At Instacart, we've long believed that grocery delivery should meet you where you are — and we mean that literally. Today, that vision gets a little bigger: Instacart has partnered with Airbnb to offer grocery delivery services to Airbnb guests staying across the US, with Canada1 coming in the weeks ahead.
This is the latest example of us embedding Instacart's platform directly into our partners' apps to power seamless grocery experiences at scale. Earlier this year, we launched Groceries powered by Instacart on Grubhub, bringing our network of retailers to millions of Grubhub customers. The Airbnb national rollout builds on that same model, and takes it somewhere new: travel.
From Pilot to Nationwide
Our partnership with Airbnb began with a pilot in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, and Orlando — embedding Instacart directly into the Airbnb app so guests could order groceries for their stay without leaving the Airbnb app, re-entering the destination’s address, or creating a new account. Our expansion to 25 cities followed, and today, we’re expanding across the US – with Canada to follow in the coming weeks.
As part of the launch, Airbnb guests automatically get $0 delivery fees on orders of $10 or more2. And for guests in Phoenix, Arizona and Orlando, Florida who want to walk into a kitchen that's truly ready for them, Airbnb hosts can opt-in to ‘kitchen stocking,’ where they receive and put away groceries before check-in so everything is waiting for the guests on arrival.
What Travelers Buy
One of the most compelling parts of this partnership has been seeing what Airbnb guests actually stock their vacation kitchens with. The data – relative to the overall average of all orders on Instacart – tells a surprisingly vivid story about how Americans vacation in different locations:
Mountain cabin guests: With fire logs (+4,065% more often) and marshmallows (+665%) being so popular compared to the average, Big Bear Lake cabin guests are clearly spending their evenings gathering around the fireplace.
Smoky Mountain travelers: In Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Smoky Mountain guests over-indexed heavily on pastry doughs (+179% and +319% respectively) and sliced bacon (+49% and +52%), pointing to a clear preference for slow mornings and home-cooked breakfasts.
Families headed to Disney World: The data from Four Corners, FL – the gateway to Disney World – tells a distinctly family-first story: baby food purees at 188% above the platform average, alongside cereal (+40%), fruit juice (+120%), plain milk (+23%), and boxed pasta (+88%).
Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, SC: The data from the Carolinas suggests guests may have a specific agenda: green bananas are ordered at 900% above the platform average in Myrtle Beach and 627% above in North Myrtle Beach, and packaged cookies — the category that includes Nilla Wafers — are 28% and 39% above average respectively. Banana pudding is likely a non-negotiable on a South Carolina beach trip.
College town visitors in Tempe, Arizona: The data from Tempe – home to Arizona State University – tells a student-first story: frozen burritos at 1,101% above the platform average, frozen breakfast pockets and sandwiches at 290%, and instant noodles at 127% – for guests that aren't spending a lot of time in the kitchen.
Atlanta, GA: Airbnb guests in Atlanta are clearly prioritizing the gains: protein drinks come in at 170% above the platform average, almond milk at 197%, canned tuna at 184%, and Greek and Icelandic yogurt at 17% above average.
Los Angeles Airbnb guests: Folks visiting Los Angeles ordered oat milk at 214% above average, as visitors opt for the milk alternative popular with LA natives.
It's a window into how people travel — and a reminder of why powering grocery delivery inside Airbnb makes such a difference. Grocery shopping is one of the first things travelers prioritize: more than 85% shop for groceries before arriving or within the first 24 hours of check-in, and groceries are one of the most-requested services on Airbnb3. By integrating directly within the Airbnb app that guests are already using to manage their trip, we're removing friction at exactly the right moment.
Powering Grocery Experiences Wherever People Shop
What makes this partnership meaningful for Instacart goes beyond any single trip. By embedding our platform into partners like Airbnb and Grubhub, we're extending our technology to reach people wherever they shop online and wherever they’re going — allowing us to serve more customers and drive more demand to our retail partners in the process.
Whether you're heading somewhere for a long weekend or a longer stretch, we hope groceries powered by Instacart makes every trip a little easier so guests can feel more at home.
1This expansion will be broadly available across the US and Canada, with the exception of a small number of regions.
2Service and other fees apply. On orders of $10+. $35 minimum for Costco.
3Based on internal Airbnb data.
Forward Looking Statements
This blog post contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact could be deemed forward-looking, including without limitation statements regarding partnership expansion. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to be materially different from any future results or outcomes expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those more fully described in Instacart's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Instacart undertakes no obligation, and does not intend, to update these forward-looking statements.
