We may be able to skip the movies, stop getting together for drinks, stop going to the gym, but we have to eat. We will always need grocery stores.
There are several different ways to get groceries without going into a store.
If you choose delivery, the delivery person should leave the bags at your front door, with no personal contact. If you tip, you can do it through the app or website.
In addition, some grocery stores are offering pick-up service, where you order online and pick up the groceries at the store. Make sure to open your own car door and trunk. We will include some information on pick-up options below.
Please note: We got all the below information from the websites for each service or store. However, there is sometimes conflicting information even on one website. So, please understand if the terms aren’t exactly as we describe below!
Amazon Prime Now
How to order: Amazon Prime Now or app
Membership Fee: Prime membership required. Prime membership costs $12.99/month or $119/year, but there is a 30-day free trial. If you are an EBT or Medicaid user, it’s $5.99/month.
Delivery/shopper fee: None.
Should you tip: Optional.
Time Frame of delivery: a 1 to 2 hour window
Choices for stores: Whole Foods and Amazon
Minimum purchase: $35
Product markup/Service Fee: No. In fact, Whole Foods is owned by Amazon Prime, and their loyalty program is Amazon Prime, so Prime members get discounts.
Same day delivery: Yes (but might not always be available)
InstaCart
How to order: Instacart website, or app
Membership Fee: $99/year for InstaCart Express (look for a 14-day free trial)
Delivery/shopper fee: No delivery fee for InstaCart Express members. Delivery fee varies for those who are not InstaCart Express members.
Should you tip: There’s a default tip of 5%, but you can adjust that up to 3 days after an order is delivered. Tips are not required. They go directly to your shopper.
Time Frame of delivery: a 1 to 2 hour window
Choices for stores: Publix, Sam’s, Costco, Aldi, BJ’s, Petco, Food Lion, Total Wine + More, Durham Co-Op Market, Sur la Table, Wegman’s, Lowes Foods, CVS, more
Minimum purchase: $35
Product markup/Service Fee: Yes. There’s a service fee of 5% (or $2 minimum) that applies to non-alcohol items, for non-Express members. There’s a higher percentage fee for alcohol. InstaCart Express members also pay a service fee, but it’s lower.
Same day delivery: Yes
Notes: If you use more than one store, there’s a delivery fee per store.
Shipt
How to order: Shipt website, or app
Membership Fee: $99/year or $14/month
Delivery/shopper fee: No delivery fee for orders over $35. There’s a $7 delivery fee on smaller orders.
Should you tip: Optional.
Time Frame of delivery: a 1 hour window
Choices for stores: Costco, CVS, Harris Teeter, LIDL, Lowes Foods, Office Depot/Max, Petco, Publix, Target
Minimum purchase: None, but there’s a charge for purchases under $35.
Product markup/Service Fee: Yes. You can expect to pay approximately 14% more than the prices in the store. The price you see in the Shipt app or website is what you pay.
Same day delivery: Yes
Amazon Prime Pantry
How to order: Amazon Pantry or app
Membership Fee: No membership is required. However, Prime members get free shipping on orders of $35 and over. Otherwise, there’s a $5.99 shipping fee on all orders.
Delivery/shopper fee: $5.99 shipping on all orders, unless you’re a Prime member, in which case orders of $35 and above are free.
Should you tip: Optional.
Time Frame of delivery: 1 to 4 business days
Choices for stores: Amazon
Minimum purchase: $10
Product markup/Service Fee: No. In fact, if you order any 5 Amazon Pantry items you get a 5% discount, and if you order any 10 Amazon Pantry items you get a 10% discount.
Same day delivery: No
Notes: Amazon Pantry includes household products and non-perishable foods.
WalMart Grocery App
How to order: Walmart grocery website or app
Membership Fee: Membership available for $12.95/month or $98/year, with a free 15-day trial. Delivery is free with membership.
Delivery/shopper fee: Flat fee of $9.95, unless you’re a member.
Should you tip: WalMart store associates do not accept tips, but you can leave a tip through the website or app for third party delivery drivers.
Time Frame of delivery: Choose when you order
Choices for stores: WalMart
Minimum purchase: $30
Product markup/Service Fee: No.
Same day delivery: Yes, but might not always be available. You should check time slots before you order.
Notes: Store pick-up is also available.
Harris Teeter Express
How to order: Harris Teeter website or app
Membership Fee: Membership is not required, but if you get a membership, the $4.95 shopping fee is waived. Membership costs $16.95/month or $99.95/year.
Delivery/shopper fee: Shopping fee: $4.95. Also, same day delivery is $9.95 on orders over $50 and $11.95 on orders under $50..
Should you tip: No
Time Frame of delivery: Choose when you order
Choices for stores: Harris Teeter
Minimum purchase: None
Product markup/Service Fee: No.
Same day delivery: Yes, but time slots are hard to come by these days.
Notes: Store pick-up is also available.
Weaver Street Market
Weaver Street Market has just started offering online ordering, with curbside pick-up. Delivery is not available at this time. There’s a $50 order minimum, and a $4.95 pickup fee. The pickup fee is waived for seniors and at-risk shoppers.
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Ondrea Austin says
I woke up this morning wondering what my options are for grocery delivery, then cbw ked my phone and saw you had already researched it for us. Thank you so much for providjng this information!
Abigail O'Neill says
Thanks so much for this! We use Harris Teeter and so far it’s great but good to know that there are other options. Now if you can just convince everyone that there’s plenty of food that will be available if we don’t all hoard…..
Carla Marie says
Many of these day tipping is optional but I encourage everyone to tip for places that do not prohibit it. Many of these shoppers rely on tips just like wait staff in a restaurant. They are also putting themselves at risk by saving us from putting ourselves at risk by going out and into public places. Please be kind to your shoppers. They are your neighbors, students in our local universities, retirees trying to make ends meet, and just folks trying to survive in the gig economy etc.
Jody Mace says
Absolutely! I 100% agree.
Safiyah says
Came on here to say the same, thank you!
Gill Roberts says
Wholefoods in Chapel Hill is so backed up that they no longer have delivery windows.
7-8am is available for those 60+. See you there!!!
Ondrea Austin says
As mentioned above, Amazon Fresh through Whole Foods has no delivery windows available. Harris Teeter had no pick-up or delivery windows. Looks like we may still have to go into the store for now…be careful everyone!
Susie says
I have gotten three same day pick-up orders with Food Lion. I have been willing to pick a store a bit further away. And hey, it’s been nice to go out for a drive! 😁