Delivery News

Snappy convenience store delivery service extends to South Dallas

GoPuff is a combination of concierge service and errand runner.

Photo courtesy of goPuff

A company that delivers goods to your door has launched in Dallas, including, notably, areas in southern parts of the city that some other startups have ignored.

Enter goPuff, a Philadelphia-based "digital retailer" that's like a combination of concierge service and errand runner.

The company stocks more than 2,500 products across eight categories, ranging from snacks to beverages to household essentials to pet items.

When customers need something, they log into their goPuff account, select what they want, and the company's delivery drivers bring it to their door. Delivery hours are from noon to 4:30 am, seven days a week, with a flat delivery charge of $1.95.

Founded in 2013, goPuff is now available in more than 90 cities, including Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Denver; Houston; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Seattle; Pittsburgh; and Washington, D.C.

Dallas is the third of four markets goPuff has entered in Texas, following Austin in 2015 and San Antonio in April. goPuff also recently began delivery in Houston.

The launch of goPuff below I-30 comes on the heels of the company's initial entry into Dallas, which included downtown Dallas, Denton, Richardson, Mesquite, and Arlington.

"Customers have been asking us to come to Dallas since we first launched the concept, and we are thrilled to now bring that experience to the area and deliver the moments that matter most to this vibrant community," says Rafael Ilishayev, goPuff co-founder and co-CEO, in a statement announcing the expansion.

The company touts its speed of delivery as a main selling feature. Customers place their orders on the goPuff app, the same way they would for other delivery services. Then, goPuff team members head out, collect what's needed, and deliver it.

Because the products are housed at goPuff facilities, drivers don't need to head all over town to collect needed items, and there are no third parties to work with. But what about cold treats like ice cream?

"Because we warehouse product inventory at our own facilities, we can quickly pack orders in our special insulated bins and pass them off to our driver partners for fast deliveries, keeping the ice cream cold," Liz Romaine of goPuff tells CultureMap.

The South Dallas zip codes include:

75216
75236
75233
75211
75224
75203
75208
75212

They're not stopping at South Dallas. Additional facilities will open in Garland and Deep Ellum in September, and Fort Worth comes on board in the fall. According to a spokesman, Dallas now represents one of goPuff's largest markets.

To celebrate goPuff's entrance into South Dallas, customers who sign up for an account and place their first order of at least $9 by August 25, can add a complimentary pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream to their cart; a coupon will be applied automatically at checkout once the order minimum is met. The welcome offer cannot be combined with any other promotional codes and is only valid for first-time users in the South Dallas area. Ice cream!

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Drive time

Tesla’s driverless Cybercabs are preparing to hit the roads in Dallas

X/Tesla

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Tesla’s self-driving Cybercabs, already on the roads of Austin, will be roaming the streets of Dallas in the near future.

In an October 10 post on the X social media platform, Tesla’s vice president of AI software, Ashok Elluswamy, said Cybercabs are coming “soon” to Dallas. He offered no timeline.

The futuristic Cybercab differs significantly from Tesla’s more laidback Model Y Robotaxi, which cruised into the Dallas area this spring.

Both autonomous electric vehicles are manufactured in Austin, where Tesla is based. The Robotaxi Tracker website shows 319 Cybercabs and 420 Robotaxis are registered in Texas today.

Perhaps the most striking difference between the Cybercab and Robotaxi is the absence or presence of driving controls.

The Cybercab — made especially for driverless ride-hailing trips — lacks a steering wheel, gas pedal, and brake pedal, among other typical fixtures. The vehicle uses camera vision and sensors to navigate streets, highways, parking lots, and more. The Robotaxi features a traditional steering wheel and pedals.

Another difference: The Cybercab’s bench-style seating accommodates only two passengers. Depending on the configuration, a Robotaxi can carry up to four or five passengers in the front row and rear row. Touchscreens are installed in both rows. The Cybercab comes with a single touchscreen.

A Cybercab’s exterior color stands out — either a matte or glossy golden shade — and comes with two butterfly doors. The Robotaxi has a less-flashy paint scheme and a more conventional four-door setup.

Also unlike the Robotaxi, the Cybercab isn’t equipped with side mirrors, a rearview mirror, or a back window.

Inside the Cybercab, you’ll find a large interactive touchscreen, and enough cargo room for large items like luggage, golf clubs, and scooters.

Elluswamy’s comment about Dallas came in response to an X post saying Austin had more than 300 Cybercabs. The cars, which launched in Austin last month, were spotted throughout the city during the just-concluded ACL Music Festival.

In Tesla’s July call with Wall Street analysts, Elluswamy praised the Cybercab as “a phenomenal product.”

“Anyone who rides in it instantly falls in love with the experience,” he said.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) may not be in love with the Cybercab, though. It has launched two investigations into them.

In September, NHTSA opened an investigation into data that Tesla supplied to obtain federal certification of the Cybercab. Investigation paperwork notes their lack of a steering wheel, gas pedal, brake pedal, and mirrors.

This month, the federal agency opened an investigation into reports that Cybercabs and Robotaxis had exceeded posted speed limits in active school zones.

dallas cybercabs robotaxi self-driving cars selfdriving tesla tesla cybercab texas

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Snappy convenience store delivery service extends to South Dallas

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