Review Insights · App Store
Instacart: Groceries & Food
Maplebear Inc · 4,659,899 ratings · ★ 4.8
4.8
★★★★★
4,659,899 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 39 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"order"
15 negative reviews mention this · 38% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Impossible to Order from local Walmart. Can’t change information in my Acct" - Luna Medicine Woman
2
"service"
11 negative reviews mention this · 28% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Worst customer service support. I ordered my lunch through Instacart, but it was delivered to the wrong address-where it actually went, I have no idea. When I contacted customer support, they only refunded the base cost of the order while keeping the 20% tip, service fee,…" - geneuine reviewer
3
"instacart"
11 negative reviews mention this · 28% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Worst customer service support. I ordered my lunch through Instacart, but it was delivered to the wrong address-where it actually went, I have no idea. When I contacted customer support, they only refunded the base cost of the order while keeping the 20% tip, service fee,…" - geneuine reviewer
4
"delivery"
9 negative reviews mention this · 23% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Delivery driver picked up food and cancelled. Delivery driver picked up my food order, headed towards us for delivery, and then cancelled the order. Then insta cart just says sorry, better luck next time. WTF." - jdonesky
5
"customer"
7 negative reviews mention this · 18% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Worst customer service support. I ordered my lunch through Instacart, but it was delivered to the wrong address-where it actually went, I have no idea. When I contacted customer support, they only refunded the base cost of the order while keeping the 20% tip, service fee,…" - geneuine reviewer
6
"ordered"
6 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Worst customer service support. I ordered my lunch through Instacart, but it was delivered to the wrong address-where it actually went, I have no idea. When I contacted customer support, they only refunded the base cost of the order while keeping the 20% tip, service fee,…" - geneuine reviewer
7
"customer service"
6 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Worst customer service support. I ordered my lunch through Instacart, but it was delivered to the wrong address-where it actually went, I have no idea. When I contacted customer support, they only refunded the base cost of the order while keeping the 20% tip, service fee,…" - geneuine reviewer
8
"wrong"
5 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Worst customer service support. I ordered my lunch through Instacart, but it was delivered to the wrong address-where it actually went, I have no idea. When I contacted customer support, they only refunded the base cost of the order while keeping the 20% tip, service fee,…" - geneuine reviewer
9
"refund"
5 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Worst customer service support. I ordered my lunch through Instacart, but it was delivered to the wrong address-where it actually went, I have no idea. When I contacted customer support, they only refunded the base cost of the order while keeping the 20% tip, service fee,…" - geneuine reviewer
10
"terrible"
5 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Terrible Service. Trying To Refund A Item That Was Accidentally Added To Cart But Doesn’t Allow The Option To" - YourCancelled23413
11
"item"
5 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Terrible Service. Trying To Refund A Item That Was Accidentally Added To Cart But Doesn’t Allow The Option To" - YourCancelled23413
12
"delivered"
4 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Worst customer service support. I ordered my lunch through Instacart, but it was delivered to the wrong address-where it actually went, I have no idea. When I contacted customer support, they only refunded the base cost of the order while keeping the 20% tip, service fee,…" - geneuine reviewer
📋 All 39 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Impossible to Order from local Walmart
Can’t change information in my Acct
Order always late
I can’t figure out anywhere else to leave a review about how my order is consistently over an hour late from the window I paid for.
Delivery driver picked up food and cancelled
Delivery driver picked up my food order, headed towards us for delivery, and then cancelled the order. Then insta cart just says sorry, better luck next time. WTF.
Worst customer service support
I ordered my lunch through Instacart, but it was delivered to the wrong address-where it actually went, I have no idea. When I contacted customer support, they only refunded the base cost of the order while keeping the 20% tip, service fee, and delivery fee. It makes no sense to charge customers for a service that was never successfully provided.
What was even more disappointing was the lack of concern shown by customer support. My issue was never genuinely heard, and there was no discussion about what went wrong or how they would prevent this from happening again. As a result, I was left without my lunch, had to spend additional time arranging another meal, and still lost money on fees and a tip for an order I never received.
This experience was frustrating, disappointing, and not what I expect from a company that charges service and delivery fees. I hope Instacart reviews its customer support process and refund policy so customers aren’t left paying for mistakes they didn’t make.
