17 Grocery Delivery and Pickup Services for Any Kind of Shopper

Your guide to grocery pickup and delivery services around the country.

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July 23, 2021

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Photo by: John Lamb/Getty

John Lamb/Getty

Grocery shopping is an essential part of everyday life, and now you don't even have to go to the grocery store to do it. Enter grocery delivery services, which allow you to virtually add groceries to your cart and get them sent straight to your front doorstep. With a variety of services available, finding the right one for you can be daunting. You'll need to consider factors like how quickly you need groceries delivered, how frequently you intend to use the service (in which case a membership fee-based service might make sense), and shopping preferences like organic, local or bulk. We recommend you seek out free trials, delivery offers and membership promotions to test out a few before you commit to picking a favorite. Here’s the rundown of top grocery delivery services across the country.

For the Walmart Loyalist

Walmart Grocery Pickup is curbside pick-up for your grocery order; delivery is available in select cities, too. You’ll find a wide selection of groceries from pantry staples to fresh produce, as well as everyday essentials such as laundry detergent, diapers and paper towels. Walmart Grocery Pickup also accepts SNAP EBT, making grocery pick-up accessible to more people. Walmart Grocery Pickup is free, and you can pick up same day if you order by 1:00 p.m. Walmart staff load your groceries into your car for you at no cost. If delivery is available in your area, you can save on delivery fees with a membership that costs $12.95 a month or $98 a year; plus, you can try it free for 15 days.

For the Target Fan

Shipt, a subsidiary of Target, is a membership-based grocery service that delivers fresh food and household essentials from local and national retailers to more than 260 cities across the U.S. For an annual fee of $99, you’ll receive unlimited grocery deliveries for orders of $35 or more (there’s a $7 delivery fee otherwise). Deliveries can be scheduled for a one-hour window as soon as one hour after you place your order, and Shipt shoppers are available whenever the store is open — so that means delivery is available 24/7 in some cases. Customers can connect with their Shipt shopper every step of the way. Users can use the app’s "special request" feature to request an item for their shopper to find in the store that's not found on the app. Get up-to-the-minute updates with every order, like substitution recommendations if an item out of stock. Forget to add something to your list? You make a last-minute add as long as your Shipt shopper is still in the aisle.

For the Bulk Shopper

If you live for fully stocked cupboards, Boxed is your buying-in-bulk dream — no membership fee required. Big sizes equal big savings on popular categories such as snacks, beverages, household essentials and health and wellness products. Orders can be scheduled up to five days in advance; deliveries arrive within one to three days. If you need large quantities of fresh food, try Boxed Express. Peruse items such as fresh produce, say a 3-pound box of bananas or 5.5-pound bushel of apples, plus fresh food products such as milk, ground beef or hummus from brands like Kirkland (Costco’s private label brand). Shipping is free on orders over $49 (or over $65 for Boxed Express).

For the AmazonPrime Member (in a Major City)

AmazonFresh, Amazon’s grocery delivery service, currently serves select cities including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. Grocery deliveries are free for AmazonPrime members (minimum order of $35 required) and delivered within a two-hour delivery window. You’ll find a wide selection of grocery, household, beauty and personal supplies, including popular national brands and Whole Foods’ 365 Everyday Value line. Trim your weekly grocery bill by perusing the “fresh deals” section, which highlights things like a deal of the week, buy 2 save $2 deals and featured sale produce. Under the Local Market section, discover regional goodies like locally made sauces, condiments, frozen treats, snacks, drinks and more.

