Airbnb Guests Can Now Order Instacart Groceries to Your Listing. Here Is How Bay Area and Seattle Hosts Should Prepare
Updated: Oct 9
Last week Airbnb expanded its grocery feature, powered by Instacart, across most of the US. Guests can now order groceries right inside the Airbnb app up to three weeks before check in. The listing address fills in automatically, and for a limited time delivery is free on orders of $10 or more in select cities. Guests are going to love it. For hosts, though, it quietly raises a new question: what happens when a bag of groceries shows up at your door and nobody is there to grab it?
What Actually Changed
Groceries have been one of the most requested services on Airbnb, so this was bound to happen. Right now there are two versions. Across most of the US, guests order in the app and a courier drops the order at the listing. In Phoenix and Orlando only, hosts can opt in to receive the order and stock the fridge and pantry before check in. Bay Area and Seattle hosts don't have that stocking option yet, so a smooth drop off depends on the guest, the courier, and whatever instructions you've left them.
That last part is where things can go sideways. A courier who can't find your unit, or a bag of milk and eggs sitting on a sunny porch for four hours, turns into a frustrated message to you. Sometimes it turns into a four star review.
Five Things to Set Up This Week
Add delivery instructions to your check in guide. Tell guests exactly where a courier should leave groceries, and suggest they pick a delivery window that lands after they arrive, not before.
Sort out building access. If you host in a San Francisco apartment or a Capitol Hill condo, couriers can't get past a locked lobby. Ask guests to add the unit number and callbox tips to their order notes, or plan to meet the driver downstairs.
Plan for porch theft and spoilage. Package theft is a real issue in both metros. If you have a covered spot, a delivery box, or a shaded bench, point guests to it. If not, steer them toward a delivery time after check in.
Make your kitchen worth stocking. Guests who order groceries plan to cook. Clear the fridge between every stay and make sure you have a sharp knife, a cutting board, a big pot, a good skillet, cooking oil, salt, and pepper.
Mention it in your listing and pre arrival message. One friendly line letting guests know they can have groceries delivered through the Airbnb app makes your place feel easier to settle into, which is exactly what travelers are shopping for this year.
Should You Lean In or Stay Hands Off?
Some hosts will see this as a chance to go further, like offering a paid fridge stocking service if Airbnb brings the opt in program to the Bay Area or Seattle. That can be a lovely touch and even a small extra revenue line. The catch is time. Someone has to be there to take the delivery, check the order, and put cold items away before the guest walks in, and that's tough if you're self managing from across town or working a full time job.
If you're managing remotely, keep it simple for now. Clear instructions and a well equipped kitchen get you most of the benefit without any extra trips to the property.
Small features like this are easy to miss, but guests notice when a stay feels effortless from the moment they arrive. If you'd like a team that keeps your house manual, guest messaging, and listing current every time Airbnb rolls out something new, book a cohosting consult with us. We'll look at your setup and show you where a few small changes can make a big difference.