What was even more disappointing was the lack of concern shown by customer support. My issue was never genuinely heard, and there was no discussion about what went wrong or how they would prevent this from happening again. As a result, I was left without my lunch, had to spend additional time arranging another meal, and still lost money on fees and a tip for an order I never received.
This experience was frustrating, disappointing, and not what I expect from a company that charges service and delivery fees. I hope Instacart reviews its customer support process and refund policy so customers aren’t left paying for mistakes they didn’t make.
Total BS
If you happen to get things delivered by a normal person you’re one of the lucky ones. And the whole temperature controlled thing is such BS !!!
Eggs
Almost all my eggs are broken because the shopper put my chicken, carrot and everything else on my eggs
Absurd prices
7.99 delivery fee and 2.49 service fee is genuinely absurd
Terrible Service
Trying To Refund A Item That Was Accidentally Added To Cart But Doesn’t Allow The Option To
Don’t download!
I used the Instacart app to purchase a restaurant delivery. The items arrived cold the drinks were spilled. My son’s burger missing its cheese. When I contacted customer service, they’re from another country likely in the Middle East, they’re unwilling to help they informed me that they cannot guarantee that your warm food will arrive warm nor if you have cold items, it won’t arrive melted or spilled. There is no way that they can issue refunds for food that is not satisfactory to the customer particularly if it is not warm. If they don’t like what you were saying, they will end I contacted the chat multiple times and each time they would end the chat and tell me to have a good day. I recommend using DoorDash or Shipt their customer service is phenomenal!!!
Nope!
Not worth the extra fees…. Very inconvenient!!
deleting and never using again!
deleting and never using again!
Wrong item delivered and support will not resolve it
I ordered a vacuum cleaner through Instacart and received a mop instead. This was not an approved substitution, and it was not the same type of product or the same value.
Before delivery, I contacted support because the shopper appeared unable to understand my written English instructions. The shopper showed me the item they intended to buy, and I specifically told them not to buy it. Support told me to reschedule the order so I would get a different shopper. I did that, but Instacart assigned the same shopper again. I only realized this after delivery.
Since then, I have been stuck in a support loop for days. I was told I would hear back in 24 hours. After 24 hours, I was told to wait another 24 hours. I was given one case number, then later another case number. Chat responses feel scripted, and even when I ask for a human, the app keeps pushing me back into repeated prompts and apologies.
Instacart also told me by email and phone to return the mop to Home Depot. That is not a fair solution. I ordered delivery because I cannot travel to the store. The mop is cheaper than the vacuum, is not the item on my receipt, and may not scan for the amount I was charged.
I paid Instacart for a vacuum cleaner. Instacart delivered the wrong item. Instacart should refund me directly or issue credit for the vacuum amount instead of making me fix their mistake myself.
Before delivery, I contacted support because the shopper appeared unable to understand my written English instructions. The shopper showed me the item they intended to buy, and I specifically told them not to buy it. Support told me to reschedule the order so I would get a different shopper. I did that, but Instacart assigned the same shopper again. I only realized this after delivery.
Since then, I have been stuck in a support loop for days. I was told I would hear back in 24 hours. After 24 hours, I was told to wait another 24 hours. I was given one case number, then later another case number. Chat responses feel scripted, and even when I ask for a human, the app keeps pushing me back into repeated prompts and apologies.
Instacart also told me by email and phone to return the mop to Home Depot. That is not a fair solution. I ordered delivery because I cannot travel to the store. The mop is cheaper than the vacuum, is not the item on my receipt, and may not scan for the amount I was charged.
I paid Instacart for a vacuum cleaner. Instacart delivered the wrong item. Instacart should refund me directly or issue credit for the vacuum amount instead of making me fix their mistake myself.
Disappointed Customer
Instacart canceled my order unnecessarily and I had a credit of $30 and they did not add my credit back!!! I am very disappointed with Instacart I order from them daily!!
No easy way to check customer service
Amazing shopping, but having a hard time chatting with customer service about delays and very weak compensation nothing significant
DO NOT ORDER FROM INSTACART
I order a butter squishy and a banana squishy and it was out of stock but I could still buy it and I bought it and the next day it said the order is canceled
Quality Tanked/Terrible Customer Service
As the title says, the quality has gone way down, shoppers are rewarded based on speed, not accuracy: so they do not care if your order is correct or they find suitable replacements. If you contact customer service, they will gaslight you and never offer any remedies. I highly suggest ordering direct from a local grocery store. Apps like this are a disservice.
