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DoorDash is buying Instacart: what it means for independent restaurants
On October 29, 2026, DoorDash agreed to buy Instacart for about $17 billion. The deal may not close until late 2027 or the first half of 2028, and it still needs regulators and Instacart shareholders (Nation's Restaurant News, Oct 29, 2026, checked Nov 2026). We found no announced change to restaurant fees.
Nothing changes on your DoorDash tablet this week. The lesson for an independent is about dependence: one company now takes most delivery spending in the US, so use the next year to move repeat guests onto your own ordering.
What was announced
| Item | What was reported |
|---|---|
| Price | About $17 billion, or $65 a share, 26% above Instacart's Oct 22 close (NRN) |
| Closing | Late 2027 or the first half of 2028, after approval by Instacart shareholders and competition regulators in the US, Canada and Israel (The Next Web) |
| Brand | Instacart keeps its name and app (The Next Web) |
| Membership | DashPass and Instacart+ would merge into one subscription fee (The Next Web) |
| Cost savings | CEO Tony Xu expects a path to $500 million in savings, with a denser delivery network lowering costs (NRN) |
| For restaurants | The NRN and Next Web reports name no restaurant fee or contract change. NRN notes restaurant delivery remains DoorDash's core business (NRN) |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Delivery keeps getting more concentrated
Consumer Edge data puts DoorDash at 59% of spending across major delivery apps in Q3 2026, with Instacart and Uber Eats at 18% each. That covers all delivery categories, including grocery, so it is not a restaurant-only number (NRN).
| Buyer | Bought | Why it touches restaurants |
|---|---|---|
| DoorDash | Instacart, about $17B (NRN) | A bigger membership base and denser driver network, once closed |
| DoorDash | Grubhub's campus dining unit, $300M (Restaurant Dive, Sep 15) | Campus ordering moves under DoorDash |
| DoorDash | SevenRooms and Deliveroo (NRN) | SevenRooms is reservation and guest data software. See DashOS explained |
| Uber | ezCater, $2.3B, announced (NRN, Oct 6) | Catering orders move under Uber. See what that means |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Our read, not a reported fact: a merged membership could give more households a reason to open the DoorDash app first. That can bring you orders. It also makes you more dependent on a channel where the app holds the guest relationship.
Three things that stay the same today
Your commission
DoorDash lists 15%, 25% or 30% on delivery by plan and 6% on pickup, with no monthly fee or cancellation penalty (DoorDash). Check your own plan.
Your competitors
Uber Eats lists 20%, 25% or 30%, with some cities starting Lite at 15%, and pickup at 7% with validated in-store pricing (Uber Eats). Uber remains the second option for your guests.
Your guest list
Guests who order on an app remain mostly the app's guests. Olo's app and your own site take a different approach to who pays and who keeps the contact.
Five steps while the deal waits for approval
- Know your number.Work out what share of last month's sales came from each app and what you kept after fees. The commission calculator does the math.
- Keep your plan flexible.DoorDash says you can switch plans in its portal. Test a lower tier for a month and see what happens to orders. What DoorDash really costs shows the full fee stack.
- Put your own link first.Check your Google profile. Your ordering link should be the first one a guest sees.
- Move repeat guests.Every direct order should capture a name and phone number. Our guest list guide shows how, and cutting delivery commissions covers the fees.
- Check again when regulators decide.A ruling or a change in merchant terms is the moment to re-run your numbers. Until then, treat this as background.
Keep the apps for discovery, build the channel you own
We do not tell owners to quit delivery apps. They find you new guests. AZ sets up commission-free ordering on the POS you already use and turns those guests into regulars you can reach. At our proof restaurant in Houston, guests order and pay on their own phone, and every direct order places itself.
Self-serve direct orders went from 17% in mid-August to every direct order today.
guests known by name, with a phone number for nine in ten of them.
phone calls arrive while the restaurant is closed, not counting the afternoon break. Each one gets answered.
From our proof restaurant's own systems, Oct 2026.
Where these facts come from
- Nation's Restaurant News: DoorDash to acquire Instacart for $17B (Oct 29, 2026) - checked Nov 2026
- The Next Web: DoorDash agrees to buy Instacart (Oct 29, 2026) - checked Nov 2026
- Restaurant Dive: DoorDash buys Grubhub campus unit for $300M (Sep 15, 2026) - checked Nov 2026
- Nation's Restaurant News: Uber to acquire ezCater for $2.3B (Oct 6, 2026) - checked Nov 2026
- DoorDash: commission rates and pricing - checked Nov 2026
- Uber Eats: merchant pricing - checked Nov 2026
Questions owners ask
Is DoorDash buying Instacart?
Yes, it has agreed to. The deal is worth about $17 billion, or $65 a share, and was announced October 29, 2026. It needs shareholder and regulator approval and may not close until late 2027 or the first half of 2028.
Will DoorDash raise restaurant commissions after buying Instacart?
Nothing has been announced. The coverage we read names no restaurant fee change. DoorDash lists 15%, 25% and 30% delivery plans and 6% pickup today. Watch your merchant notices.
Does the DoorDash Instacart deal affect restaurants?
Not directly today. Instacart is a grocery service. The effect on restaurants is indirect: a larger company, a merged membership and a denser driver network if the deal closes.
What is DoorDash's market share?
Consumer Edge data reported by NRN put DoorDash at 59% of spending across major delivery apps in Q3 2026, with Uber Eats and Instacart at 18% each. It covers all delivery categories, not only restaurants.
Should I leave DoorDash because of this?
No need. Apps bring new guests. Keep them for discovery, price your app menu to cover the fee and move repeat guests to your own ordering. Do restaurants lose money on DoorDash? shows how to check.
Will DashPass and Instacart+ merge?
That is the plan once the deal closes, according to The Next Web, with both services sold under one subscription fee. DoorDash says it will keep the Instacart brand and app.
Build the ordering channel no app can reprice.
We set it up on your POS, keep every guest's name and number, and run it with you.
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