The DoorDash Instacart deal will combine two of the largest on demand delivery firms in the United States if it clears shareholder and regulatory review. DoorDash said on October 29, 2026, that it had agreed to acquire Instacart for $65.00 per share, an equity value of about $17 billion. The DoorDash Instacart deal was announced in a joint statement from DoorDash Inc. and Maplebear Inc., the company that trades as Instacart. Both companies said their boards had approved the agreement. The price gives Instacart shareholders a 26 percent premium to the closing price on October 22, 2026, which the companies described as the last trading day before media reports about a possible transaction.
DoorDash is known for restaurant delivery, while Instacart is known for grocery orders placed through its app and through retailers own websites. A combined firm would cover restaurant meals, groceries and other retail goods in one delivery network. DoorDash said Instacart customers could shop at more than 50,000 additional stores, on top of the nearly 100,000 stores already on the Instacart platform. The companies also said DashPass and Instacart+ members would pay one membership fee instead of two, saving members an estimated $100 million a year in membership fees.
DoorDash Instacart deal terms
Under the terms, Instacart shareholders can elect $65.00 in cash for each share, 0.3372 DoorDash shares, or a mix of $48.75 in cash plus 0.0843 DoorDash shares. At least 75 percent of the total consideration will be paid in cash, and DoorDash stock will account for no more than 25 percent of the total. If stock elections exceed that cap, they will be cut back on a pro rata basis. Instacart shareholders holding about 19 percent of the outstanding shares have already agreed to vote in favor of the transaction. Instacart’s board approved the agreement unanimously.
DoorDash plans to fund the cash portion with cash on hand and debt financing. JPMorgan Chase Bank has committed to provide a 364 day senior unsecured bridge loan facility. The agreement has no financing condition, which means DoorDash cannot walk away if that loan is not drawn. DoorDash said it aims to keep its investment grade credit ratings after the purchase.
DoorDash Instacart deal approval path
Closing is not expected soon. The companies expect the transaction to close toward the end of 2027 or in the first half of 2028. That timetable leaves room for a long regulatory review. Completion of the DoorDash Instacart deal still needs approval from Instacart stockholders and the expiry or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act in the United States. Regulators in Canada and Israel must also clear the purchase, along with other customary closing conditions. Until closing, the two companies will continue to operate as separate and independent firms.
Antitrust review is likely to draw close attention because both firms already deliver groceries in many American cities. Reuters reported that the DoorDash Instacart deal is expected to attract attention from United States antitrust authorities for that reason. DoorDash announced post closing commitments tied to the DoorDash Instacart deal. Local grocers will be able to work with any delivery platform they choose, with no grocery exclusivity. Instacart Shoppers will keep the information they use to decide which batches to accept, and they will keep the choice of taking DoorDash orders or shopping only on Instacart. DoorDash expects to keep the Instacart brand, its app and its enterprise technology products after closing.
What the DoorDash Instacart deal means for stores
The companies said the combined business would give grocers and retailers of every size access to DoorDash delivery network and Instacart grocery and fulfillment technology, in both apps and on stores own websites, along with advertising and artificial intelligence tools built by each company. DoorDash co-founder and chief executive Tony Xu said grocery is one of the hardest categories to get right online, and he said Instacart had spent years learning to do that work for grocers. Instacart chief executive Chris Rogers said joining DoorDash would allow the firm to do more for retail and brand partners and for shareholders.
DoorDash also set out its own financial case for the DoorDash Instacart deal on the same day. In its third quarter 2026 results, released October 29, DoorDash said it sees a multi year path to $500 million or more of annual synergies from the DoorDash Instacart deal, net of investments. It expects to invest more than 100 percent of total synergies in the first year after close, with positive net synergies in year two and beyond. DoorDash said Instacart scale would help spread the fixed cost of managing inventory for grocers. Through its DashMart operations, the company said it manages thousands of products from Giant Eagle, Albertsons and others, with fulfillment accuracy above 99 percent.