Nothing is worse than—elbows-deep in a recipe—you realize you're missing a key ingredient. Or, when the Sunday scaries hit, and the last thing you want to do is trudge to the grocery store to stock up on essentials for the week. Instacart to the rescue! Whenever you don't have the time or energy to head to the store, grocery delivery services can answer your prayers. And while it might simply save you an hour or so, there's a lot more that goes into shopping than you might imagine. It pays to think about just how time-consuming and difficult it can be for those workers who are doing the shopping for you. Next time you decide to click on that 'place order' button, here are some items you might want to think twice about ordering to make your shopper's life a bit easier.
A Lot Of Drinks
I'm guilty of saving my seltzer water orders for delivery so that I don't have to lug a case through the streets of New York City myself. But no one else wants to take on that task, either. On a Reddit thread discussing orders that Instacart shoppers tend to avoid, a lot of workers chimed in with something along the lines of "orders with obscene amounts of drinks." They are heavy and hard to carry. "Anything with multiple packs of water is a no from me, even one pack is questionable," wrote one shopper. If you have to order drinks, try to limit them and break them up over multiple orders to avoid overwhelming your shopper.
Publix Rotisserie Chicken
It's specific, but it's on the list for a reason. As one shopper notes, "Half the time, they are out, and customers expect you to stand around and wait for one." This can lead to either the customer becoming annoyed at not receiving part of their order or a long delay for both the shopper and the customer, preventing shoppers from getting more deliveries under their belt.
Anything From Dollar Tree
Another mutual dislike? Any order that brings shoppers to these two stores. "Dollar Tree orders are A**. Never again," commented one shopper. Another added their two cents: "Dollar tree orders. 99% of the time, it’s just junk that’s out of stock." This seemed to be a common theme throughout the Reddit thread.
Frozen Foods
Ordering frozen foods increases your chances of being disappointed by your order. You never know how many orders workers are shopping for at once, and it could be some time before you receive your items. If things could melt or spoil, it won't be pretty. Same goes for cold items, especially if the store you're ordering from is a long distance away.
Produce
Many Instacart shoppers noted that shopping for produce takes the longest amount of time when compared to other items in your cart. "I act like I'm shopping for myself, so I don't pick anything I wouldn't eat," noted one shopper. "I took 20 minutes the other day picking strawberries because most of them were bad," wrote another. Much of it comes down to what produce is available in your store of choice. Shoppers noted that there's not always good quality produce available, especially when you place your order in the evening. "Earlier orders in the day will have better selection. I would also learn which day of the week the stores you pick get their shipments in and do my produce orders on those days," recommends one shopper.
Deli Orders
Another common complaint among Instacart shoppers is any order from the deli section of the grocery store. "Shoprite deli is the absolute worst! There will be 4/5 workers back there taking their own sweet time and giggling away while the line gets longer by the minute. I’ve placed express orders, finished a one-hour shop, and they STILL hadn’t completed my order," wrote one worker in a Reddit forum. Others shared the same sentiment regarding deli items...some in less PC words: "Seriously - f*** the deli."
Another word to the wise: While it's great to avoid ordering these items in bulk when you can, there are other things to remember when curating your cart. Always make sure to tip your shoppers for their hard work. A common refrain among shoppers is "no tip, no trip," so unless they know you're tipping, they might not accept your order. Also, keep in mind where you're ordering from. In major cities where parking is limited, shoppers might not be able to easily get to your building. Similarly, if you live in a walk-up, definitely make sure you're tipping extra for the schlep.
