How to Avoid Checkout Lines Forever with Walmart's Grocery Pickup and Delivery

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Trying to avoid crowds? Short on time? Really enjoying your playlist in the car? Whatever your reasons are for wanting to skip the supermarket lines, you’re in luck: Plenty of supermarket chains and grocery stores are offering curbside pickup and car-loading services. And Walmart is one of them.

The major retailer has also introduced other convenient features that keep shoppers out of stores, including home delivery and the option to have your groceries loaded directly into your car.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at all the services Walmart offers for groceries and other merchandise.

A couple things to note: Walmart’s pickup service isn’t only for groceries – the store also offers the ability to order other items (including toys, electronics and clothing) with your grocery pickup order.

The availability of Walmart pickup and delivery (and times services are available) will vary by store. Be sure to confirm availability at your preferred location.

How to use Walmart curbside pickup

Walmart

Follow these steps for a smooth Walmart pickup experience:

1. Shop: You can shop for groceries via the grocery section on Walmart.com or use the Walmart Shopping & Grocery App. Make sure that your preferred store is selected. Fill up your online cart with food, cleaning supplies, pet supplies, diapers and more.

2. Check out and select a pickup time. If you order before 4 p.m., you can typically schedule pick up for as soon as the same day. Note that pickup availability may vary from store to store, and it may not always be possible to schedule a same-day pickup slot during times of high demand.

3. Check for your confirmation email. Wait for the confirmation that your order is ready. Use the Walmart app to check in when you’re on your way so that the order will be ready when you arrive.

4. Pick up your groceries. Be sure to park in the designated pickup area. Walmart employees will bring your groceries out to your car and load them for you.

All about Walmart curbside pickup

Have some more questions surrounding Walmart’s curbside pickup process. We broke down a few key details below.

What is the cost of Walmart grocery pickup?

At most locations, Walmart pickup is free on orders of $35 or more. If you spend less than $35, you’ll be charged a $5.99 pickup fee.

Note that the minimum order amount might vary by location. The minimum will display in your cart and in the pickup scheduler.

Does Walmart mark up grocery prices for online pickup orders?

Nope! There’s no markup for items you order for pickup. You’ll get the same prices that in-store shoppers do.

Can I use coupons with Walmart grocery pickup?

You can use eligible online coupons on Walmart grocery pickup orders. Any relevant promo/discount codes will need to be entered at checkout.

You can search for current coupons by finding your location in the Walmart store directory. In addition, Walmart frequently offers promo codes for new customers on grocery orders.

Can I use SNAP/EBT with Walmart grocery pickup?

Yes, you can. Order your groceries for pickup on Walmart’s site, and select EBT Card as your payment method during checkout. When you arrive for pickup, the Walmart Associate will swipe your EBT card to pay for eligible items. For any items that aren’t EBT eligible, you can then provide payment with a credit card or debit card. Learn more.

Can I use cash to pay for Walmart grocery pickup?

Unfortunately, you can’t use cash for Walmart grocery orders. You can click here to see a list of all accepted payment methods.

Where is Walmart grocery pickup available?

The service is available in hundreds of locations nationwide and is going to be rolled out to even more in the future. Enter your ZIP code on Walmart.com to see if your store is participating, or check the Walmart store directory.

Are there bag fees on Walmart grocery pickup orders?

If you live in an area that has bag fees, your grocery pickup order may incur bag fees. However, you can opt to have your order loaded into your car without bags.

What if I miss my Walmart grocery pickup time?

You can pick up your grocery order any time after your scheduled pickup window for up to seven days. If you don’t pick up your order within seven days, your order will be canceled, and you’ll be refunded.

Walmart grocery delivery

Walmart

Walmart grocery and order delivery is available in thousands of stores across the country.

In 2020, Walmart launched its Express Delivery service, which delivers select groceries in two hours or less. It’s available at roughly 2,000 Walmart locations.

How does Walmart grocery delivery work?

Complete your grocery shopping via the Walmart Grocery App or via the food section of the website. Fill up your cart, check out and select a delivery time. Walmart’s trained personal shoppers will pull your items and bag them up. Walmart contracts with delivery services, who are then responsible for bringing your order to your home.

How much does Walmart grocery delivery cost?

Walmart offers three delivery options:

1. Walmart+:

The service costs $98 per year or $12.95 per month. You’ll pay no per-delivery fees if you order at least $35 worth of groceries per order. Walmart+ replaced Walmart’s old ‘Delivery Unlimited’ service – and offers several other benefits to shoppers. Learn more about Walmart+ benefits here. Delivery gets you your order as soon as the same day.

Walmart+ members will also get Walmart Rewards on their Walmart grocery orders. You can check your rewards balance at Walmart.com or in the Walmart app

2. Pay per delivery:

The cost for Walmart delivery ranges from $7.95 to $9.95, and delivery minimums vary by area. Fees vary depending on your order and how soon you’d like it (you can get your order as soon as the same day). If your order falls under $35, you will have an extra fee of $6.99 added to your order on top of the delivery fee.

3. Walmart Express delivery:

For an extra $10 above the normal delivery charge, you can get your items in two hours or less through Walmart Express delivery. Walmart Express delivery can be used to order groceries, as well as general merchandise, including most toys and electronics. There’s no order minimum for Walmart Express. Enter your ZIP code when ordering groceries to see if the service is available in your area.

