Final Verdict
All of these grocery delivery services offer the convenience of having someone else go to the store, shop for, and deliver your groceries, but Instacart stands out among the rest. It’s widely available across the U.S., the membership is well-priced, and non-member delivery fees are reasonable. It also allows you the freedom to shop from multiple stores at once, so you’re virtually guaranteed to find what you’re looking for (as long as it’s in stock), all without any additional fees. But at the end of the day, which service you choose will be based on your individual needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do Grocery Delivery Services Work?
For most grocery delivery services, you shop online and select your groceries, rather than going to the supermarket. You then pay for your order, including any additional delivery service fees, and the groceries are delivered right to your door.
How Much Should I Tip?
In general, you should tip in the range of 10% to 20% of the bill or at least $5, whichever is higher. If you used a coupon to get a discounted price, make sure you base the tip on the pre-discount amount.
Is a Grocery Delivery Service Worth It?
Using a grocery delivery service can save you the hassle and time of going to a grocery store. It can be very convenient for busy people who don’t have a lot of time for grocery shopping or parents who don’t want to have to bring young children to a store. Your food choices will be much more deliberate, so you can choose healthier foods and you can avoid making impulse buys because you’re distracted, tired, or hungry.
However, using a grocery delivery service will cost more than if you went to the store yourself. On top of delivery fees and tips, you may find that some items are priced higher than at a supermarket and it can be harder to search for bargains or compare prices. For foods such as produce, you can’t handpick your items, and you may not always get the freshest, highest-quality picks.
If your free time is extremely limited, you only want to purchase exactly what’s on your shopping list, or it’s not always convenient for you to get to the store, the extra expense of grocery delivery may be well worth it.
How Much Do These Services Cost?
The cost of grocery delivery services varies, as most retailers offer the option of paying a fee for each order or buying a membership that includes unlimited free orders over a certain amount.
Retailers generally charge in the range of $7 to $10 per order, with some including extra fees for heavy orders or items such as alcohol. You may be able to save some money on delivery fees if you choose less desirable time slots, such as Tuesday to Thursday evenings. Memberships generally cost about $10 to $13 per month, with discounts for longer plans.
Can You Use EBT for Grocery Delivery?
Using EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards for grocery delivery services is not common, but may be available through certain retailers in some areas. Some retailers may allow customers to pay with EBT for grocery pick-up, but not delivery. Check with your local retailer to see which services are available.
Methodology
To create our list of the best grocery delivery services, we searched for companies that were widely available across the U.S., offered a wide range of products, and had relatively intuitive apps and websites. Pricing and affordability was also prioritized, as was the ability to shop from a number of stores. Finally, companies that made it easy to communicate with shoppers, as well as customer support, were given high marks.