Wendy’s To Test Drone Delivery in First U.S. Location

Good news, fast food fans! Wendy’s announced that it's teaming up with DoorDash and Wing to test food delivery via drone.

As part of a pilot program, customers at the Wendy’s franchise in Christiansburg, VA, can now use the DoorDash app to select the “drone” option and place their order. The food will be prepared, packaged, and delivered via a Wing drone, typically within 30 minutes.

The idea for the partnership originated from DoorDash Labs, the company’s robotics and automation arm, and provides a sustainable solution to short-distanced delivery orders.

“At DoorDash, we are committed to advancing last-mile logistics by building a multi-modal delivery platform that serves all sides of our marketplace,” said Harrison Shih, Senior Director of DoorDash Labs. “We’re optimistic about the value drone delivery will bring to our platform as we work to offer more efficient, sustainable, and convenient delivery options for consumers.”

Expanding on Australia’s successful pilot program

In 2022, DoorDash and Wing piloted their first drone delivery pilot program in Australia, which delivered items from local restaurants and retailers. It soon expanded to three locations and over 60 participating stores. Encouraged by this success, the companies are excited about expansion into the U.S.

“Expanding our partnership with DoorDash and launching in the U.S. is a direct result of the success we’ve seen from our initial collaboration in Australia,” said Cosimo Leipold, Head of Partnerships, at Wing. “This moment continues our meaningful expansion of this service in the U.S. and advances our shared goal to better the last-mile delivery ecosystem.”

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The companies plan to explore expanding the pilot program to other cities in the U.S. later this year, according to the announcement.

Wendy's joins the drone trend

Wendy's isn't the only fast food restaurant taking advantage of drone delivery. Chick-fil-A began testing a model in one of its Florida locations last November, while Sweetgreen partnered with Zipline last May.

McDonald's, meanwhile, was forced to issue a public statement that the company doesn't use drones after one was spotted over a franchise in Ireland.

Wing has been working with Walmart since 2021, and announced last August the expansion of its drone program to the Dallas metro area.