Coronavirus: Grocery Shopping Apps to Help Americans Shop Amid Pandemic Concerns

Daniel S. Levine

03/20/2020 09:20 am EDT

Getting groceries has not been easy during the coronavirus pandemic as millions of Americans try to stay home as much as possible. Thanks to a handful of apps out there though, it is a little easier to stay quarantined while still feeding your families. Major retailers like Walmart and Target provide delivery, as does Amazon's Whole Goods Market.

Earlier this week, the White House issued guidelines for the next 15 days, which the government hopes will slow the spread of coronavirus that causes the illness COVID-19. The guidelines include staying home if you are feeling ill and keeping children who are sick home. If anyone has tested positive for coronavirus at your home, the whole family should stay home. Older people and those with underlying health conditions have also been asked to stay home, as they are among the most vulnerable.

In addition, many retailers and supermarkets are changing their hours, which might be inconvenient for some. Stores like Aldi's, Kroger, Publix and Walmart have changed hours to give employees more time to restock their shelves and keep the stores clean. Other stores have begun "seniors only" hours so elderly people can shop without the fear of contracting the coronavirus from young people.

With that in mind, where is a look at some of the food ordering services available. Note that many of these services are experiencing delays with so many people staying home.

Instacart

Instacart charges a $3.99 delivery fee, $2 "service" fee and recommends at least $2 to tip the driver. Instacart told USA Today there is a chance deliveries might be slower than expected due to increased demand.

"Based on the current surge in demand, customers can expect to see delivery availability vary across stores during the busiest request windows," the company said. "Delivery windows are specific to individual store volume and shopper availability. As availability opens up for an individual store, customers will see these delivery windows become available on the Instacart marketplace."

Amazon

(Photo: Monika Skolimowska/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Amazon has two grocery delivery programs: Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods. Like many other services, the increased demand has made resulted in delays. Some even complained about being unable to complete an order since they could not schedule drop-off times last weekend. However, Amazon is now prioritizing household products and medical supplies over nonessential products. Amazon Fresh is not available in all markets.

Peapod

Peapod is a delivery service run by Stop & Shop, a chain located in the Northeast. It costs $9.95 for delivery, but that drops to $6.95 if you select a bigger time window. The service also had the option of curbside pick-up at stores for $2.95 per order, but that is suspended at the moment, reports CNNMoney. Peapod will accept orders as far out as two weeks from the day you put in the order.

Walmart Online Grocery Delivery

(Photo: Joe Raedle, Getty)

Walmart Online Grocery Delivery is available in 200 metro areas. The retail giant launched a $12.95 a month or $98 per year "Delivery Unlimited" service last year. Delivery for individual orders is $9.95 per order. You can also order groceries online to be picked up at Walmart stores.

Target

(Photo: Shutterstock)

Target has a $35 minimum purchase and the delivery fee is $9.99. Target also has a same-day delivery service called "Shipt," which costs $99 per year. You can sign up for a four-week free trial.

FreshDirect

(Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

FreshDirect allows you to schedule orders for up to one week ahead. Thankfully, the service will warn customers very early on if delivery is available. You just have to enter your zip code on the top right of the homepage and the site instantly tells you if they will deliver to your area.

Photo credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

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