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Short answer: In Canada, Skip connects customers to Instacart’s grocery and retail marketplace, while Instacart adds restaurant delivery from SkipTheDishes. These are two separate ordering paths, with different apps, account behavior, membership thresholds, fees, and support contacts.
The partnership launched on October 6, 2026. Store and restaurant coverage, delivery eligibility, promotions, and the final fee breakdown depend on the address and checkout screen, so verify them in the app before paying.
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What the Skip–Instacart partnership actually does
The integration runs in both directions rather than creating one combined marketplace. Skip is the entry point for Instacart-powered groceries and retail. Instacart is the entry point for restaurant orders fulfilled by SkipTheDishes couriers.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →| What you want to order | App and entry point | Who fulfills it | Account and support notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries or retail items | Skip app, grocery icon; checkout continues on Instacart’s platform | Instacart shoppers pick the order in-store | Check the live catalog, delivery area, and fees in Instacart checkout |
| Restaurant food | Instacart app, Restaurants section | SkipTheDishes courier network | A linked SkipTheDishes account is created after consent; SkipTheDishes handles payment disputes and order support |
The launch announcement described more than 130 retail banners and over 9,000 Canadian locations on the grocery side, plus more than 50,000 national and local restaurant partners on the restaurant side. Those are announced network totals, not a promise that every store or restaurant is available at every address. The current selection appears only after you enter a delivery location.
See the October 6, 2026 partnership announcement for the published launch figures.
#1 Best Overall
- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
How to order groceries and retail items through Skip
- Open the Skip app and sign in.
- Tap the grocery icon. The exact icon placement can change with app updates, so use the grocery or retail entry point shown on your home screen.
- Enter or confirm your delivery address. The available stores, delivery windows, item availability, and fees are location-specific.
- Choose a retailer from the Instacart-powered selection and continue to Instacart’s platform when prompted.
- Browse the live catalog, add items, review substitutions and delivery instructions, and inspect the complete checkout total.
- Place the order after confirming taxes, service charges, tip, delivery fee, and any membership benefit shown for that address.
Instacart shoppers pick these orders inside the selected store. A retailer shown in the launch network may still be unavailable because of distance, operating hours, inventory, delivery capacity, or local eligibility. Treat the app’s address-specific catalog as authoritative rather than relying on the national launch count.
How to order Skip restaurants from the Instacart app
The restaurant feature is for eligible customers in Canada and is available in the Instacart iOS and Android apps. It is not described as a general web checkout.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →- Open the Instacart mobile app and select Restaurants.
- Choose a restaurant that serves your address, then add menu items to the cart.
- Review the restaurant, delivery address, estimated timing, fees, and tip.
- When the restaurant section first needs to connect with SkipTheDishes, read the consent request and choose whether to continue.
- Confirm payment and submit the order. A SkipTheDishes courier delivers the food.
If you decline the data-sharing request, you can exit without sharing the requested information, but you cannot use the Skip-powered restaurant path without that connection. Restaurant availability and delivery times are determined at the address and time of ordering.
Instacart’s Restaurants (Canada) help page covers the supported app experience.
Rank #2
- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
Do you need a separate Skip account?
For an Instacart restaurant order, yes, a linked SkipTheDishes account is created after you actively consent to the connection. Instacart shares your name, email address, phone number, and Instacart+ membership status with SkipTheDishes for this purpose.
This is not an account merge. The linked account operates independently from any Skip account you already have, and it is not a normal account that you can open and manage in the Skip app. Existing Skip credentials do not automatically connect your Skip and Instacart profiles.
The published help information describes this linking specifically for the restaurant path. It does not establish an equivalent account-linking process for grocery orders started in Skip and continued on Instacart.
Details are in About restaurant orders powered by SkipTheDishes.
Rank #3
- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- THOUGHTFUL GIFT: Share the gift of time by taking a chore off a friend’s or family’s to-do list. Perfect for new parents!
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
Payment, credits, and who is responsible for a restaurant order
Who charges you
SkipTheDishes is the merchant of record for restaurant-order charges, refunds, and disputes. Restaurant charges are processed in Canadian dollars. The default payment card saved in Instacart is passed to the linked SkipTheDishes account when you first add an item. If that card cannot be used, the checkout flow lets you add a payment method in the Skip webview.
What a payment change affects
A payment-method change made during restaurant checkout applies to that restaurant order only. It does not change the payment method for grocery or retail orders.
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Credits and card-network offers
Instacart credits and rewards cannot be applied to restaurant orders in this integration. Credit-card-provider or payment-network statement credits are also unavailable for restaurant orders placed through Instacart. Do not assume that a grocery credit, gift card balance, or card-linked promotion transfers to the restaurant cart.
Where to get help
For a restaurant order, use the in-app Skip Order Help route. SkipTheDishes is the support contact for order status, missing or incorrect items, refunds, payment disputes, and other restaurant-order problems. Instacart remains the app where you placed the order, but it is not the merchant of record for those restaurant charges.
