Curious about grocery delivery? You’re not alone. According to Business Insider¹, the U.S. online grocery industry has grown from $12 billion in 2016 to $26 billion in 2018. Read on for tips, tricks, and a breakdown of local grocery delivery services.
Benefits of grocery delivery:
- Orders can be conveniently placed 24/7 from anywhere with an internet connection; many services also allow telephone calls.
- Orders can be scheduled for delivery in one hour or far into the future. This is ideal for vacations, medical procedures, or any other time daily life is disrupted or changed.
- Shopping online helps eliminate impulse buying – it is much easier to stick to budgets and shopping lists when not in aisles of food!
- Shopping online is often cheaper than in person; many stores offer exclusive sales and discounts to items ordered online. Plus, you will save money on transportation.
Amazon Prime Now
- Grocery Stores Used: Whole Foods
- In-Store Pickup? Yes, at Whole Foods in Lake Grove
- Monthly Fee? $12.99 monthly Amazon Prime membership
- Delivery Fee? $5.99 shipping for orders under $35
- Payment Accepted: Credit and debit cards, personal checking accounts, Amazon.com store cards, FSA or HSA cards, EBT (Prime is $5.99 monthly with an EBT or Medicaid card)
- Order Through: Amazon.com, Amazon app, Amazon Alexa
- Tipping Policy: “Tipping is completely optional. If you elect to leave a tip, the entire tip goes to your courier”
- Grocery Stores Used: Whole Foods
- In-Store Pickup? No
- Monthly Fee? 12.99 monthly Amazon Prime membership; $4.99 monthly adds free shipping on orders over $10
- Delivery Fee? $5.99 shipping for orders under $35; the additional $4.99 monthly gets free shipping for orders over $10 and $5.99 shipping for orders under $10
- Payment Accepted: Credit and debit cards, personal checking accounts, Amazon.com store cards, FSA or HSA cards, EBT (Prime is $5.99 monthly with an EBT or Medicaid card)
- Order Through: Amazon.com, Amazon app, Amazon Alexa
- Tipping Policy: None; ships via mail
- Grocery Stores Used: In Patchogue and Medford, Aldi, Best Market, BJ’s, Costco, CVS, Food Bazaar, Petco, Restaurant Depot, and Shop Rite
- In-Store Pickup? No
- Monthly Fee? None, but a $99 yearly or $9.99 monthly Instacart Express membership waives a 5% service fee and a $3.99 delivery fee.
- Delivery Fee? Fee depends on order size and delivery time. Actual fee is displayed before an order is placed.
- Payment Accepted: Major U.S. credit and debit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay
- Order Through: Instacart.com, Instacart app
- Tipping Policy: “100% of your tip goes to the shopper delivering your order. A default 5% tip is suggested at checkout with a minimum suggestion of $2 per individual store delivery”
- Grocery Stores Used: King Kullen and Wild by Nature
- In-Store Pickup? No
- Monthly Fee? None
- Delivery Fee? 20% service charge plus $7 fee for orders above $50 and $10 fee for orders under $50; no fee on first delivery
- Payment Accepted: Cash, check, major credit cards
- Order Through: Phone, fax, or online order form
- Tipping Policy: “You are under no obligation to tip the driver, you will always receive the same service. If you feel you received exceptional service you have the option of providing a tip”
- Grocery Stores Used: Stop & Shop
- In-Store Pickup? Yes
- Monthly Fee? No
- Delivery Fee? $9.95 for orders between $60-100, and $6.95 for orders above $100
- Payment Accepted: Discover, Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards, debit cards, checking accounts, Peapod gift cards
- Order Through: Peapod.com, Peapod app
- Tipping Policy: “Tipping is never required, but if you feel like it, your kindness is always appreciated”
- Grocery Stores Used: ShopRite (bulk groceries)
- In-Store Pickup? Yes
- Monthly Fee? No
- Delivery Fee? “Tipping is never required, but if you feel like it, your kindness is always appreciated”
- Payment Accepted: Major debit and credit cards, PayPal
- Order Through: ShopRiteDelivers.com, ShopRite app
- Tipping Policy: None
- Grocery Stores Used: In Patchogue and Medford, CVS, Petco, and Target
- In-Store Pickup? Yes
- Monthly Fee? $14 monthly or $99 yearly Shipt membership
- Delivery Fee? $7 for orders under $35
- Payment Accepted: Major U.S. credit, debit, and reloadable gift cards
- Order Through: Shipt.com, Shipt app
- Tipping Policy: “Tips are not required but are greatly appreciated. You may tip in cash or within the app after you receive your delivery and 100% of your tip will go to the shopper”
- Grocery Stores Used: Target
- In-Store Pickup? No, but Target has separate Order Pickup and Drive Up services
- Monthly Fee? No
- Delivery Fee? No
- Payment Accepted: Major U.S. credit and debit cards including gift cards
- Order Through: Target.com
