Wonder Drone Delivery is set to launch in Texas after the mealtime platform announced a new partnership with Zipline, the autonomous delivery company. The deal will bring on-demand drone delivery to select Wonder locations across the state, with customers expected to place their first orders beginning in January 2027.
The announcement builds on Wonder’s broader expansion into Texas, where the company has been laying groundwork for new restaurant locations, kitchen buildouts, and ordering systems. Pairing that growth with Zipline’s drone network is meant to give Texas customers faster access to meals from the chefs and restaurants featured on the Wonder platform, while also reaching areas that traditional delivery models may not always serve as quickly.
Wonder Drone Delivery Expands Across Texas
Texas was chosen for the rollout because of its size, fast-growing metro areas, and openness to new technology, according to the companies. Wonder is currently building the storefronts, kitchens, and logistics systems needed to support a drone delivery network at scale. The company expects that by the end of 2027, most of its Texas locations will offer drone delivery, starting in Dallas before expanding to other communities across the state. Wonder describes this buildout as part of the foundation needed for long-term growth in the state, rather than a short-term test program.
“Partnering with Zipline allows us to push the boundaries of what’s possible, combining our innovative food technology platform with world-class drone technology to reach customers in Texas through faster, more convenient delivery and serve them in entirely new ways.” Tony Hoggett, CEO of Wonder North America
Wonder says the move reflects a broader strategy of using new delivery formats to reach customers who may not be well served by traditional car-based delivery, particularly in spread-out or fast-growing metro areas where wait times can run long. By reducing delivery times and easing strain on road-based courier networks, the company says drone technology can help more people get fresh, high-quality meals on their own schedule rather than waiting on standard delivery windows.
How Zipline’s Drone Technology Powers The Service
Zipline operates electric drones that autonomously retrieve food orders from a restaurant location and fly them directly to a customer. The company says it has completed more than 2.5 million autonomous deliveries worldwide across the healthcare, food, and retail sectors, has flown over 135 million commercial autonomous miles to date, and currently offers more than 100,000 items for order in the United States.
At Wonder locations, Zipline’s drones are meant to handle pickups and deliveries without requiring special packaging or major changes to existing kitchen operations. The system is designed to plug into a restaurant’s normal ordering and food-prep workflow, and the company notes on its Texas delivery page that its drones drop packages directly into a customer’s yard without requiring construction or special landing equipment. Wonder will also use the Zipline Dropbox, a pickup station with indoor and outdoor loading options that can be added to a restaurant with no construction work.
“Every restaurant has menu items they hesitate to put in a delivery bag. Zipline changes that. By taking traffic out of the equation, Wonder can now offer customers their menu with confidence that every meal will arrive exactly as their chefs intended.” Chris Kenney, Head of National Partnerships for Zipline
What Drone Delivery Means For Wonder Customers
For customers, the expansion is meant to translate into faster delivery times and broader access to Wonder’s multi-restaurant ordering model, which lets people combine dishes from different chefs and restaurants into a single order. Wonder’s lineup includes chefs such as Bobby Flay and Marcus Samuelsson alongside restaurants like Tejas Barbecue and Di Fara Pizza, all available through one ordering platform that brings together delivery, pickup, dine-in, and meal kits in a single experience.
The deal adds to a growing list of food brands testing Zipline’s network around the country. The Seattle-based Pagliacci Pizza chain previously turned to Zipline drones to speed up orders for hard-to-reach customers while aiming to cut its delivery fleet’s carbon footprint, showing how restaurants of different sizes are testing the same aerial network.
As Wonder continues building its Texas footprint, the company says drone delivery will be one part of a wider push to expand access to its menu of restaurants and chefs. Wonder has framed the rollout as a long-term investment rather than a one-time pilot, with storefront construction, kitchen buildouts, and ordering technology all designed to support the drone network as it grows. Further details are expected as the service moves toward its planned January 2027 launch in Dallas and beyond.