Rank #4
- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- THOUGHTFUL GIFT: Share the gift of time by taking a chore off a friend’s or family’s to-do list. Perfect for new parents!
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
Membership benefits, minimums, and fees
The two membership benefits have different qualifying orders. A waived delivery fee does not mean the order is free of taxes, service charges, other applicable fees, or tips.
| Membership and path | Published delivery-fee benefit | Minimum and exclusions | Charges that can remain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instacart+ for restaurant orders | $0 delivery fee on eligible orders | At least $15 before taxes, fees, and tips; alcohol is excluded | Reduced service fees may apply, but service and other fees, taxes, and tip can remain |
| Skip+ for Instacart-powered grocery or retail orders | $0 delivery fee on eligible orders | At least $35 in qualifying spend before taxes, tips, and service fees; alcohol and other age-restricted items do not qualify | Taxes, service fees, and gratuities are not waived |
For Skip+, the offer is non-transferable, has no cash value, and may be changed or cancelled without notice. The checkout screen is the reliable place to confirm whether your basket qualifies and which charges remain.
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For current eligibility wording, see Instacart’s Skip+ delivery-fee eligibility page and the restaurant-order help information.
What happened to the 40% launch discount?
The October 6, 2026 launch announcement described a 40% discount on qualifying Instacart-powered orders of $35 or more, capped at $15 off. It was quantity-limited and directed customers to the Skip app for the details.
Best Value
- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- THOUGHTFUL GIFT: Share the gift of time by taking a chore off a friend’s or family’s to-do list. Perfect for new parents!
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
Because the promotion was tied to available quantities and terms can change, do not treat it as a permanent Skip+ benefit. Look for a promotion banner or code in the Skip app, confirm the expiration and eligibility conditions, and verify that the discount appears in the final total before placing the order.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Availability: what to check before you order
The partnership is described for Canada. Even within Canada, a national announcement cannot establish service at every address. Run these checks in the relevant app:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Address: Enter the precise delivery address, including unit or apartment details, before comparing stores or restaurants.
- Live selection: Confirm that the retailer, restaurant, menu item, and delivery window are currently offered.
- App and operating system: Restaurant ordering is documented for eligible customers using the Instacart iOS or Android app.
- Membership status: Make sure the correct Instacart+ or Skip+ membership is active on the account used for the relevant path.
- Basket qualification: Check whether the minimum-spend calculation excludes alcohol or other age-restricted products and whether taxes, tips, and service fees are outside the qualifying amount.
- Final total: Review delivery, service, small-order, priority, taxes, tip, and any other line items at checkout.
Common problems and the right fix
The grocery icon or Restaurants section is missing
Update the app, confirm that your delivery address is in Canada, and check again after signing in. A missing entry point can mean the feature is not enabled for your account, location, app version, or current operating conditions. Do not substitute a different web flow for the documented restaurant mobile-app path.
The store or restaurant appears nationally but not locally
Re-enter the exact address and check operating hours and delivery radius. The published banner and partner counts describe the launch network; your local catalog controls what can actually be ordered.
The payment card is rejected
For a restaurant order, use the payment option in the Skip webview at checkout to add or replace a card. Remember that this change is limited to that restaurant order and does not update grocery-order payment settings.
A grocery credit or card statement credit does not apply
That behavior is expected for the Skip-powered restaurant path: Instacart credits, rewards, and card-network statement credits are not available there. Check the restaurant checkout total rather than relying on a benefit shown elsewhere in your Instacart account.
You need a refund or have a restaurant-order dispute
Open the order and use Skip Order Help in the Instacart app. SkipTheDishes is responsible for restaurant charges, refunds, and disputes, so contacting the restaurant or a general Instacart grocery-support route may delay resolution.
The delivery fee is zero but the total is still higher than expected
Inspect each line item. Membership benefits address the stated delivery-fee component only; taxes, tips, service fees, and other applicable charges can remain. Alcohol and other excluded products can also affect eligibility or the qualifying-spend calculation.
Which path should you use?
| Your goal | Use this path | Important consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Order groceries, household supplies, or retail goods | Skip app → grocery icon → Instacart platform | Selection and fees are determined by your address and the live Instacart catalog |
| Order prepared food from a restaurant | Instacart app → Restaurants | Consent creates a separate linked SkipTheDishes account, and Skip handles payment support |
| Use Instacart+ on a restaurant order | Restaurant path in Instacart | Check the qualifying basket and excluded alcohol items before checkout |
| Use Skip+ on grocery delivery | Grocery path from Skip | Only qualifying Instacart-powered baskets receive the stated delivery-fee treatment; other fees remain |
Bottom line for customers
Think of the deal as two connected storefronts, not one merged account: Skip opens Instacart grocery shopping, and Instacart opens Skip restaurant delivery. Use the app associated with what you are buying, give consent only after reading the restaurant connection notice, and verify local availability and the complete checkout total. For a restaurant order, SkipTheDishes—not Instacart—is the merchant of record and the support route for charges, refunds, disputes, and order help.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
