Omni Talk Retail – Fast Five Shorts
Episode: GrubHub Partners with Instacart
Date: November 6, 2025
Hosts: Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga

Main Theme / Purpose

In this episode, Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga discuss the new partnership between GrubHub and Instacart, which will allow GrubHub users to order groceries—fulfilled by Instacart—directly from the GrubHub app and website. The hosts unpack the business implications, strategic motivations, and industry dynamics behind this "strange bedfellow" collaboration, while questioning the rationale and strategic incentives for both parties.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Details of the GrubHub–Instacart Partnership [00:00–00:50]

• GrubHub users can now order groceries from over 1,000 retailers nationwide.
• Orders are made on the GrubHub platform but are fulfilled/delivered by Instacart shoppers.
• The grocery ordering feature started rolling out on October 28th and was planned for nationwide availability within a week.
• There are future plans to expand into pharmacy orders in collaboration with Instacart.

2. The “White Label” Shift in Delivery [00:50–01:12]

• Chris highlights a trend where third-party delivery companies are moving toward white-label fulfillment for other brands.
  • “These last two headlines, particularly this one and the one prior, they show the rise of what we’ve long talked about on this show, which is that the third-party delivery providers are being pushed into playing more of a white label service positioning throughout the market.” — Chris [00:54]

3. Strategic Skepticism and Industry Dynamics [01:12–02:39]

• Chris questions why Instacart would partner with GrubHub, given that Wonder (Marc Lore’s meal planning company) now owns GrubHub.
• He speculates whether Marc Lore has a bigger plan at play—perhaps courting Instacart as a potential acquirer or as a means to fuel his "super app" ambitions.
  • “If I’m Instacart, I’m stepping back strategically and I’m saying why the heck would I do this? Why would I give a leg up to someone that eventually wants to disintermediate me in his grand designs on how to attack the marketplace?” — Chris [01:32]
  • “GrubHub has been flailing for years...bought and sold multiple times just over the last five years.” — Chris [01:49]
  • “This is the same essentially as Instacart providing delivery for DoorDash and vice versa. So, like, I just don’t understand why Instacart would do this. I don’t understand their incentives and I question the move wholeheartedly.” — Chris [02:02]
• Speculation that Marc Lore is setting a trap, “baiting the hook,” to create acquisition interest or to strategically outmaneuver the competition.

4. The Amazon Factor and Defensive Plays [02:39–03:15]

• Anne remembers Amazon's existing partnership with GrubHub, granting Prime members a free GrubHub membership.
• She wonders why Amazon didn't intervene to block the Instacart partnership or use it as a defensive move.
  • “Amazon prime members also get a free grubhub membership...Seems like that would have been a good defensive moat for Amazon, but apparently not.” — Anne [02:43]
• Anne speculates that Marc Lore’s background maneuvering made this partnership with Instacart more attractive or strategic for GrubHub.

5. Uncertainty About Next Steps [03:15–end]

• The hosts close by underscoring the unpredictability surrounding how this partnership might evolve.
  • “God knows where it’s going to go.” — Chris [03:15]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.” — Chris [00:51], referring to his skepticism about the motives behind the partnership.
• “This is essentially Instacart providing delivery for DoorDash and vice versa.” — Chris [02:03], highlighting the unusual element of the deal.
• “Apparently Marc Lore is working his magic in the background, Chris, and Instacart is who he wants to be linked in with for this partnership.” — Anne [03:09]

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–00:50: Overview of the partnership, service rollout details.
• 00:50–01:12: Chris on the white-label trend in third-party delivery.
• 01:12–02:39: Chris analyzes the strategic risks and questions Instacart’s motivations.
• 02:39–03:15: Anne examines the Amazon-GrubHub dynamic and Marc Lore’s strategy.
• 03:15–end: Uncertainty about the future direction of the partnership.

Tone and Takeaways

Anne and Chris maintain an analytical but candid tone, with Chris especially skeptical, using colorful analogies (like the Greeks bearing gifts and baited hooks) to question the true intent of the partnership. Both hosts are intrigued but cautious, pointing to hidden motives, competitive chess moves, and the ever-blurring lines among major players in retail and delivery.

Summary for Listeners:
If you missed this episode, know that the GrubHub-Instacart partnership is roiling the delivery and grocery sectors—not just for what it brings consumers, but for the complex, perhaps risky strategic bets it signals between companies racing to become the all-in-one destination for food, grocery, and beyond. The biggest questions remain: Why did Instacart say yes, and what is Marc Lore really after?