Walmart+ subscribers, as well as those placing individual orders, can use Walmart Express delivery, if it’s available at their store. Walmart+ subscribers will simply pay $10 (instead of getting the free delivery that’s usually included in Walmart+).

Is Walmart grocery delivery free?

Walmart grocery delivery is only free if you’ve signed up for Walmart+. Technically, you are still paying (in the form of a $98 annual fee). However, your Walmart grocery deliveries won’t have any additional costs if you order at least $35 worth of stuff.

Can I pay cash for Walmart grocery delivery?

Unfortunately, you can’t pay cash for your grocery delivery with Walmart. You can click here to see a list of all accepted payment methods for Walmart grocery deliveries.

Do I tip Walmart grocery delivery?

You have the option to tip your delivery driver. You can add tips from the order page via the mobile Walmart app or website before or after checkout. You can also add tips after your order has been delivered.

What if I can’t get a Walmart pickup or delivery time slot?

Grocery pickup and delivery were in such high demand during the pandemic that slots were hard to come by. Luckily, however, the complete inability to get a slot has waned. However, on the off chance you can’t get a slot (for example, during high-demand times over the holidays), you have a potential additional option for getting some groceries.

Walmart sells certain non-perishable grocery items (including pantry staples like macaroni and cheese, beans and paper products) via Walmart.com. If you place an order of more than $35, you are eligible for free next-day shipping.

Not all items are available for next-day shipping. Look for the “Next-Day Eligible” label as you tackle your grocery shopping online.

Other Walmart grocery delivery details

Keep these details in mind to help the grocery delivery process go smoothly:

• You no longer have to worry about missing your Walmart delivery window. In the past, customers were required to sign for their Walmart delivery orders. That ended during the pandemic – when demand increased for contactless delivery. Now, you can select “Leave at your door” when placing your order.

• Be sure to read the fine print. By selecting “Leave at your door,” you’re agreeing that you’ll be responsible for the order once it’s left at your door (that includes refrigerating temperature-sensitive items). Your driver will send you a message when your online order is on its way, so you can keep an eye out for your delivery.

• If you live in a large apartment complex, the driver will deliver right to your door. However, please be sure to leave delivery instructions when placing your order (unit number, gate code, etc.)

• If the item you order isn’t available when your order is packed, Walmart will substitute it with something similar. If you don’t want substitutions, change the “substitutions” setting in your account, and unavailable items will simply be left off your online order.

Other grocery pickup and delivery options

Plenty of other stores and third-party companies offer convenient grocery delivery and pickup options, including:

1. Amazon

Amazon offers free delivery to Prime members on eligible products purchased on Amazon.com. If you are shopping on Amazon Fresh for groceries, you will pay a fee if your order falls under the $150 mark. Here are the fee details: $9.95 for orders under $50, $6.95 for orders between $50 and $100 and $3.95 for orders between $100 and $150.

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2. Instacart

One of the pioneers of grocery delivery, Instacart will deliver groceries via courier right to your door in as little as two hours. You’ll pay a delivery fee depending on the size of your order and delivery time. The delivery fee starts at $3.99 for same-day orders over $35. If you subscribe to Instacart+ ($99 per year or $9.99 per month), you’ll pay no delivery fees on orders over $35. You can try Instacart+ for free for 14 days.

3. Shipt

A third-party grocery delivery service, Shipt offers grocery delivery on the same day (in as little as one hour). You can pay for a yearly membership ($99), month-to-month ($10.99 per month) or for single delivery ($10 per order). Use the code: GETSHIPT to pay $0 for delivery on your first order.

4. Safeway

DriveUp & Go curbside grocery pickup is offered at most Safeway locations, including sister stores. With Drive Up & Go service, a Safeway associate loads your car with your groceries when you arrive at the grocery store. Service hours may vary by location.

In addition, Safeway grocery delivery is offered between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. at most Safeway locations and sister stores. Depending on location and availability, delivery is either provided by the store or a third-party delivery service like Instacart. In most areas, grocery delivery comes with a fee of $9.95, and you must spend a minimum of $30.

There are a few ways to score free grocery delivery from Safeway. If you take advantage of a current promotion, you can get free delivery and $20 off on your first order when you spend $75 or more. In addition, you can get free unlimited grocery delivery on orders over $30 if you sign up for Safeway’s subscription-based FreshPass program. This program costs $99 per year or $12.99 per month, and you can take advantage of a 30-day free trial.

5. Target

Use Target’s Drive Up service to get groceries loaded into your car. Target also offers same-day grocery delivery via Shipt, but you must have a Shipt subscription.

6. Thrive Market

A healthy living membership-based grocery store, Thrive Market offers free grocery delivery to locations throughout the continental U.S. The retailer offers free delivery on grocery orders over $49, on frozen food orders over $120 and wine orders over $79. If you don’t meet these order minimums, Thrive Market charges $5.95 for grocery delivery, $19.95 for frozen food delivery and $13.95 for wine delivery.

7. Whole Foods

Whole Foods delivery comes with a $9.95 service fee. Amazon Prime members can, however, pick up their orders over $35 at their designated Whole Foods for free.

8. Various grocery stores

Plenty of regional grocery chains offer grocery curbside pickup services and delivery to their shoppers (some on their own, others via Instacart or other partners). The list includes Kroger, HEB, Publix and more.