Harsh early review inbound: Zesty by DoorDash is severely flawed.
Launched yesterday, I’m floored by how inaccurate the restaurant recommendations are.
I would never give a “review” or pass judgment on its first day or week a new restaurant opening, but products multi billion dollar tech companies are different and it feels like no one QA’d this app.
Also I’m dying for someone to do this well.
Quick explanation of what Zesty is. According to TechCrunch its “a new AI-powered social app that’s designed to help users quickly find local restaurants.” It derives their recommendations from data sources like DoorDash, TikTok, Google Maps, Reddit, Inc., Eater and The Infatuation…
Yet every recommendation it made for me was trash:
eg 1. I asked for a great dining experience in NYC for dinner next week. It’s top recommendation was The Porch at Bryant Park. Huh? Yeah, al fresco in December.
eg 2. I clicked on one of it’s pre-filtered prompts…asking for a power-lunch spot in midtown. First recco was Daily Provisions. I like DP a ton, but a “power-lunch” spot? It’s third recommendation was Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop, which closed in 2022.
I have many more. (is this AI slop, btw?)
So I’m sure the AI will get better but this starting point is frankly embarrassing. I’m all for move fast and break things but this was a serious miss.
Too many really smart restaurant industry people at DD for someone to not have waived a red flag here. I hope they step in now and right the Zesty ship.