Terrible Service!
My order was pending for 3hours. I tried calling the store and they couldn't figure out where the order was. I couldn't connect to anyone from Instacart via telephone. The AI chat bot is awful!
Can’t log in
I got a new phone (iPhone 17) and the log in and sign up buttons are unresponsive. Will happily up my rating when this is fixed.
Won’t allow me to add
You guys are making me start a new order for one item that I forgot when I just placed the order
Extra fees
Instacart is good in the beginning then as time goes by you start seeing the fees of delivery go up tremendously
Too many items out of a stock
Very disappointed too many items out of his stock. The sizes are never updating what items are available or not.
Shoppers get confused
Some shoppers are confused and some have problems with English
They Will Trick You
They tricked me into a $99 subscription fee. I did not want the service. Scam company.
This is unrelated to my complaint above, but I work at a grocery and the people they hire will spit in your food. I’ve seen Instacart shoppers eat a cherry, then spit the pit into the bag of cherries that they are going to give to the person they are shopping for. Dirty work.
This is unrelated to my complaint above, but I work at a grocery and the people they hire will spit in your food. I’ve seen Instacart shoppers eat a cherry, then spit the pit into the bag of cherries that they are going to give to the person they are shopping for. Dirty work.
BOGO? Did they not read?
I am pleased with the speed and choice. However, this is the 2nd time I’ve ordered BOGO orders and only got 1 of what I’d ordered. Train your shoppers!
Wrong order completely
Costco
Never Again
I only use this when I absolutely have to. But yeah, terrible customer service. They overcharge. And they are straight up crooks. I hate this company.
Fees
I ordered something and they gave me one thing and added a ton of fees crazy
Prescription
Add a prescription to it she never acknowledged it sent a text never read it never acknowledged it
Order cancelled
Two times in the last two days I ordered items that clearly said there were many items in stock only to have the order cancelled at the last minute. Twice.
There’s a glitch
Every time do a order either grocery or restaurants there’s a glitch. I keep closing the app and it’s still showing up on top of my screen to confirm order delivery and when I confirm it and then close the app it’s still showing up. I even restarted my phone and it’s still there. It doesn’t make any sense. Is definitely a glitch.
Wrong item delivered
My first time using instacart for public and the wrong item was delivered. Had to drive to Publix to exchange
Extras
Getting charged for delivery now if you don’t upgrade to plus
Floral delivery
Flowers were dying/ disappointed /looks
Terrible in vase / should get a refund
Terrible in vase / should get a refund
Poor app and customer service.
Downloaded the app 6 days ago because I could really use it where my hotel is located. Immediately got flagged for “suspicious activity” without placing a single order and asked to upload personal documents with a note that said it would take less than 2 hours to resolve. 6 days later, account is now deactivated and still under
review. Called customer support, they let me know it would take 3-5 business days for an employee to look at the 2 pictures I uploaded. Unreal!
review. Called customer support, they let me know it would take 3-5 business days for an employee to look at the 2 pictures I uploaded. Unreal!
Drivers
Last two times I ordered, I pay for priority but there doesn’t seem to be drivers to fulfill.
Overcharging
There is no reason ANY store should hike up prices just because someone uses this service. It’s price gouging, and not ethical!
What is the problem with these corporations?!!!!
What is the problem with these corporations?!!!!
NEW FORMAT??
When placing an order with Publix today, the approval of substitutions is different. It was asking for me to choose a replacement AFTER the shopper purchased my listed substitute for a ln out of stock item. There is no thumbs up/down to accept the change. Both I and the shopper was confused since it was new to both of us. Confusing for both parties
They don't call or knock they just grocery on floor they suck has lil benefit
They don't call or knock they just grocery on floor they suck has lil benefit
I don’t have the time to sue!
I was enjoying Instacart for years, until last year when I was having financial problems they auto-charged me for a year’s subscription. I contacted them as soon as I was notified from my bank to refund the over $100. They refused and then ignored my appeals. They also didn’t charge me the correct rate due to the wrong membership. I refused to use but got weak today but still hope they resolve the problem(s) with me.
Too expensive
Instacart is a great tool, but it is too expensive to use in comparison to DoorDash.
Sentiment summary
96%
Positive (4-5★)
1%
Neutral (3★)
2%
Negative (1-2★)