Avoid crowds when you pick up groceries by ordering online or using your grocery store apps. Find out tips and tricks for online grocery shopping.
Online grocery shopping and grocery pick up have become a way of life in 2020. It seems to be our new normal. Most grocery stores, and even big box stores, are now offering ways to pick up groceries or have them delivered to your home.
Grocery delivery fees can get expensive. But grocery pick up is much more affordable. If you want to know the best way to get your groceries without going into a store, check out our tips and then list of stores and services where you can pick up groceries.
Tips for When You Pick Up Groceries:
Best times to pick up groceries: Grocery store pick up has gotten really busy. Just like normal grocery shopping, certain times of the day are busier than others. You will have to try it out in your area to find the best times.
We have found that the best times to pick up are either early in the morning or later at night. You will wait for less time to pick up. The only downside to waiting later in the day is that the store may be out of items you need.
Beware of Substitutions: So what happens if a store is out of your items? Most of them will allow you to choose whether or not you want to allow substitutions. During this COVID-19 shut down, substitutions have been hit or miss.
If you don’t care what brand of spaghetti you want, then just allow substitutions. But if you are picky about the brand, then you can not allow them. You can also usually leave notes in the order to tell them what you will accept as a substitution.
As you know, availability of grocery items has been really odd lately so make sure you have a large enough order to make a pick up worth it. If the store provides a substitution you don’t like, just ask them to remove it at pick up. Kroger brand stores are excellent about this.
Pick Up Fees: Some stores charge a fee for you to pick up your groceries. Most stores charge around $5. Others offer free pick up with a minimum purchase usually around $35-$40.
Make sure that if you are paying a fee, that your grocery order is large. As grocery store inventory has been low, sometimes you won’t get a lot of items on your order.
Pick up groceries at these stores:
Walmart Grocery Pick Up : Download the Walmart grocery app or order online through their website.(sign up with our link and get $10 off your first order!)
Target Pick Up : Order online through the website or on their app under “To Go”.
Safeway Brand Stores: Order online or through the stores’ apps.
Kroger Brand Stores: Order online or through an app.
Kroger also offers a shipping option for dry goods! You can get 15% off your first order.
- Kroger
- Ralphs
- Dillons
- Smith’s
- King Soopers
- Fry’s
- QFC
- City Market
- Owen’s
- Jay C
- Pay Less
- Baker’s
- Gerbes
- Harris Teeter
- Pick ‘n Save
- Copps
- Metro Market
- Mariano’s
Sprouts Farmer’s Markets (west coast): Sprouts just started offering the option to pick up groceries through a partnership with Instacart. The shopper is actually a Sprouts employee. One of the perks of the service is that you can chat directly with the shopper as they shop to see what is in stock and offer approval or suggestions for substitutions. Sprouts charges around $5 for the service.
Instacart: Instacart has paired up with a bunch of grocery stores to offer grocery pick up, which is more affordable than delivery.
Wegman’s (east coast): Wegman’s is also offering grocery pick up through a partnership with Instacart. You can order online or through their app.
Whole Foods: Whole Foods offers free grocery pick up as well as free delivery if you are an Amazon Prime member.
Shop online and get groceries delivered through:
Amazon Fresh (available in certain areas)
Amazon Pantry (available almost everywhere)