Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1) The grocery store is free to set policies as to whether they allow Instacart shoppers, etc. The grocery store is free to say, "We only offer curbside pickup to shoppers who meet these criteria." So feel free to take that up with the grocery stores in your area.

2) Do you actually, directly, personally know anyone who has not been able to get supplies?

er

NP - Yes, my elderly high-risk mother who lives in the midwest. I tried for an entire week to wake up early every day to get either a delivery slot or a pick-up slot at the grocery stores in her town. Finally I had to start ordering food on Harry & David. Eventually found a meal service that delivers meals for "picky children" that had vegetables, etc. and started sending her 8 meals a week.

You could have hired someone to shop for her, or found a volunteer.

Anonymous wrote:1) The grocery store is free to set policies as to whether they allow Instacart shoppers, etc. The grocery store is free to say, "We only offer curbside pickup to shoppers who meet these criteria." So feel free to take that up with the grocery stores in your area.

2) Do you actually, directly, personally know anyone who has not been able to get supplies?

er

NP - Yes, my elderly high-risk mother who lives in the midwest. I tried for an entire week to wake up early every day to get either a delivery slot or a pick-up slot at the grocery stores in her town. Finally I had to start ordering food on Harry & David. Eventually found a meal service that delivers meals for "picky children" that had vegetables, etc. and started sending her 8 meals a week.

Anonymous wrote:DH was using Amazon Prime for delivery from Whole Foods before pandemic on occasions. I am not a huge fan of it except for the convenience of not going to the grocery strore sometimes.

I prefer going to the store myself so that I can browse the produce, fruits, bakery and meat sections. Sometimes my menu for the week comes together looking at what is fresh, local, cheap and in season. Also, I can use my reusable grocery bags. When Amazon delivers it has so much packaging that recycling that becomes a headache for me.

If people are ordering online it is ok, because they are protecting themselves and protecting others. Besides, they are paying for the pleasure of home delivery and someone is getting employed because of that. Usually, when I shop for myself I also shop for several families in the neighborhood gratis and that way they can stay at home, be safe, not spread disease and not spend extra time or money on grocery delivery.

Also, I want to get out of the house when I can.

Omg yes, especially with those new cooler bag things they've been using. It's so much..

My understanding is that ordering reduces the number of people that the store workers and other customers have to face.

DH was using Amazon Prime for delivery from Whole Foods before pandemic on occasions. I am not a huge fan of it except for the convenience of not going to the grocery strore sometimes.

I prefer going to the store myself so that I can browse the produce, fruits, bakery and meat sections. Sometimes my menu for the week comes together looking at what is fresh, local, cheap and in season. Also, I can use my reusable grocery bags. When Amazon delivers it has so much packaging that recycling that becomes a headache for me.

If people are ordering online it is ok, because they are protecting themselves and protecting others. Besides, they are paying for the pleasure of home delivery and someone is getting employed because of that. Usually, when I shop for myself I also shop for several families in the neighborhood gratis and that way they can stay at home, be safe, not spread disease and not spend extra time or money on grocery delivery.

Also, I want to get out of the house when I can.

We've been using instacart since the pandemic. I've noticed some stores charge higher prices than others. We just paced in an order and it was $266 for 3 of us with all the fees. We did have some meat on there and some gluten free, but I think we are going to start going back to the store or see if anyplace is doing there own pick up to save money.

My mom was ordering from instacart and just stopped because the prices were so high and she is now going out by herself. It's hard to use instacart if you have strict budget and order weird stuff like my mom. I even offered to pay part of the cost to offset, but she wanted to get out of the house

I used Instacart for the first month or so of stay at home. We have only been shopping every 2 weeks to minimize risk, but 2 weeks x all meals x 4 people is a ton of food and the markup plus huge tips we were giving shoppers made it too expensive. I also started to feel guilty about putting someone else at risk when I wasn't willing to do it myself, so I started shopping for us every 2 weeks in April. Still super expensive for all this food, but it's easier to get what I want and I'm able to free up that extra money for supporting small local businesses (plants, masks, art, etc.) and donations to swing Senate elections.

I've said all along that fewer people in the stores is better for everyone - including the people who are making deliveries and the grocery store workers. They know what they're doing by now, they're probably efficient, they're all probably concerned and taking precautions. And then there's the family of four I saw this weekend that stood at the end of an aisle for a minute while looking around and checking their list and blocking traffic in all directions because there wasn't 6' of space to get past them. Other people started to get annoyed and shouldered past them within touching distance.

Not ordering groceries won't save the store workers and delivery people. Only safety precautions dictated and provided by the store management and the government can help them.

No one is forcing the grocery stories to offer delivery. No one is forcing someone to take a job delivering groceries. And if they do take said job out of desperation, don't you think they want to the orders and tip money to come in?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, where I live the Whole Foods delivery slots are plentiful. I put together an order two days and there were slots available starting 3 hours out from when I looked and available for the rest of the day and the next. My shopper started on my order immediately.

I hardly think I took some elderly person’s slot...so you people can lay off with your guilt trip.

Errrr no one guilt tripping anyone, all saying the same "you do you, boo!"

Sure

“Don’t you think it’s somewhat hypocritical?
Is my life more precious because I can afford instacart and someone less fortunate has to expose themselves? “

“In an ideal world, yes, we would leave the online ordering for those who are most vulnerable to COVID. Or at least give them first dibs at delivery/pickup slots. I’m able to go to the store, so I do.”

“I haven’t used delivery because I am well and would like to keep a slot for someone who can’t go to the store. “

“We haven’t used delivery because we want to keep the slots for those who can’t go. I know there are slots now, but if everyone used them, there would be vulnerable people who couldn’t use them.”

Anonymous wrote:So, where I live the Whole Foods delivery slots are plentiful. I put together an order two days and there were slots available starting 3 hours out from when I looked and available for the rest of the day and the next. My shopper started on my order immediately.

I hardly think I took some elderly person’s slot...so you people can lay off with your guilt trip.

Errrr no one guilt tripping anyone, all saying the same "you do you, boo!"

Anonymous wrote:Don’t you think it’s somewhat hypocritical?
Is my life more precious because I can afford instacart and someone less fortunate has to expose themselves?

On the other hand they'd be unemployed if you didn't hire them so what you gonna do? Like all the immigrants (most illegal) who work in restaurants, nursing homes, nannies, building sites, and other jobs in the DMV, leave a big tip and say a very big THNAK YOU!

Get over it - all of you self righteous people

I am a prefectly healthy, able bodied ICU nurse caring for COVID patients...would you prefer I go in to the stores 1-2x a week, or do grocery delivery?

OP—mind your own business. I’ve used Amazon Fresh on and off for the better part of a year and continue to use it now. With so many people out of work, these shoppers are happy to have jobs. These days, my tips are much more generous than before!