DoorDash is preparing to enter the in-store restaurant technology market, creating competition for established payments companies such as Toast, Inc., according to a report from Rothschild & Co Redburn analyst Dominic Ball on May 12, 2026 [1, 2]. Ball based his forecast on extensive market channel checks, product clues, recruitment trends, and feedback from merchants. "Despite no formal product announcement, I am confident based on extensive channel checks, product clues, recruitment activities, and merchant feedback that DoorDash is expanding into restaurant technology," he said [2].
Following Ball's report, Toast's stock price fell as much as 5.2% in intraday trading to $22.93, reflecting investor concerns over the new competition [2]. The analyst downgraded Toast's stock rating from buy to neutral and set a target price of $35, signaling a more cautious outlook for the firm [2].
DoorDash's planned expansion is part of a broader strategy to capture up to 20% of the U.S. restaurant market by 2035, a medium-confidence projection noted in the same analysis [2]. The company has already broadened its footprint beyond food delivery, investing in autonomous delivery robots and expanding into grocery and retail sectors [2].
In a major recent move, DoorDash acquired SevenRooms, a restaurant reservation technology company, for $1.2 billion [2]. The acquisition is seen as a step toward more integrated restaurant technology services. DoorDash also introduced a smart weighing scale designed to help restaurants accurately weigh meals before handing them to delivery drivers — aiming to reduce customer complaints about missing items [2].
This set of initiatives signals DoorDash's intent to deepen its presence in restaurant operations beyond delivery. The next milestone to watch will be DoorDash's official product launch in the in-store restaurant technology space.
