Grocery delivery services have made it easy to get fresh produce, meat, dairy, and pantry necessities delivered straight to your door. Instead of wandering busy aisles or searching for a parking spot, you can order your groceries online with just a few clicks. Here, we’ll show you the best grocery delivery services you can work with in different parts of the country like Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco.
Best Grocery Delivery Services to Work For in 2023
#1. DoorDash
Since its inception in 2013, DoorDash has expanded to serve a market of more than 75 million Americans, becoming the largest delivery service by market share, according to Bloomberg Second Measure, with 65% of the market. DoorDash distributes meals from the chain and local restaurants, and in some regions, it has begun to deliver from convenience stores, grocery stores, and drugstores.
Dashers, as DoorDash delivery drivers are known, can plan their hours ahead of time. There are no minimum driving hours, as with the other meal delivery businesses on this list.
#2. Instacart
Since its inception in 2012, Instacart has grown to become one of the most well-known grocery delivery services. One of the reasons Instacart is one of the greatest grocery delivery services to work for is that there are two alternatives for employees: full-service and in-store shoppers.
Full-service shoppers take orders from customers through the app, shop for them, and deliver the order. These shoppers have the most freedom because they can choose the days and times they work, as well as how frequently they work.
In-store shoppers use the app to place items, shop for them, and then stage them for pickup. These shoppers work 29 hours or fewer per week and are considered part-time employees rather than independent contractors like full-service shoppers.
In early 2023, Instacart launched a new function called Scan & Pay. Customers can utilize this service to bypass the checkout line and save time on their orders.
#3. Shipt
Shipt, an on-demand grocery delivery service, was started in 2014. Target bought it in 2017, and it has since spread to over 5,000 communities countrywide. Shipt began as a membership-based platform, and while membership is still available, you are no longer required to be a member to order from Shipt. This increases the number of users, which means more work for Shipt customers.
Shipt customers are required to wear a Shipt shirt to work so that store personnel can identify them.
#4. Uber Eats
Uber Eats, which is owned by ridesharing giant Uber, was started in 2014 and is now accessible in over 6,000 cities across 45 countries. Customers can use Uber Eats to order meals from their favorite restaurants as well as convenience stores and grocery stores (in certain markets).
Uber Eats paid $2.65 billion for Postmates in 2020, and it began converting drivers from Postmates to Uber Eats in 2021.
#5. GrubHub
GrubHub, which was formed in 2004, is regarded as the pioneer of these food delivery businesses. It presently serves over 4,000 cities in the United States and works with over 225,000 eateries.
This on-demand delivery service primarily serves restaurants, but in some markets, it has expanded to include convenience stores.
Drivers are urged to book their shifts ahead of time. However, you may just open the app and drive whenever you have free time.
#6. Amazon Flex
Amazon Flex is a service provided by Amazon in which drivers for Prime Now, AmazonFresh, and Amazon Restaurant Delivery are outsourced. Because you can also deliver packages, it stands out from the rest of the best food delivery services here.
Drivers can choose when they work, but you must drive for 3-6 hour periods. To keep refrigerated or frozen things cool, you’ll also need insulated bags or coolers.
#7. Caviar
Caviar was originally marketed as a high-end food delivery service. Customers can now discover a varied assortment of cuisine on Caviar after DoorDash purchased it in 2019. A short scan of Caviar’s offerings yields doughnuts, fast food, sushi, Indian food, and so forth.
Caviar couriers are technically employed by DoorDash, and signing up takes you via DoorDash’s sign-up process.
#8. Favor
Favor is a Texas-based food delivery business that serves restaurants in major areas such as Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Houston, as well as a number of locations such as Odessa, Amarillo, Temple, San Antonio, and others. The business is really owned by H-E-B, a well-known Texas food retailer.
Favor’s delivery drivers are known as Runners, and you can deliver in a car, truck, motorcycle, or scooter.
#9. goPuff
goPuff is one of the best delivery applications for groceries, snacks, cleaning supplies, drinks, OTC medicine, and even electronics. goPuff is currently available in 1,000 cities across the United States and Europe and is rapidly expanding.
What makes goPuff distinctive is that when clients submit orders, the goods are delivered from one of goPuff’s 200+ warehouses, rather than delivery workers shopping at stores for each purchase. Drivers must schedule orders ahead of time, and all deliveries must be made within a 30-minute radius of the warehouses.
Best Grocery Delivery Services In Chicago
Here are the best ways to get groceries delivered in Chicago, ranging from standard Whole Foods delivery to specialty services that allow you to obtain gourmet supplies used in the kitchens of Chicago’s best restaurants.
#1. Misfits Market
Misfits Market, like Imperfect Foods, provides subscribers boxes of organic vegetables that would otherwise be thrown away due to blemishes or other cosmetic flaws for a fixed $5.50 delivery cost. You’ll get a mix of fruits and vegetables from farms across the Americas for up to 40% off retail, plus other pantry basics for an extra fee—choose between a $22 small box and a $35 bigger box.
