Uber, Gopuff prepare for DoorDash-Instacart merger – here’s how

Uber and Gopuff are not taking the impending purchase of Instacart by DoorDash lying down.

As has been widely reported, DoorDash has agreed to acquire Instacart for roughly $17 billion, with the deal expected to officially go through in late 2027 or early 2028 subject to standard conditions and approval. This would create a seismic shift in the third-party delivery landscape, especially for grocery and food service (which remain the two largest verticals utilizing online delivery). 

[READ MORE: DoorDash acquires Instacart for $17 billion]

Two companies that stand to be particularly impacted are Uber (and its Uber Eats delivery subsidiary) and Gopuff. Let’s dive into exactly how each third-party delivery platform is girding up for the anticipated arrival of this very big new kid on the block.

Uber

In emailed commentary to Chain Store Age, Michael Gunther, senior VP of research and market intelligence at Consumer Edge, said Uber is broadening its potential customer base in the wake of the planned DoorDash-Instacart merger. Specifically, Uber is expanding its consumer reach with two partnerships and scope of its business with an acquisition. 

Facing the combined offerings of DoorDash and Instacart, which includes a substantial range of technology solutions and two value-added subscription programs for the price of one, as well a huge portion of the current grocery and restaurant delivery market, Uber is extending itself to Amazon and McDonald’s customers and directly challenging DoorDash and Instacart on the catering front. 

Fast food hamburger giant McDonald’s first entered a delivery partnership with Uber to launch a service called “McDelivery” available in more than 10,000 restaurants across all 50 states. In a new expansion of the collaboration, Uber Eats will serve as the preferred integrated delivery fulfillment partner for orders placed through the McDonald's app in participating markets including the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the U.K.

In addition, Amazon is launching a new benefit for U.S. members of its Prime paid subscription program in partnership with Uber Eats. U.S. Prime members can receive a $0 delivery fee on restaurant orders of $25 or more placed through Amazon, with Uber Eats supplying the delivery. Prime members can place orders accessible through Amazon.com and in the Amazon Shopping app, with no new app, Uber account, or credentials required.

And recently, Uber entered into an agreement to acquire ezCater, a U.S. platform for catering and workplace meals, in a $2.3 billion all-cash transaction. Based in Boston, ezCater enables ordering from more than 140,000 restaurants nationwide and supports meetings, events and recurring enterprise catering needs; with tools to manage ordering and food spend and offering 24/7 customer support.

Uber plans to integrate ezCater’s catering functionality into both Uber Eats and its Uber Business business-to-business platform. Chief Uber Eats rivals DoorDash, Instacart and Grubhub also all offer catering solutions.

According to Consumer Edge data, DoorDash’s share of spending across major restaurant and grocery delivery platforms rose from roughly 44% in the second quarter of 2021 to nearly 59% in the third quarter of 2026.

During the same time period, Instacart’s share fell from roughly 26% to approximately 18%, while Uber Eats gained from roughly 16% to about 18%. So, Uber Eats faces a likely competitor with a combined 75%-plus share of delivery market, although Instacart has partnered with Uber Eats to bring Uber Eats restaurant delivery to its customers since 2024.

When confronted by a bear, wilderness travelers are advised to spread their arms out to make themselves as big as possible. Uber is following the spirit of the advice as it faces the “bear” of a unified DoorDash and Instacart in the delivery landscape.

Gopuff

Unlike Uber, Gopuff is focusing its competitive energies on expanding its product assortment, including proprietary items, and tying its branding to celebrities and influencers. 

These efforts include Gopuff’s recent debut in the increasingly popular collectibles space with a new trading card offering. The company is unveiling a new drop feature offering high-demand, limited-quantity products at a set time, delivered in as fast as 15 minutes, with a release of Pokemon trading cards. Every Friday through Dec. 11, the on-demand delivery platform will release select Pokémon products through limited weekly drops for six weeks.

Gopuff is also introducing new additions to its Crave Shoppe and Basically private label brands, including its first-ever seasonal, limited-time offerings. The company introduced Crave Shoppe, which it says is “dedicated to indulgent baked goods and snacks” and curated specifically for the Gopuff customer using “small-batch production” and “premium ingredients,” in April.

Since its debut in 2022, Basically has consistently dominated Gopuff’s most-ordered items. According to Gopuff, the expansion is informed by what customers are ordering most on its marketplace. Sales of fall-flavored products rose 19.4% year-over-year in fall 2025.

In addition, as part of a multi-year strategic partnership, comedian, actor and entrepreneur Druski will work with Gopuff to unveil exclusive products and create special consumer experiences tailored to his audience. Druski will also take an equity stake in Gopuff and work to broaden the company’s reach through his Coulda Been Records and 4Lifers Entertainment properties.

Gopuff will leverage its commerce and distribution capabilities to help Druski bring products and experiences inspired by his creative projects directly to consumers. 

Other Gopuff celebrity partners have included legendary pro quarterback Tom Brady, star pro basketball player Giannis Antetokuompo and U.K. soccer star Cole Palmer. The company says it is seeking to expand its role as a build-and-distribution partner for celebrities seeking to launch and scale brands of their own.

Obviously, Gopuff’s ultimate goal is to increase its market share, but rather than directly broaden its reach to new customer bases, the company is trying to expand its product assortment and brand awareness.