Instacart adds another NYC delivery fee for customers, blames city’s new mandatory tipping

ny post ^ | Jan. 28, 2026 | Nicole Rosenthal

[BenLurkin]

Grocery delivery app Instacart abruptly began charging Big Apple residents a new “regulatory response fee” this week after sweeping changes to the city’s delivery worker laws were enacted Monday, The Post has learned.

“NYC regulatory response fees appear in the order summary,” the FAQ section of Instacart’s website now reads — a marked change from archived versions of the site just one month prior. An explanation of the fee reads that it “helps cover increased operating costs in NYC due to government regulations on delivery platforms.”

A Post analysis of orders prior to Monday found no such fee tacked on. Yet by Tuesday, a $5.99 fee was applied to orders ranging from $35 to $184.

Instacart confirmed the fee took effect Monday and blamed “the City Council’s misguided and burdensome grocery delivery laws,” in a statement to The Post.

The city’s new worker protections, which took effect under a new law Monday, include expanded minimum pay to drivers working for grocery delivery apps like Instacart.

Excluding tips, the minimum hourly rate is $21.44 an hour with annual increases.

New York City law now also requires food delivery apps such as Uber Eats and DoorDash to provide customers a tipping option before checkout — and sets the default option to at least 10% of an order’s cost.

City officials said the change was needed to protect workers’ income after tips plummeted when a new minimum-wage law went into effect in late 2023.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Food
KEYWORDS: instacart; mandatorytipping; tipping

[FoxInSocks]

requires food delivery apps such as Uber Eats and DoorDash to provide customers a tipping option before checkout — and sets the default option to at least 10% of an order’s cost.

If you select zero, will you receive your food intact or unmolested?

[Vermont Lt]

The reason the “warm embrace of collectivism” is warm is because it is urine, dripping down your backside. And urine is the best of the options.

[The Duke]

When they came for the Jews I did not stand up, for I was not a Jew. When they came for the Gypsies …

[Organic Panic]

I am not a trusting person. I’m sure 99% of all delivery people are just fine. But I want to pick up my own food. I don’t even send improper food back at restaurants because what the cooks will do to “enhance” the dish. I never complained about a bad haircut either, but now I’m bald so not an issue.

[blackdog]

It’s the three raccoon rule. Go ahead, ask me?

[RetiredTexasVet]

The Warmth of Collectism is already rearing its ugly head.

[frank ballenger]

I admire that.

My way is more like the scene on Boston Blue where Danny Reagan is asked:

“Do you do your cooking on a gas stove or electric?”

“Microwave.”

[Brian Griffin]

“Get rid of the regulations”

There was an interesting article in “The Economist” - Millei’s Argentina believes in having regulated and unregulated markets side-by-side.

[Brian Griffin]

“I bake my own bread. Cure my own meats, (fish, pork, beef),pickle and can my own vegetables, grind my own spices, make my own wine and ale...”

At this point in life, refilling the wine glass is an accomplishment for me.

On the serious side, I’ve not had too much luck baking ordinary bread. I make pretty good banana bread.

I’ve bought Hoosier Hill Farm Dry Malt Diastatic Powder and ordinary baking powder to make bread.

It’s been so cold here in Florida I don’t want to use expensive electricity (at FPL’s wholesale pricing) to make bread.

I bought shortening to make French Fries today. Maybe tomorrow.

I’ve finished most of my lasagna.

[econjack]

We have that here, too. Because of scale economies, virtually all utilities (e.g., water and electric) are regulated. Some elements of financial markets (interest rates on credit cards) are also regulated.

[sheana]

Go to any Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. and buy a good breadmaker. You can get an almost new one very cheap. They are easy and make excellent bread. Bread recipes are all over the net.