In a situation that feels more like a Saturday Night Live skit than real life, TikToker Charlotte Rose (@charlotterose251) recently shared a grocery delivery mishap in a video that quickly racked up 22,000 views. Picture this: Rose, hoping to add a little zest to her kitchen, turns to Instacart for a simple request—lemons.
But what she got instead was quite the plot twist: a bag of plastic lemons. In a turn of events that feels more prop department than pantry, Rose’s quest for citrus ended with a decorative flourish that, sadly, no recipe calls for.
Taking to TikTok, Rose shared her story in a video cheekily captioned: “this is a huge loss.”
“OK, so I ordered Instacart to get some groceries and I ordered some lemons. Right? Pretty easy.” Rose explains directly to the camera. “Nothing complicated about picking up some lemons. I guess they were out of stock.”
Rose says her Instacart shopper found an interesting and bewildering solution.
“And instead of just like, marking them as out of stock on the app and giving me a refund or asking if I want a substitution, my Instacart shopper thought that these fake plastic lemons would be a suitable replacement for a pound of real lemons,” she shares. “Hmm. Am I crazy or does this just like, not make any sense? Like, what am I supposed to do with these?”
The TikToker displays the lemons that were delivered, and boy, they do not look real at all. Rose was left head-scratching at the logic of the substitution, and quite frankly, so was the internet.
The top commenter quipped, “This is the doing of a man lol,” suggesting only a man could undervalue the need for the citrus at hand. This also reflects a popular derision for male Instacart shoppers, who never seem to get orders right. Another TikToker recently went viral after slamming a man who got her marinara sauce instead of salsa for her order.
Another user, feeling perhaps a bit squeezed by their own experiences, expressed a desire for more shopper selection. “I’ve given up on Instacart – until they give the option of selecting your shopper- it’s a wrap,” they wrote.
And, embracing the spirit of comedy, another chimed in with the pun we were all hoping for: “make plastic lemonade obviously!”
While Rose’s tale of unexpected artificial fruit might lean towards light and whimsy, it just added insult to injury concerning Instacart’s recent headline-making.
@charlotterose251 this is a huge loss @Instacart #fail #instacart #shopping ♬ original sound – Charlotte Rose
The delivery service recently found itself in a precarious position over AI-generated recipes that left users scratching their heads even harder. With offerings like “Hot Dog Stir Fry” and “Grape Salad with Cream Cheese” displayed on its website—complete with surreal and bizarre AI-generated images—Instacart inadvertently whipped up a recipe for viral fame. The internet had a field day, with screenshots and snark circulating on Reddit before the photos could be scrubbed from the website.
Yet, despite these hiccups, Instacart seems to have maintained a sweet spot in consumer hearts. A recent poll suggests that even amid the odd plastic lemon delivery and culinary fails, optimism about the company remains fresh. It seems Instacart’s adventures are just another reminder that sometimes, the most unexpected ingredients can lead to the most memorable stories. And who knows? Maybe there’s a use for those plastic lemons after all.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Instacart via email and Rose via TikTok comment for further information.