For the Need-Everything-Now Shopper

Instacart partners with more than 350 national, regional and local retailers to offer delivery and pick-up from more than 25,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in the U.S. (across all 50 states) and Canada. You can even order from clubs such as Costco or BJ’s even if you don’t have a membership. Instacart’s most popular items include weekly grocery staples like produce, eggs and milk, so Instacart personal shoppers are adept at picking peak produce and packing fragile items with care. Deals abound, too. On any given day Instacart has around 800 coupons. Orders can be placed up to six days in advance, but same-day delivery is available too. In some cities, you can get deliveries within an hour, which is particularly handy if you want to add ready-made-food, like a Publix sub for lunch, to your haul. Delivery fees start at $3.99 for same-day orders over $35, but vary for one-hour deliveries, club store deliveries and deliveries under $35. Want to shop multiple stores on a single order? Try Instacart Express which also gives you unlimited grocery delivery on orders over $35 for $99 annually (or $9.99 monthly).

For the Organic Grocery Lover

If organic groceries are your M.O., Thrive Market is the service for you. Shoppers across the Continental U.S. can browse a curated selection of more than 6,000 organic food, home and beauty products, all offered at members-only prices. Members save an average of $30 per order; but if you don’t make back your membership fee in savings in your first year, they’ll credit you the difference when you renew — no questions asked. Members also receive free gifts and samples, different daily deals and free shipping on all orders over $49 (plus free shipping on your first order over $25). Orders take on average two to three days to make it to your door.

For the Local Shopper

FreshDirect is a go-to grocery delivery service for East Coasters who value expertly sourced products at their freshest. FreshDirect prides itself on working with suppliers as opposed to brick-and-mortar stores, so that you get the freshest peak produce, meat and sustainable seafood faster. Orders are expertly packed in custom packaging that cradles eggs and keeps avocados bruise-free. You can store shopping lists to easily reorder and reserve your ideal delivery time, too. Beyond convenience, FreshDirect is a great resource for discovering new products. Check out the “monthly picks” section to peruse staff favorites, new or exclusive products and hidden gems. The retailer also boasts a beer and cider and wine and spirits sections where you can narrow your search by filters like the value-driven “select sips,” local, craft, Kosher or organic. You can place orders up to a week in advance or by 11:00 p.m. the night before your delivery. And if you live in NYC (Manhattan, Brooklyn or Queens), Fresh Direct’s sister service, FoodKick, offers delivery in as little as an hour. There’s a $30 minimum, but that’s basically a six-pack and some snacks. Food Network fans get $50 off their first order of $99 or more at FreshDirect.com with code: FOODNETWORK.

For the health-conscious shopper

Hungryroot is a weekly grocery subscription service that prides itself on offering only nutritious food made from whole, trusted ingredients. Not only do they deliver groceries tailored to your preferences, Hungryroot also include recipes that can be prepared in 10 minutes or less, saving you time on meal planning, too. Start by taking a quiz to share your goals, and answer questions about the number of people you’re feeding, any dietary needs (such as vegan, gluten-free or nut-free) and what you like to eat for dinner. Next, Hungryroot creates a grocery plan and fills your cart with suggested groceries and recipes that match your needs. Of course, you can always edit your delivery to get exactly what you’d like. Once you receive and try your groceries, you can rate your items and recipes to help Hungryroot get to know your likes and dislikes and improve your next delivery. Hungryroot is also focused on sustainability and uses 100% recyclable shipping materials. Plans start at $59; plan sizes are based on how much food you’d like included, and these preferences can be updated at any time. You can also skip a delivery any week, as long as it’s before it processes.

For the Kroger loyalist

With a robust selection of groceries and user-friendly interface, Kroger’s website and app makes ordering groceries for delivery or shipping a breeze. If Kroger’s delivery service isn’t available in your location, you can also order groceries from Kroger via third-parties such as Instacart and Shipt. Kroger’s delivery service is your best bet for weekly groceries for things like milk, bread, produce, and other shopping list go-tos; you can choose same-day delivery (even within an hour) or a later date. The shipping option is best for stocking up on dry goods (many of which aren’t available in local stores) or bulk orders; shipments arrive in as few as 1-3 days. Delivery of alcoholic beverages varies by state; be sure to have your ID handy when receiving your order. Pro tip: After placing an order, enable notifications or opt into SMS notifications so you can be advised about substitutions or out-of-stock items, if necessary. Be sure to check the savings section, which makes it easy to find weekly deals and specials and clip digital coupons; note that printed coupons aren’t accepted for delivery orders. Forget something? You can modify your order at any point until the shopper has started picking the order. (For deliveries fulfilled by Instacart, you’ll need to chat with them directly for assistance once they have started shopping your order.) Delivery service fees range from $9.95 to $11.95 depending upon location; this fee is applied to your order at the time it’s placed. Nuro Delivery, Kroger’s self-driving delivery pilot program is available for a $5.95 delivery in select zip codes. Kroger also offers curbside pick-up; this service is free for orders over $35, otherwise, a $4.95 fee applies.

