In the mid-2010s apps delivering victuals(食物，食品) on demand cropped up(突然出现，涌现) everywhere. At a time when investors found cash-torching(烧钱的) gig-economy startups alluring(诱人的，有吸引力的), some delivery businesses attracted valuations of many billions. But the days of their explosive growth are over. So far in 2026 downloads of standalone(独立的) delivery apps in America and Canada are down by a fifth from the same period a year before, estimates Sensor Tower, a market-intelligence firm.
2010年代中期，按需配送食品的应用如雨后春笋般涌现。在投资者对烧钱的零工经济初创企业趋之若鹜的时期，一些配送企业获得了数十亿美元的估值。但它们爆炸式增长的日子已经结束。市场情报公司Sensor Tower估计，2026年迄今为止，美国和加拿大独立配送应用的下载量较去年同期下降了五分之一。
Today consolidation(整合，合并) is in order(合乎需要，势在必行). On October 29th DoorDash, a meal-delivery firm, said it would buy Instacart, a competitor focused on groceries, for $17bn. DoorDash expects the merger will eventually yield(产生，带来) $500m of extra profit a year as the two firms fuse(融合，合并) their software systems and advertising arms(广告部门). If the merged entity is to take on Amazon and Walmart, which within a few years have come to dominate America’s online-grocery market, it will need every penny.(如果合并后的实体要与亚马逊和沃尔玛抗衡——这两家巨头在几年内已主导美国在线杂货市场——它将需要每一分钱。)
如今，整合势在必行。10月29日，外卖公司DoorDash表示将以170亿美元收购专注于杂货配送的竞争对手Instacart。DoorDash预计，随着两家公司融合软件系统和广告部门，合并最终将每年额外产生5亿美元的利润。如果合并后的实体要与亚马逊和沃尔玛抗衡——这两家巨头在几年内已主导美国在线杂货市场——它将需要每一分钱。
Online sales now account for(占（比例）) a fifth of Americans’ spending on groceries, according to Brick Meets Click, a data provider. They have grown by more than 20% year on year for eight quarters. Yet the boom has benefited retail behemoths(巨头，庞然大物) more than gig-economy disrupters(颠覆者). Walmart learned to be a tech firm and Amazon a grocer faster than newcomers could gain a foothold(站稳脚跟，获得立足点).
数据提供商Brick Meets Click称，在线销售目前占美国人杂货支出的五分之一。在线销售已连续八个季度同比增长超过20%。然而，这场繁荣让零售巨头受益更多，而非零工经济的颠覆者。沃尔玛学会成为科技公司、亚马逊学会成为杂货商的速度，比新来者站稳脚跟的速度更快。