DBS launches chatbot Foodster for online meal ordering

It will allow customers to order food through Facebook Messenger and pay through DBS.

Singapore's DBS unveiled a new retail service chatbot Foodster which will enable customers to order food via Facebook Messenger in a move that marks its official entry into the chat commerce market, an announcement revealed.

Also read: How Singapore's big banks are adopting chatbot technology

To use the chatbot, consumers can search for the merchant’s name followed by “Foodster” on Messenger. Customers are also given the option to customise their orders by chatting with a chatbot representing the selected restaurant.

Payment for the meal ordering service can be done via the DBS PayLah! e-wallet or DBS or POSB credit or debit cards, DBS said. Depending on the order, customers can typically pick up their orders 10 to 20 minutes after payment.

“If instant messaging is the way forward for people to communicate, then we need to help business find a way to engage their customers on such platforms simply, seamlessly and invisibly,” head of consumer banking group at DBS Singapore Jeremy Soo said in a statement. 

Foodster has already been trialed and adopted by seven food and beverage merchants in Marina Bay such as Subway, Kopi Ong, Gemstar, NUDE Seafood and Omnivore. Kopitiam and Holey Moley are slated to join the network.