For Amazon Prime members

Amazon Prime members can shop Whole Foods Market on Amazon.com for 2-hour delivery and free 1-hour pickup in select U.S. cities. The easy-to-navigate interface allows consumers to review past purchases and buy favorite items again, check out the week’s best deals, and look at personalized recommendations for suggested products. Items are organized across categories such as food, beverages, produce, personal care, and household, with special sections devoted to Whole Foods in-house brands such as 365 by Whole Foods Market. If you’re a fan of using Alexa, you can review and shop from Alexa lists here, too. Depending on location, delivery is free on orders that meet a certain threshold, either a $35 or $50 minimum, pre-tax. If your order doesn’t meet that total, you’ll be charged a delivery fee ranging from $5 to $8, depending on how quickly you want your order. Some Whole Foods location also offer a free pick-up option.

For the organic produce fan

Think of Farmbox Direct as a grocery delivery service that brings the farmers market experience to your doorstep. Founder and CEO Ashley Tyrner personally selects every farm and vendor Farmbox Direct works with, ensuring that the best organic and natural produce is available year-round. Farmbox Direct is available in most of the U.S. Enter your zip code to find out if it’s available in your area, then create an account (there are no registration or membership fees or commitments). Next, select which size Farmbox you’d like (small, medium or large) and pick a box based on your needs, opting for either all organic or all natural, and specifying whether you’d like fruit, veggies or a combination of both. Can’t decide? The $33 all-natural essentials box is a good option for covering basics such as lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, oranges and pears. At the beginning of each week, you’ll get an email detailing what’s being harvested by Farmbox Direct’s farmers for the current week’s Farmbox. You can then customize your Farmbox with up to 5 substitutions and add artisanal items or other groceries offered that week. The user-friendly interface makes it easy to manage deliveries or skip one. Delivery is free; there is a $5.98 handling and packing fee to cover the cost of the biodegradable/recyclable packing materials.

For the plant-power devotee

Hungry Harvest delivers fresh produce while eliminating food waste and supporting local donations to hunger-fighting organizations. Hungry Harvest works with farmers to rescue produce that would otherwise go to waste, helping to build a more resilient food system while offering consumers healthy, wholesome food. It’s currently available in Maryland, Washington, DC, Virginia, Greater Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey, Northern Delaware, South Florida, The Triangle Area in North Carolina and the Detroit Metro Area. Shipping is free; produce boxes start at $15 and are available in a variety of sizes and options, including organic. You can customize your Harvest and shop the Marketplace for additional grocery staples, including pantry staples such as peanut butter and beans. Each week, Hungry Harvest offers a new variety of produce and grocery items, and shares storage tips, easy recipes and kitchen hacks to help you create healthy, plant-forward meals.

For the sustainability-focused shopper

Imperfect Foods has reimagined grocery delivery service while eliminating food waste by rescuing “imperfect” foods. Imperfect foods are those that aren’t deemed fit for grocery store shelves because of minor cosmetic imperfections, or because they are discontinued items, surplus, ends and pieces, or short-dated (goods stamped with a “best-by” date that’s fewer than 6 weeks out). Imperfect Foods is currently available across the West Coast, Midwest, Northeast and West South-Central region. To get started, simply answer a few quick questions (such as number of eaters in your household and dietary preferences) and have a specific delivery day assigned based on where you live. Each week’s order will start with a selection of groceries based on your preferences, which you can then customize. You can also add groceries such as eggs, grains, snacks and pantry staples, as well as household and beauty products. It’s free to sign up (no membership fees apply); boxes start at $16 and delivery fees range from $4.99 to $8.99, depending on location.