#2. InstaCart
This internet business has become the answer to city inhabitants’ (especially non-vehicle-owning) prayers. InstaCart dubbed the “Uber for Groceries,” delivers groceries from your favorite Chicago grocery stores, including Mariano’s, Jewel-Osco, Whole Foods, Costco, Eataly, Plum Market, Pete’s Fresh Market, and even Petco, CVS, and Binny’s. Many retailers’ prices are also the same as in-store, and delivery usually costs between $3.99 and $7.99.
#3. Mercato
Mercato, a delivery service that focuses on independent grocers, allows you to shop at your favorite local food stores, such as the Dill Pickle Food Co-op in Logan Square or Local Foods in West Town. Delivery rates vary depending on the store and location, but you can also subscribe to Mercato Green for unlimited free deliveries; the $96-per-year “neighborhood” plan covers stores within three miles of your residence, while the $228-per-year plan includes stores within ten miles.
#4. Amazon Prime Now
As if Amazon Prime couldn’t be any more convenient, they now deliver groceries. For nothing. Yes, Amazon Prime subscribers in Chicago can take advantage of free on-demand, same-day grocery delivery. While the company’s local grocer partnerships are limited to Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme Market, as well as Amazon’s online marketplace, the beauty is that you can get the majority of the goods you’d normally buy at Jewel through Amazon.
#5. Postmates
Though most people use Postmates for late-night Shake Shack deliveries, the on-demand service will also stop by Mariano’s and Jewel-Osco to pick up your daily groceries. What’s the best part? A friendly fleet member will arrive at your door quickly—often within 45 to 60 minutes.
#6. Foxtrot Market
Foxtrot Market has a handpicked collection of craft delights and Chicago-made items, like Bang Bang Pie, Metric coffee, Lagunitas beer, and Letherbee gin, to name a few. The local company has physical locations in the West Loop, Lincoln Park, River North, Old Town, Lakeview, and Wicker Park, but would gladly transport all types of unique items to your door.
#7. Shipt
Looking for a really astute personal shopper? Shipt will deliver your groceries hand-selected for tiny details (like top-notch, non-soggy veggies) for a $99 yearly membership fee, with no delivery charges for orders over $35. For any last-minute order modifications, you may also communicate with the shopper using an in-app messaging facility. Target owns the company, and they deliver things from retailers such as Target, CVS, and Petco throughout Chicago.
#8. Imperfect Foods
If you don’t mind the occasional blemish on your produce—say, a lumpy grapefruit or a strange-looking carrot—Imperfect Foods can save you up to 30% off your grocery deliveries when compared to traditional supermarkets. The service takes food from typical grocery stores that has been rejected for trivial reasons, such as being cosmetically unappealing or surplus, and delivers it to subscribers in a weekly bundle. You may visit their website and fill out a simple questionnaire to determine which bundle is best for you—delivery prices start at $4.99.
The Best Grocery Delivery Services in San Francisco
Whether you’ve decided to self-quarantine as a precaution or you’re simply too busy to visit your local grocer, there are a plethora of grocery delivery services in San Francisco that can help. These services range from on-demand grocery delivery to planned deliveries of specialty goods and even delivery booze, which may or may not be more essential to you right now than healthy food. Here are some examples
#1. Good Eggs
Fresh foods are delivered to your door by Good Eggs. They believe that nutritious and delicious meals are the most powerful transformation agents. For your family’s sake, our communities’ sake, and the sake of the earth. They have deep roots in the Bay Area and adhere to the highest industry standards. Working with local farmers shortens the time and distance between the farm and your fridge. Good Eggs’ food is fresher, and your money stays in the neighborhood. Some of the regulars at the farmers market are familiar to them. Their standards for animal welfare are unrivaled. They source from farms that raise their animals on pasture and employ environmentally friendly procedures. They supply its Marketplace with the best of the Bay Area and beyond, from fresh-baked bread to Napa Valley wine to domestic cleaning goods.
#2. Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh delivers fresh produce, high-quality meat, and a virtually limitless selection of snacks and pantry items to your door from the world’s leading on-demand delivery company. This service differs from the rest of the Amazon website in that these grocery goods can be delivered to your home in less than 2 hours if you have a Prime account. If you need eggs, milk, or Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Amazon carries well-known brands as well as Whole Foods’ 365 lines of products. Amazon Fresh is my personal go-to for quick, safe delivery through a trustworthy service.
#3. Luke’s Local
Luke’s Local Grocery delivers from their charming Cole Valley location. They offer same-day grocery delivery in San Francisco using their app, which is available on the App Store and Google Play. Luke’s stocks all of the necessities, including milk, eggs, tortillas, steak, and, of course, the artisan burrata that every San Francisco home needs. Luke’s also offers chef-prepared meals from their deli, fresh flowers to enliven your day, and booze delivery to supply your SF home’s bar. The delivery service is available seven days a week.
