Instacart Unveils Fizz, a New App Designed for Ordering Party Drinks and Snacks

Instacart has introduced Fizz, a new app focused on delivering drinks and snacks for parties and gatherings, the company announced Tuesday. Designed for users 21 and older, the app makes it easier for friends and families to stock up for events.

Fizz allows party hosts to invite guests to collaborate on a shared cart, where everyone can choose what they’d like to contribute. Each guest pays only for the items they add, removing the hassle of bill-splitting after the fact.

“Today, when people host gatherings, they often share the cost of supplies, usually by dividing up expenses on apps like Venmo,” said Daniel Danker, Instacart’s Chief Product Officer, in an interview with TechCrunch. “While that’s more efficient than older methods, we believe there’s an even better way—eliminating the extra step altogether.”

Social Shopping Made Simple

With Fizz, Instacart is expanding its services to attract a broader audience, particularly younger consumers who might not regularly use its main grocery app. The app supports social planning features: hosts can generate a party cart link to share in group chats, and guests can add items even without downloading Fizz. The host controls when the order is placed, and delivery—either instant or scheduled—comes at a flat $5 fee, with no extra charges for guests.

Unlike the main Instacart app, which lets users shop from grocery stores, restaurants, retail outlets, and express partners, Fizz narrows its focus to a single category: drinks and snacks. This includes items like beer, hard seltzers, non-alcoholic beverages, chips, dips, healthy snacks, and party essentials. Purchases of drinks earn users “Snack Bucks,” which can be used to get discounts on snack items.

Orders placed through a Fizz party cart are fulfilled by a nearby grocery store via Instacart’s platform and delivered by an Instacart shopper.

Meeting the Needs of a New Social Era

Danker explained that Fizz was born from Instacart’s observation that social habits are shifting, especially among younger generations. While older generations typically hosted events by covering all the costs and deciding the menu, Gen Z and millennials often prefer to split expenses and make sure everyone’s preferences—like non-drinkers or those with dietary restrictions—are included. Fizz was created to meet these evolving expectations in a budget-friendly way, he said.

Though Fizz is primarily built for group gatherings, Danker sees potential for it to appeal to individuals who may favor its simplicity over the full Instacart experience.

“Instacart is geared toward weekly grocery runs and restocking in between,” Danker said. “Fizz, on the other hand, is lightweight—you don’t need to select a store upfront, there’s no membership, and delivery is just a flat $5. You can get your order quickly and earn Snack Bucks as you shop. It’s a streamlined, no-frills experience aimed at a different, often younger, audience than Instacart’s regular users.”

Seamless Integration with Partiful for Effortless Party Planning

As part of its debut, Instacart has partnered with event planning platform Partiful to embed Fizz directly into party invitations. Hosts and guests can tap a Fizz link to start building a shared party cart, which is visible to everyone on the event page within Partiful.

“With our Fizz integration, we’re tackling another major challenge—prepping for an event while making sure everyone’s preferences are included,” said Partiful CEO Sherya Murthy in a statement to TechCrunch. “It brings your event together with just a few taps.”

Fizz’s launch follows the shutdown of Drizly, an alcohol delivery app that Uber acquired in 2021 and closed last year. While Fizz and Drizly both offer alcohol delivery, Instacart is taking a unique route by incorporating a social, collaborative element aimed at engaging Gen Z and millennial users. In addition, Fizz offers more than just drinks—it includes snacks and party essentials.

The app adheres to local alcohol regulations and is currently available in several U.S. states, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana (in select areas), Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico (in select areas), New York, Nevada (in select areas), North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

Read the original article on: TechCrunch

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