For the budget organic shopper

With Misfits Market, shoppers can fight food waste while shopping for organic produce and sustainably sourced groceries at up to 40% off grocery store prices. They’re able to offer low prices and reduce food waste by cutting out the middleman, working directly with farmers and makers to source organic produce, sustainable pantry staples, and other high-quality groceries that might otherwise go to waste. These groceries include surplus produce or produce with slight imperfections, or grocery items that are discontinued or short dated (goods stamped with a “best-by” date that’s fewer than 6 weeks out). Misfits Market is widely available across the U.S.; if you don’t see your state or zip code, sign up for the wait list. To get started, sign up and select when you’d like your first order. You’ll then be assigned a three-day window to build your grocery order before your box ships. The day before your box ships, you’ll be charged for your order. There is a flat rate of $5.50 for shipping to all locations in their delivery areas.

For the Stop & Shop, Giant and Martin's Customer

Peapod is one of the O.G. grocery delivery services. It's powered by Stop & Shop and is available in those markets, but the service also partners with other chains including Martin’s and Giant. Customers can shop essentials and top brands, as well as local goods. You can also filter your search according to dietary needs or preferences. The service gets better the more you use it with the Order Genius feature, which tracks past purchases and auto-fills your cart with frequently purchased items. Instead of browsing the “aisles,” try the Express Shop feature: Enter your list of ingredients and it’ll pull up all the groceries you need to make that recipe. Peapod also offers meal kits — think shrimp fajitas, steak au poivre, and salmon, pear and farro salad. You can order next-day delivery and same-day is available in some areas. Delivery and pick-up fees vary, but if you plan on using the service often, it’s worth looking into PodPass to get free delivery.

For the Safeway fan who wants a personal shopper

Safeway offers grocery delivery seven days a week between 8 AM and 10 PM local time, in most locations. The selection includes all major grocery categories, although certain items such as greeting cards, magazines and stamps are not available. Shoppers can decide if they want any substitutions within their cart’s “Item Preferences.” You can also include notes to your personal shopper regarding item preferences, such as, “Please pick green bananas." Items in your delivery orders are selected the day of the scheduled delivery and then loaded onto delivery trucks, either those from Safeway’s parent company, Albertsons Companies, or a third-party. The delivery fee for service provided by Albertsons Companies in most areas is $9.95; look for discounts available for certain delivery windows or promo codes to add at checkout. New customers utilizing the online grocery ordering service are eligible to receive free delivery on their first online order (simply place a $30 minimum order and enter the promo code FREE at checkout). Safeway also offers a FreshPass program which enables customers to receive unlimited grocery deliveries for a $12.99 monthly fee or an annual $99 plan (plus applicable fees). Need your groceries ASAP? You can order groceries for Rush Delivery via Instacart. Safeway also offer a grocery pick-up service called DriveUp & Go™.

For Southeast-Based Shoppers

This popular regional grocer has hundreds of stores across the Southeast. Although it doesn’t yet have an in-house delivery program, Publix shoppers can order groceries online through Publix website and have them fulfilled by Instacart. Instacart shoppers and drivers will receive, fill and deliver your Publix grocery order, and also handle customer service inquiries such as payment processing, order status and refunds. Instacart allows you to choose acceptable substitutes up front and enables you to leave notes for your personal shopper on each item, like if there’s a particular size apple or ideal best by date for those chicken breasts. You’ll notice that prices listed for online ordering through Instacart are higher than what you see in the store; the increased price covers the costs of Instacart providing the overall service, including shopping for the order. Publix does not collect or charge any additional fees. With delivery, you can take advantage of weekly ad deals and most BOGO promotions, but printed and digital coupons can’t be redeemed through Instacart at this time.

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