What Is Amazon Prime Pantry In 2026?

Amazon Prime Pantry was an Amazon grocery delivery service that allowed Prime members to fill a box with pantry items and pay a flat $5.99 shipping fee. As of early 2021 though, Amazon discontinued Prime Pantry to streamline its grocery delivery options.

So if you‘re wondering what happened to Prime Pantry and how to order groceries on Amazon now, read on for the full scoop! This detailed guide will cover everything about Prime Pantry‘s shutdown, and how to use Amazon Fresh and Prime Now for better grocery delivery in 2024.

A Look Back: What Was Prime Pantry?

Amazon first launched Prime Pantry back in 2014 as a way for Prime subscribers to shop for packaged grocery essentials online. For a flat fee of $5.99 per box, you could stock up on items like:

• Canned goods
• Cereals
• Crackers
• Beverages
• Snacks
• Baby products
• Pet food
• Cleaning supplies
• Health and beauty products

Prime Pantry boxes could hold up to 45 pounds or 4 cubic feet of goods. This made it affordable to order all your pantry staples at once instead of piecing together multiple orders.

Within two years, Prime Pantry had expanded to over 1,000 cities in the U.S. And by 2018, over 5 million Prime members had used the service.

But in 2021, Amazon announced Prime Pantry would be discontinued as of February, 2021. This left many customers wondering why it was canceled and how to buy groceries on Amazon going forward.

Why Amazon Canceled Prime Pantry

According to an interview with Bloomberg News, Amazon chose to shut down Prime Pantry for a few key reasons:

• To streamline grocery delivery and combine Pantry into the main Amazon store
• Remove the extra Prime Pantry subscription fee for customers
• Focus on faster grocery delivery through Amazon Fresh and Prime Now

Over the years, Prime Pantry had shifted away from its original unlimited shipping model. In 2019, Amazon began requiring a separate $4.99 per month Prime Pantry membership on top of the regular Prime subscription.

This extra fee, along with Pantry‘s narrower grocery selection compared to Amazon Fresh and Prime Now, led Amazon to phase out the standalone Pantry service:

"This allows us to simplify our service for customers and allow them to get all of their grocery needs in one place on AmazonFresh and Whole Foods Market" – Amazon spokesperson

Essentially, to provide the best customer experience, it made sense for Amazon to consolidate Pantry items into the broader Amazon.com grocery selection.

The shutdown wasn‘t without backlash though. Some customers complained about losing access to certain brands and bundle sizes only available through Pantry. Others said the $5.99 flat shipping fee was more affordable than Fresh and Now order minimums.

But overall, discontinuing Prime Pantry enabled Amazon to streamline its grocery fulfillment and focus on growing its newer, faster delivery services.

Introducing Amazon Fresh: The New Prime Pantry

So what‘s the best way for Prime members to buy groceries on Amazon now? Enter Amazon Fresh, the next evolution of online grocery delivery.

Amazon Fresh is an online supermarket available in select cities to Prime subscribers and by invitation. It offers ultra-fast delivery in as little as 2 hours on over 500,000 products including:

• Fresh produce, meat and seafood
• Dairy and bakery
• Pantry staples
• Household goods
• Meals and prepared foods
• Local specialty items
• Amazon devices and more

The selection truly rivals your local supermarket. You‘ll find beloved national brands along with local favorites tailored to your city.

For instance, customers in L.A. can order prepared meals from beloved restaurants like Sugarfish and Trejo‘s Tacos. New Yorkers can shop hardcore East Coast brands like Dave‘s Killer Bread and Tastykake.

Plus, Amazon Fresh‘s produce, meat and seafood meet the high-quality standards of Whole Foods Market. So you can trust you‘re getting fresh, healthy ingredients.

As an Amazon Fresh customer, you can choose from a few different ordering options:

• Delivery in 2 hours – For orders over a minimum amount (usually $35 pre-tax), 2-hour delivery is free for Prime members in eligible postcodes.
• Delivery in 1 hour – 1-hour delivery is available for a fee of $4.99.
• Pickup – Browse and order groceries online, then pick up your bags at select Amazon Fresh locations without leaving your car.
• In-store shopping – Prime members can shop in person at Amazon Fresh grocery stores in cities like L.A., Chicago, and Washington D.C.

Grocery delivery and pickup are available daily from 7am to 10pm local time. So whether you‘re prepping breakfast or grabbing last-minute ingredients for dinner, Amazon Fresh has you covered morning to night.

Prime Now: Groceries in 1-2 Hours

Don‘t live in an Amazon Fresh city? No worries! Prime members in over 5,000 towns and cities can use Prime Now to get groceries in 1-2 hours.

Prime Now is primarily focused on grocery delivery. You can order fresh produce, meat, seafood, and other kitchen staples from local stores like Whole Foods Market.

