Instacart+ Introduces an ‘Express Lane’ for Stress-Free Last-Minute Holiday Needs

Instacart has created a new member perk just in time for the 2024 holiday season. Its “Express Lane” feature caters to Instacart+ members who will save money with $0 delivery minimums on grocery and retail orders of just $10, a much smaller minimum than the typical $35.

This new feature allows customers to have an Express Lane experience online. The offer comes at a time when shoppers could run short on gifts or items for last-minute meal prep. Per Instacart’s 2023 purchasing data, the share of customer orders in the $10-$20 range was up to three times higher around Thanksgiving and Christmas compared to the yearly average.

A press release explaining the new feature describes its customer perks: “From realizing you need a pinch of nutmeg for your famous eggnog or that you’ve forgotten a key ingredient to make Thanksgiving dinner come to life, to dashing through the digital aisles looking for supplemental stocking stuffers, or just wanting a few candy canes to sweeten your holiday decorations — small basket needs pop up everywhere during the holidays. Now, with this new Instacart+ holiday perk, Instacart members can get those one or two items delivered right to their door — with $0 delivery fees.”

Express Lane is available for a limited time in the Instacart app and on the Instacart website for all Instacart+ members. Users can sign up for Instacart + for $99 a year or $9.99 a month.

Instcart’s Initiatives Help Others Outside of Just Shopping

Instacart’s new “Express Lane” is only one of several features that the company has introduced to help customers save money.

The press release states that the company has “helped customers save more than $1.1 billion on Instacart marketplace orders, and the more than $5.35 in savings per order we helped generate this quarter increased by 18% compared to Q3’23. As grocery prices continue to rise, this new benefit delivers more than just convenience: it’s a jingle-worthy cost-saving measure for all those one-off holiday needs, making Instacart+ the ultimate holiday sidekick.”

Along with the ability to save time, Instacart is also moving forward in its initiative to ensure no one goes hungry this holiday season. The company is expanding its platform to fight food insecurity by partnering with nonprofit organizations, food banks, and local officials across the country to address hunger directly.

According to Instacart, “Broadly, we’re using our technology and scale to increase access to nutritious food through partnerships with food banks, nonprofits, health systems, health plans and nutrition organizations, we’re leveraging our platform to support communities across the country.”