Several years ago I tried doing grocery store pickup at some of my local stores. It didn’t go well. I felt like they always messed up my order. The store was always great at giving me refunds and future discounts when they made a mistake, but it kind of soured me on the whole idea.

Recently, though, I have fallen in love with grocery store pickup again. I think some of the stores have made improvements, and maybe in some cases I just hit them on bad days several years ago. In any case, this is something I’ve been doing at least weekly, and I’ve been trying different stores in my area.

6 Grocery Store Pickup Options

Before I get into the top 6 grocery store pickup options, I want to share just a few of the reasons I love grocery pickup. First of all, it saves time in the store. You don’t have to wander the aisles looking for things. This is especially helpful if you have young kids and their contentment tends to wear out the longer you’re in the store.

I also love being able to make my list on my phone or computer. There’s no pressure, I can check my pantry and see if I have something, and I can also browse the store’s ad to see if there are any deals. It also keeps a running total of how much I’m spending, which helps me stay on budget!

Finally, I can plan my pickup around other errands. Recently we had a doctor’s appointment 30 minutes away, and I was able to schedule the pickup on our way home, which saved an additional trip.

Note: Most stores will offer substitutions if they are out of items, which you can accept or refuse. Some stores will substitute the item for the same price as what you ordered – so if the substitute is more expensive, you won’t pay anything extra. Other stores will charge you for the price of whatever is substituted. You can always refuse the item at pickup if you don’t want it!

Kroger Pickup  is FREE for orders over $35 ($4.95 if you don’t meet that minimum). One of the best things about Kroger Pickup is that you can use digital coupons and earn fuel points on your order. Additionally, there is no markup on the costs of items. What you pay in store is the same as what you pay for pickup.

Publix grocery store pickup is done through Instacart, so you’ll need to download that app. The cost to do grocery store pickup at Publix is free, regardless of how much or how little you order! However, note that there is a markup on the price of items compared to in the store. Also, remember that if you’re ordering from the deli, you can pick up for free through the Publix app.

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