Prime Now offers a smaller overall selection compared to Amazon Fresh. But you‘ll still find thousands of everyday items including:

• Fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood
• Dairy, eggs, bakery
• Meals and prepared foods
• Household essentials
• Pet supplies
• Health and beauty items

The major perk of Prime Now is lightning-fast delivery. Place your order in the Prime Now section of the Amazon app, and your groceries will arrive in just 1-2 hours.

As long as you meet the minimum order value for your city, 1-2 hour delivery is free for Prime members. Minimums are usually around $35, but can vary by location.

For instance, the Prime Now minimum for free delivery is:

• New York City: $35
• Los Angeles: $35
• Chicago: $35
• Houston: $35
• Phoenix: $35
• Seattle: $35

If your order doesn‘t hit the threshold, you can still get 1-hour delivery for a $4.99 fee.

So while selection is narrower, Prime Now offers incredible convenience. In just 60-120 minutes, you can have all the essentials for making dinner, meal prep and more at your doorstep. It‘s perfect for when you‘re in a pinch!

Amazon Fresh vs. Prime Now: How To Choose

So should you use Fresh or Now for grocery delivery? Here are some tips on choosing the best service based on your needs:

For the Widest Selection of Groceries

Use Amazon Fresh – With over 500,000 products, Amazon Fresh has the most extensive grocery inventory. It‘s the top choice if you want access to niche brands or locally sourced items.

For Faster Delivery in More Locations

Use Prime Now – Available in over 5,000 cities, Prime Now offers 1-2 hour delivery across many more regions. Its hyper-fast fulfillment makes it ideal for instant needs.

For Affordability and Order Flexibility

Prime Now – There‘s no minimum for 1-hour Prime Now delivery. So it‘s easier to place smaller, cheaper orders.

For Grocery Pickup

Amazon Fresh – Prime Now doesn‘t offer grocery pickup. To skip going inside the store, use Amazon Fresh and select a pickup location.

For Physical Grocery Store Access

Amazon Fresh – Only Amazon Fresh has opened full-size grocery stores for in-person shopping in cities like L.A. and Chicago.

For Reliable Quality

Both – Fresh and Now partner with trusted brands like Whole Foods, ensuring you get high-quality ingredients.

Getting Started With Fresh and Now

Ready to improve your grocery game with Amazon‘s hyper-fast delivery services? Here are some tips for ordering:

Amazon Fresh

Check availability – Enter your ZIP code on the Amazon Fresh homepage to see if it‘s available in your area. Eligible areas are growing all the time.

Score an invite – If Fresh isn‘t available yet in your location, you can request an invitation to join the waitlist. This gives you access as soon as it launches.

Make a shopping list – Add items to your Fresh cart throughout the week as you think of things you need from the store.

Pick a delivery day – Schedule delivery at least 24 hours in advance for days that work best for your schedule.

Take advantage of deals – Look out for promotions like $15 off your first 3 orders for new customers.

Prime Now

Confirm eligibility – All Prime members in available regions can shop Prime Now. Double check the Prime Now city list to verify.

Download the Amazon app – You access Prime Now via the main Amazon shopping app. Make sure you‘ve downloaded the latest version.

Enable location access – The app needs access to your location to confirm you‘re in a Prime Now delivery area.

Order on demand – When you‘re ready to check out, pick either 1-hour or 2-hour delivery and place your order. No need to schedule ahead.

Use Amazon Coupons – Find discounts on eligible groceries to help you hit the order minimum for free delivery.

The Future of Online Grocery Shopping

While the shutdown of Prime Pantry closed one door, the future looks bright for Amazon grocery delivery.

Analysts predict the U.S. online grocery market will grow over 40% by 2025. And Amazon is outpacing competitors, capturing over 50% of sales.

With its acquisition of Whole Foods and expansion of ultra-fast Prime services, Amazon is primed to dominate grocery ecommerce.

According to JPMorgan analysts, Amazon Fresh has already overtaken Walmart as the #2 online grocery service by market share.

And Amazon has committed over $13 billion in investments to strengthen its grocery inventory, production, and delivery capabilities.

So while Prime Pantry might be gone, Amazon is making bigger, bolder bets on grocery delivery overall. Services like Fresh and Now provide access to a wider selection of foods than ever, and in less time.

The Bottom Line

At the beginning of 2021, Amazon shut down its Prime Pantry service to focus on its newer, faster grocery delivery options. While Pantry is no longer available, Amazon Fresh and Prime Now offer better alternatives:

• Huge Selection – Amazon Fresh provides all your grocery needs in one place, with over 500,000 products.

• Fresh and Local – Meat, produce, dairy and bakery items from trusted brands like Whole Foods.

• Fast and Free – Two-hour delivery with Amazon Fresh or one-hour with Prime Now, with no fees for orders over the minimum.

• Available Nationwide – Prime Now reaches over 5,000 cities and towns across the U.S.

So although the era of Prime Pantry has ended, the future is bright for convenient, same-day grocery delivery with Amazon. The next time you need to stock up on household staples or prepare a home cooked meal, leverage the selection, savings and speed of Fresh and Now.