- Tipping Policy: None; ships via email
- Grocery Stores Used: Target
- In-Store Pickup? No
- Monthly Fee? No
- Delivery Fee? $2.99;
free with a REDcard - Payment Accepted: Major U.S. credit and debit cards including gift cards
- Order Through: Target.com/restock
- Tipping Policy: None; ships via email
- Grocery Stores Used: Target
- In-Store Pickup? No
- Monthly Fee? $14 monthly or $99 yearly Shipt membership
- Delivery Fee? $7 for orders under $35
- Payment Accepted: Major U.S. credit and debit cards including gift cards
- Order Through: Target.com, Shipt.com, Shipt app
- Tipping Policy: “Tips are not required but are greatly appreciated. You may tip in cash or within the app after you receive your delivery and 100% of your tip will go to the shopper”
| Service | Grocery Stores Used | In-Store Pickup? | Monthly Fee? | Delivery Fee? | Payment Accepted | Order Through | Tipping Policy |
| Amazon Prime Now | Whole Foods | Yes, at Whole Foods in Lake Grove | $12.99 monthly Amazon Prime membership | $5.99 shipping for orders under $35 | Credit and debit cards, personal checking accounts, Amazon.com store cards, FSA or HSA cards, EBT (Prime is $5.99 monthly with an EBT or Medicaid card) | Amazon.com, Amazon app, Amazon Alexa | “Tipping is completely optional. If you elect to leave a tip, the entire tip goes to your courier” |
| Amazon Prime Pantry | Whole Foods | No | $12.99 monthly Amazon Prime membership; $4.99 monthly adds free shipping on orders over $10 | $5.99 shipping for orders under $35; the additional $4.99 monthly gets free shipping for orders over $10 and $5.99 shipping for orders under $10 | ↑ | ↑ | None; ships via mail |
| Instacart | In Patchogue and Medford, Aldi, Best Market, BJ’s, Costco, CVS, Food Bazaar, Petco, Restaurant Depot, and Shop Rite | No | None, but a $99 yearly or $9.99 monthly Instacart Express membership waives a 5% service fee and a $3.99 delivery fee | Fee depends on order size and delivery time. Actual fee is displayed before an order is placed. | Major U.S. credit and debit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay | Instacart.com, Instacart app | “100% of your tip goes to the shopper delivering your order. A default 5% tip is suggested at checkout with a minimum suggestion of $2 per individual store delivery” |
| Josephine’s Shopping Service | King Kullen and Wild by Nature | No | None | 20% service charge plus $7 fee for orders above $50 and $10 fee for orders under $50; no fee on first delivery | Cash, check, major credit cards | Phone, fax, or online order form | “You are under no obligation to tip the driver, you will always receive the same service. If you feel you received exceptional service you have the option of providing a tip” |
| Peapod | Stop & Shop | Yes | No | $9.95 for orders between $60-100, and $6.95 for orders above $100 | Discover, Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards, debit cards, checking accounts, Peapod gift cards | Peapod.com, Peapod app | “Tipping is never required, but if you feel like it, your kindness is always appreciated” |
| ShopRite Delivers | ShopRite (bulk groceries) | Yes | No | Shipping varies based on delivery address and order weight. Actual fee is displayed before an order is placed. | Major debit and credit cards, PayPal | ShopRiteDelivers.com, ShopRite app | None |
| Shipt | In Patchogue and Medford, CVS, Petco, and Target | Yes | $14 monthly or $99 yearly Shipt membership | $7 for orders under $35 | Major U.S. credit, debit, and reloadable gift cards | Shipt.com, Shipt app | “Tips are not required but are greatly appreciated. You may tip in cash or within the app after you receive your delivery and 100% of your tip will go to the shopper” |
| Target 2-Day Shipping | Target | No, but Target has separate Order Pickup and Drive Up services | No | No | Major U.S. credit and debit cards including gift cards | Target.com | None; ships via mail |
| Target Restock | Target | No ↑ | No | $2.99; free with a REDcard | ↑ | Target.com/restock | None; ships via mail |
| Target Same Day Delivery with Shipt | Target | No ↑ | $14 monthly or $99 yearly Shipt membership | $7 for orders under $35 | ↑ | Target.com, Shipt.com, Shipt app | “Tips are not required but are greatly appreciated. You may tip in cash or within the app after you receive your delivery and 100% of your tip will go to the shopper” |
Additional information:
None of these services have a registration fee; they all charge either monthly membership fees or costs per order.
Many services do not have a minimum order amount, though Instacart has a $10 minimum, Peapod has a $60 minimum, and Target Restock has a $35 minimum. However, some charge extra for orders below certain thresholds. For example, Josephine’s Shopping Service charges $10 for orders under $50 and Shipt charges $7 for orders under $35.