Amazon Same-Day Grocery Delivery Hits 2,300 US Cities

Amazon announced on Wednesday that it has expanded its same-day perishable grocery delivery service to over 2,300 cities and towns across the United States, positioning itself to capture a larger share of the fast-growing quick-commerce market.

A Direct Strike at Walmart and Instacart

The e-commerce giant initially rolled out the ability to purchase perishable goods via Same-Day Delivery in August. This strategic move directly challenges established delivery services like Instacart and Walmart+ by offering a single, rapid checkout experience for both groceries and general merchandise.

Since its inception, customers have utilized the service to bundle fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, seafood, bakery items, and frozen foods with everyday household essentials like paper towels, toothpaste, electronics, and books.

Quality Control and Cold-Chain Logistics

To address the logistical challenges of delivering fresh food, Amazon utilizes a specialized, temperature-controlled fulfillment network. This system ensures that perishable items remain fresh throughout the delivery process.

Every grocery order undergoes a rigorous six-point quality inspection both upon arrival at the facility and right before dispatch. Additionally, the company packages temperature-sensitive items in insulated bags to preserve quality until they reach the customer’s doorstep.

Consumer Trends: Bananas and Avocados Lead the Charge

The convenience of rapid grocery delivery has quickly shifted consumer habits. According to Amazon, fresh groceries now account for nine of the top ten most-ordered items through its Same-Day Delivery service.

Top Bestselling Same-Day Items

The most popular items ordered for rapid delivery include bananas, Haas avocados, strawberries, Honeycrisp apples, limes, blueberries, blackberries, organic bananas, navel oranges, and bathroom tissue.

This convenience has driven massive growth, with Amazon reporting that perishable grocery sales have surged 30-fold since January. Furthermore, data shows that customers who include fresh groceries in their same-day orders shop approximately twice as frequently as those who do not.

Delivery Pricing and Expanding Selection

Amazon has structured its pricing to incentivize Prime memberships. Same-day delivery is complimentary for Prime members on orders exceeding $25. For orders below this threshold, members incur a flat $2.99 fee. Non-Prime customers can also access the service for a flat delivery fee of $12.99, regardless of their order total.

Since August, Amazon has expanded its perishable inventory by more than 30%, integrating thousands of high-demand products from Whole Foods Market. Following this massive rollout to 2,300 locations, the retailer plans to extend the service to additional U.S. cities and towns in 2026.