Delivery Apps Step In to Help Fill SNAP Gaps
DoorDash and Instacart are launching emergency measures to help households relying on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as part of their federal food benefits during the government shutdown, which has no end in sight.
The moves, announced in company statements, highlight how private delivery networks are working to blunt an abrupt blow to food access for millions of low-income families.
The companies are attacking two points of pressure at once: the out-of-pocket expense faced at checkout by people using SNAP, and overwhelmed logistics systems at food banks as demand surges. Both are drawing on their national shopper networks and partnerships with nonprofits to distribute groceries and pantry staples, quickly moving them for reduced or no cost.
What the relief includes from DoorDash and Instacart
DoorDash will offer to waive delivery and service fees from grocery orders made one-time using a linked SNAP/EBT card, an offering the company estimates will cover some 300,000 orders. And for families that are already living close to the bone, cutting those fees can open up an awful lot of what they spend in a week on food.
For its part, DoorDash promised to also tackle hunger relief head-on by providing 1 million free meals to over 300 partner food banks, pantries, and community organizations across the U.S. The company told investors it plans to eat delivery and service costs to hasten distributions as lines get longer.
Instacart is also providing personalized discount codes to customers who have previously used SNAP on the service for 50 percent off their next grocery order, up to $50. At the same time, the company is coordinating new food drives in cooperation with some 300 food banks across 48 states as part of an effort to help refill shelves through expanded charity features there.
Both existing platforms, for example, already process SNAP/EBT payments made online for grocery orders; they just received the payment software updates required to service digital restaurant purchases. Instacart was first out of the gate, and DoorDash will start support in 2023. The emergency efforts are a continuation of earlier initiatives, such as DoorDash’s Project DASH, which funds free deliveries for nonprofits, and Instacart’s Community Carts program, in which customers can donate items directly to local food banks from within the app.
Why the U.S. food safety net is fraying during the shutdown
SNAP is a core part of the U.S. food safety net, feeding about 42 million people on average each month in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The federal government spent approximately $99.8 billion on the program that year. When benefits go down or are delayed, they become the shock absorbers — and already they were dealing with increased need.
Feeding America estimates that roughly 20% of children now face food insecurity. Ahead of the shutdown, anti-hunger groups cautioned that a shutdown could impact as many as 40 million people, including 16 million children and eight million seniors. A federal court has ordered the administration to draw from emergency funds, though the amounts authorized — some $4.65 billion out of about $9 billion required for November — still fall short.
Making matters more complex, the USDA also told independent grocers that they can’t mark down SNAP-eligible items specifically for EBT customers. Retailers are bound by those pricing rules, but delivery platforms can lower their own fees and subsidize nonprofit deliveries — effectively lowering the total cost of a transaction without changing food prices.
How much these offers can get you and where they help
Fee waivers and one-time discounts are no substitute for lost benefits, but they can help stretch a month’s food dollars. Waiving $7 to $15 in delivery and service fees could pay for a dozen eggs, a gallon of milk and fresh produce — things that often get the ax first when budgets are constrained.
The logistics lift could be even bigger. Food pantries often have a hard time with “last-mile” delivery, especially for seniors, people with disabilities and families without reliable transportation. Tapping the same networks used to bring people restaurant meals to transport pantry boxes enables wait times to be cut, and service areas extended into areas where traditional volunteers may not get food fast enough.
Still, the assistance has limits. Some deals are limited to one per customer and may hinge on a history of SNAP use through the platform. Households in rural locations may have fewer stores to choose from and longer delivery windows. And when promotions end, regular fees return — unless platforms or philanthropic partners extend funding.
What SNAP beneficiaries should know to access relief
To access DoorDash’s relief, customers have to link an eligible SNAP/EBT card in the app and select a participating grocery partner. The 50% discount codes are being sent directly to the accounts of users who have ordered through SNAP before, and recipients can look in their app notifications and email for details and expiration dates.
Local food banks might also be able to use some extra help delivering food right now. Families in immediate need can reach out to area pantries, which may be partnering with these services for home drop-offs or scheduled pickups. Community organizations registered with Feeding America and 211 helplines are sources of localized options.
For the millions more searching for solid ground amid the shutdown’s uncertainty, these actions by DoorDash and Instacart are a Band-Aid — not a replacement for reliable public benefits. But at a time when every dollar, and every delivery, matters for food banks trying to keep operations running, reducing fees and helping streamline logistics could aid the flow of groceries even as the broader policy fight rages.
