Alexa Plus AI Can Order Food From Uber Eats and Grubhub, but Only With the Right Device
When I tested Alexa Plus last year I liked that the conversation voice assistant could connect to third-party apps, such as Uber, but many app integrations were still distant promises. This future is now: starting this week, Alexa Plus expands to food deliveryallowing users to order from Uber eats and Grubhub.
Once you connect your Uber or Grubhub app to an Alexa Plus deviceyou will be able to ask questions about food deliveries and open a window to discuss your order. While Alexa Plus is generally very talkative (in all his different personalities), the food ordering experience is designed to be minimal, showing your current thoughts and menu decisions in real time.
When I tried this feature, I was only able to use it on my Echo Shownot in the Alexa app, because Alexa quickly told me she needed the larger Echo Show to visually guide me through the process. (Amazon says you need an Echo Show 8 or higher.) You may need to restart your app and devices to reconnect third-party apps before you can start experimenting.
Looking at the command text lets you see what you’ve chosen and change it with additional voice commands as you think about your order. Alexa will speak if you ask for food ideas or help you choose a meal. This is a more adaptive, adjust-on-the-fly experience.
An Amazon representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“What excites us about Alexa Plus is how it turns restaurant discovery and ordering into a seamless conversational experience,” said Tapojoy Chatterjee, vice president of product at Grubhub. “Customers can simply explain what they want, ask questions, get recommendations and place their order in real time.”
You can talk to Alexa Plus about local restaurants, ask to see different menu sections, and get tracking updates by saying, “Alexa, where’s my food?”
How to get Alexa Plus
Alexa Plus now has multiple personalities.
You currently have a few different options. First, you can subscribe to Amazon Prime, which starts at $15 per month and includes Prime Video and Alexa Plus. This is the most affordable option currently.
You can also subscribe to Alexa Plus as a standalone voice assistant service, but it will cost $20 per month. There’s a free version of Alexa Plus that you can experience on the web app, but remember that without a larger Echo Show, that food delivery conversation can’t happen.
A quick word of warning: When I tested Alexa Plus, it sometimes fell into the trap of over-promising but under-delivering. This could be risky if you ask Alexa about food allergies or menu substitutions, so pay close attention to your final order.
