Florida’s supermarket wars are heating up as grocery delivery and curbside pickup are taking over traditional shopping methods.
On Wednesday, Whole Foods Market officially launched curbside pickup for groceries at stores across Florida, including the West Palm Beach area.
Target and Walmart offer the same services but how do they all stack up? And for those new to the service, how does it even work?
WHOLE FOODS
Whole Foods partnered with Amazon Prime for delivery and curbside pick up. Keep in mind, you do have to have a prime membership of $119 per year (or a monthly fee of $12.99) to use it.
Shoppers can set up curbside delivery from the Prime app or website used to order delivery. Whole Foods does require a $1.99 pick up fee but you can pick from a list of times on the same day or the next few days.
Orders are usually prepared as soon as an hour but if you're in a hurry, you can pay $4.99 to have the order completed in 30 minutes or less.
As you shop, make sure you click the correct preference - delivery or pick-up. There is a $35 minimum.
Whole Foods sends a text message and an email when your order is ready. In our case, we paid the rush fee and had our order ready in just 10 minutes.
In the text message, click the link to let them know you are on your way. Once you arrive, park in the designated parking spots (there are usually two). In the app, pick which parking spot you are in and click the button to say you have arrived.
Within two minutes, a worker will walk out to the spot with your groceries and load them into the car for you free of charge.
Click here for more information about Prime pick-up at Whole Foods.
TARGET
For Target, you have to order through the store app in order to use the curbside or delivery service, so having a smartphone is a must. You cannot order through the website.
Target also limits you to non-perishable items, so you cannot order frozen or refrigerated items like milk, eggs or juice. Bread, although on the shelf, and similar items are also not available for pick-up. You will have to shop through the app and wait for the button at the bottom to tell you the order status of that item.
Target pick up is free. Our order was ready in just 30 minutes.
Just like Whole Foods, you check in on the app and wait a few minutes for the employee to bring your groceries to your car. A signature is required to complete the transaction.
Click here for more information about Target curbside pick-up.
WALMART
Walmart pick-up service is free but you have to plan in advance. Pick-up times must be reserved in advance. When we ordered, we had no option for same day pick up, which means you will have to plan ahead.
There is a $30 minimum for orders.
If you're feeling too tired drive to the store, there's an app for that! You can choose between Shipt and Instacart -- both partner with stores like Target, Publix and Costco to deliver groceries straight to your door.
The annual fee for InstaCart Express is $149. Without a contract, the fee is $14.99 per month. There’s no delivery fee with the membership.
Shipt charges $99 for a year-long member ship, or $8.25 a month. Without a yearly contract, it’s $14 a month.
Overall takeaways:
TARGET:
Free
Quick (pick your times)
Can have order ready within 1 hour
Limited to non-perishables (no frozen or refrigerated foods)WALMART:
Free
Not quick (limited same day options)
Limited stores
Can shop for perishables (more options)WHOLE FOODS:
Not free ($1.99 fee for time selection)
If you need in 30 mins, pay $4.99 fee
Open to perishable items
Must be a Prime member
Quick service
In total, 63 cities have Amazon and Whole Foods’ grocery delivery options and 14 have curbside pickup. Amazon purchased Whole Foods last year for more than $13 billion.