How to Skip the Grocery Store Aisles (and Hefty Delivery Fees)

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on The Penny Hoarder.

After a long day, navigating crowded grocery aisles isn’t always appealing. Delivery is convenient, but fees and tips can add up quickly.

Grocery pickup offers a middle ground: you order online and pick up curbside — often for free if you meet a minimum order requirement.

For many households, grocery pickup can reduce impulse spending, help you avoid the cost of delivery and help you track your total in real time. But minimums, service fees, substitution policies and pricing differences vary by store. Here’s what to know before you assume it will automatically save you money.

What Is Grocery Pickup?

When you elect to do grocery pickup, you shop for your items online and get your groceries at the store without ever having to go inside.

Typically, you place an order through a grocery store’s website or mobile app, choose a pickup time and park in a curbside space designated for pickup orders. An employee will bring your items out right to your car.

Because you’re not getting your groceries delivered straight to your door, you’ll save money in at least one way — you probably won’t have to leave a tip.

How Grocery Pickup Works (Step-by-Step)

Processes may differ by store, but generally, it looks a little like this.

Create an account with your store’s app or website.
Add items to your cart as you would when shopping online.
Choose a pickup window that fits your schedule and the location of your preferred store.
Set substitution preferences for out-of-stock items or opt out of substitutions altogether.

Check in upon arrival, and an employee will load your groceries into your car. Stores often have designated parking spaces for pickup. You may have to enter your spot number and the color of your vehicle in the app or call a phone number once you arrive.

Is Grocery Pickup Free?

One of the perks of using grocery pickup in lieu of grocery delivery is you may not have to pay for the service. Generally, if you meet a minimum requirement, your grocery pickup is included in the cost of your order.

Many national chains require you to spend at least $35 to qualify for free grocery pickup. You’ll likely have to pay a small fee if you want to pick up groceries for under that amount.

However, stores can change their policies and promotions, and they may vary by location. It’s a good idea to verify with your local store before you place your order.

Grocery Pickup Fee Comparison

Store
Pickup Fee
Minimum Order
EBT Accepted
Loyalty Discounts

Walmart
Free, fee if below minimum
$35
Yes, but varies by state and item
No

Target
Free
None
Yes in eligible categories
Yes

Kroger
Free; $4.95 if you spend less than $35
$35
Yes
Yes

Aldi
Includes small pickup fee
None
Yes
Limited

Grocery Pickup vs. Delivery: Which Is Cheaper?

In most cases, grocery pickup is cheaper than delivery. That’s primarily because you avoid paying delivery fees and a tip.

Pickup vs. Delivery Costs

Cost Factor
Grocery Pickup
Grocery Delivery

Service Fee
Often free
$5-10 generally

Minimum Order
About $35
About $35

Tip
Not required, though often recommended
10%–20% typical

Convenience
Drive to store
Delivered to door

A scenario of your possible savings

Say you spend $120 on your weekly grocery order with pickup as opposed to delivery. Depending on which retailer you go with and how you pay, that could come out to exactly $120 with no additional fees.

If you instead choose to go the delivery route, you may be spending as much as $9.95 on the delivery fee and $12-20 in tip. That’s an additional $22 to $30 a week. That could add up to more than $1,000 per year, if you opt to do grocery delivery every week for the entirety of a year.

Which Stores Offer Free Grocery Pickup?

As long as you meet a minimum order requirement (usually about $35) most major grocery chains offer some kind of free curbside grocery pickup. Again, if you’re looking for convenience delivered straight to your door, this may not be the right option for you.

However, if you just want to save yourself a walk through the grocery aisles without actually skipping the trip to the store, this may be the best option. Just remember they won’t bring your groceries directly to your kitchen.

Walmart Grocery Pickup

Walmart grocery pickup is free with any order over $35. If your order is under that amount, there will be a below order minimum fee, which Walmart’s website doesn’t specify.

No pickup fee when $35 minimum is met
EBT is accepted on EBT-eligible items, but these must be determined in advance by the buyer
Substitutions are allowed, but you can opt out
Because Walmart has a paid-for membership program called Walmart+, loyalty savings and digital coupons are harder to come by for non-paying members

Target Curbside Pickup

One of the unique benefits of Target’s curbside pickup is that it is completely free — no minimum order required. It may be one of the most flexible offers out there for those looking to just swing by the store and pick up groceries.

Free same-day drive-up pickup
Digital coupons through loyalty program
Substitutions are allowed, but you can choose to not take part in them. If you do choose substitutions, you’ll have to pay the higher of the two items

Kroger Pickup

Kroger pickup is generally free, but often costs about $4.95 if you don’t hit the minimum $35 order.

$35 minimum typical; $4.95 if you don’t reach that
Kroger has a relatively flexible substitution policy. You don’t have to accept substitutions, but if you do, you’ll be charged the lesser of the two
Kroger accepts digital coupons on pickup orders and has weekly digital deals and good loyalty discounts through their free membership program.

Aldi Curbside Pickup

Aldi curbside pickup runs the gamut. Your local Aldi may not have access to the program and you will be charged a small service fee, which the site does not quantify.

Small pickup fee is charged
Not all stores may offer the service
Online prices may be different than in-store prices

Publix Pickup

The popular Southeast grocery chain offers its curbside pickup through Instacart. You just place an order online, select your time to pick it up and park in a designated spot.

You’ll have to create an account
No minimum spend
Limits on coupons

If you’re curious about your various regional chains, check their respective websites for information on their grocery pickup policies and fees.

Can You Use Coupons, EBT or Loyalty Rewards?

You usually can use digital coupons, EBT and loyalty rewards with grocery pickup. How far that goes depends on the store and where you’re located.

Digital coupons can typically be clipped in the store’s app and apply automatically at checkout.
Loyalty rewards often stack with sale pricing.
SNAP/EBT is accepted by many major chains for eligible grocery items, depending on state participation.

If you use government benefits, review the store’s payment rules before placing an order to avoid issues.

Pros and Cons of Grocery Pickup

Grocery pickup offers convenience and potential savings, but it also has trade-offs.

Pros:

Often free with minimum purchase of at least $35
No tipping required
May reduce impulse buying
Saves time inside the store

Cons:

Minimum order requirements
You don’t see the food the shopper picks
Possible substitutions if you don’t opt out
Could be service fees
Prices may be slightly different online vs. in-store

Ways to Save More With Grocery Pickup

You can save more with grocery pickup by treating it as a budgeting tool instead of a convenience feature. You may want to do a few side-by-side comparisons. Try pickup one week and shopping in-store the next to see where the pros and cons are for your personal store. In any case, best practices include: