Airbnb has rolled out a grocery delivery option for guests through a partnership with Instacart, adding a new feature that lets travelers order food to their rental before arrival. The service is currently available in more than 25 U.S. cities.
The feature appears in the Airbnb app after a booking is made. Guests can go to the "Trips" tab and, if their rental is eligible, shop from Instacart’s selection as early as three weeks before check-in. According to the article, users do not need to create or sign in to an Instacart account because Airbnb sets up a temporary account linked to the reservation and saves the cart until checkout.
In some locations, hosts may also offer a "kitchen stocking" option. Under that arrangement, the host coordinates the grocery delivery and puts the items away in the fridge before the guest arrives. The article says hosts do this at no extra cost to the guest.
Airbnb customers also receive $10 off orders of $50 or more.
Restrictions on orders
The article notes several limits on the new service. Only the primary booker can place a grocery order, meaning other travelers on the reservation cannot fill the cart. Guests also cannot include alcohol in a pre-arrival kitchen stocking order because of age-verification laws, though they can schedule alcohol for delivery after check-in. In addition, Airbnb gift cards cannot be used because payments are processed through Instacart.
The article states that Airbnb has not announced any upcharges compared with ordering directly through Instacart.