to create websites and investing in restaurants opening new delivery-oriented spinoffs. The company has a lingering reputation of using tips to pay delivery drivers’ wages (changed in June 2019) and has dealt with lawsuits over the misclassification of workers, but maybe new features will distract customers long enough to forget.

Gifting will be available soon in DoorDash and Caviar on iOS and the web, with Android to follow later. DoorDash will also send $10 coupons to any customer who gifts an order worth $20 or more (before taxes and fees) in DoorDash or Caviar from November 19th through the 27th.

Update November 19th, 12:33 PM ET: Updated to include link to DoorDash’s current payment policy for delivery drivers.