#4. DoorDash
DoorDash does not own or operate any grocery stores; rather, it is a platform that allows you to browse the product catalogs of merchants throughout San Francisco. The company is best renowned for its restaurant delivery services, but its program — which is available on practically any operating system — also lists at least 40 local grocery stores in San Francisco, ensuring that you can acquire what you need from at least one location. DoorDash typically delivers between 20 minutes to one hour of placing an order and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while product availability is determined by local store hours.
#5. Weee!
Weee! is an Asian-focused specialty grocery delivery service. Whether you are one of the 34.3 percent of San Franciscans who identify as Asian or a fan of a particular Asian cuisine, you may have visited one of the City’s numerous Asian specialty grocers, which carry everything from durian to tiny dried shrimp to frozen dumplings that make Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods look like child’s play. Weee! is essentially that store, but on the internet. That’s correct, you can have numerous types of Pocky delivered to your house, as well as over 100 different sauces and Shanghai Steamed Juicy Pork Bun (10 count). Because their local delivery location is in the East Bay, delivery in SF takes a few days. Shipping is usually free for orders over $35.
Best Grocery Delivery Services in Los Angeles
Whether you favor Vons for one-stop shopping, unusual treats, or Whole Foods for everything organic, you can get it all delivered straight to your house. After all, you can’t always dine at the top restaurants in Los Angeles—even the best pizza or sushi isn’t always as enjoyable as cooking for yourself. So sit back, relax, and enjoy these grocery delivery services in Los Angeles.
#1. Misfit Market
This well-known grocery delivery service not only has an excellent focus on avoiding food waste, but it also saves its members money. So, how do they accomplish this? They collaborate with high-quality growers to source organic produce, eliminating the middleman and passing the savings on to you. All of your groceries are delivered to your door on the day and time of your choosing, and you can customize your box to suit your preferences.
#2. Instacart
Consider Instacart to be your personal grocery shopper. After you place your order online, the service sends an employee to a nearby store to pick up everything on your list and deliver it to your home. They’ll select your bananas, weigh a half-pound of snap peas, and inspect your eggs for cracks. You can also select the delivery window (faster timings incur a greater price) and the store. You have plenty of options because Instacart delivers to retailers in the Los Angeles area such as Ralphs, Gelson’s, Whole Foods, Smart & Final, and even Costco.
#3. Amazon Fresh
Angelenos with Amazon Prime may schedule fresh produce deliveries through Amazon Fresh (if you’re new to Prime, you can have a 30-day free trial before being charged $13 for the first month). Though Amazon Fresh used to have a separate monthly fee, Prime members now get free deliveries on orders over $35 (or pay an extra $10). Your groceries are also delivered in a temperature-controlled box, so you don’t have to be present when they arrive. Amazon Fresh, while not as extensive as some of the other services, does carry Whole Foods products.
#4. Vons
This Southern California supermarket store can deliver online orders to most Los Angeles neighborhoods as long as you meet the $30 minimum order requirement. Zip codes. Most orders placed before 8:30 a.m. will be delivered that afternoon and evening; for morning delivery, place your order the night before. All orders are subject to a $9.95 fee, which is subject to change (although new customers receive free delivery on their first order!). If there are no age-restricted products in your cart (such as alcoholic beverages, which require identification), the shopping bags can be left just at your front door.
#5. Yummy.com
For a fee of $6.99, Yummy.com can usually deliver your grocery order in about 30 minutes. Yes, you read that correctly. This supermarket has five small-format stores throughout the city, so the delivery service can quickly locate the organic bananas or six-pack of beer you requested in your neighborhood. In addition to the major players, Yummy.com carries lesser brands such as Coolhaus Ice Cream, Amy’s, Harmless Harvest, and Tom’s of Maine. If you spend more than $125 on groceries, delivery is free.
#6. Pink Dot
This late-night Sunset Strip staple distributes everything from fresh veggies to ready-made sandwiches to bottles of liquor to a region that stretches from Santa Monica to East Hollywood. Most orders have a delivery fee starting at $3.99, and Pink Dot couriers will deliver as early as 9 am and as late as 2 am every day.
To Summarize,
Depending on how frequently their needs change, most people visit their local food co-op more frequently than others. However, there are also others who would like to buy more but are limited in their opportunities. White-collar workers may also have less time to shop, especially if their occupations are in great demand. People with disabilities and the elderly are two other groups who may be affected. These people may have difficulty leaving their homes to visit the mall. Then there are individuals who do not have automobiles to transport their shopping purchases, limiting the amount of groceries they may buy at one time. To top it all off, going to the local co-op can be inconvenient at times. For these and other reasons, supermarkets are already incorporating grocery delivery services into their everyday operations.
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