As more people stay home because ofthe coronavirus, shoppers are turning to curbside pickup or home delivery services for groceries and other necessities rather than venture inside supermarkets.
Several options areavailable at metro Detroit stores, includingAldi, BJ’s Wholesale, Busch's Fresh Market, Costco, Kroger, Meijer, Plum Market, Sam’s Club and Target.
Most of these chains and independents have online options to shop and pick up at the store. Some use Instacart and Shipt or other third party servicesthat will ship to your home.Whole Foods Market offers both delivery and pickup for Amazon Prime members.
However, be prepared to wait as high demand has taxed the online services and same-day delivery servicemay not be available.
Tom Violante of Holiday Market in Royal Oak said the number of customers using the service has been growing every week, but lately he has seen an increased demand.
"It's frustrating and harder now because it has increased," Violante said. "But we will catch up with our supply."
And soon, Violante said, customers can expect delivery through Instacart.
Several shopping services require you to choose a time for grocery pickupor delivery. Those times slots are filling up fast.In trying to a place an online Kroger order at 6 p.m. Monday, the first available time and date for pickup was 10 a.m. Wednesday. At Walmart, no times were available.
Keep in mind not all products are available. For example, stores need special licenses issued through the Michigan Liquor Control Commission in order to sellbeer, wine and liquor to be delivered to your doorstep.
In a conference call with media on Monday, Kroger spokeswoman Rachel Hurst said the grocer isworking with suppliers all hours of the day to obtainessential items such as hand sanitizer to make sure they are getting what they can in a timely manner.
"While our Michigan stores remain open, our Kroger associates are working to ensure our pickup, delivery and ship services are operational and available to customers," Hurst said. "We want to alert customers that they may experience longer lead times, delayed deliveries and limited inventory based on local conditions."
Products in greatest demand includedbottled water,hand soap and sanitizer, paper goods and cleaning products, boxed diners and soups, she said.
“Although products are limited, we are still working with our suppliers, to provide the products that our customer’s need and want,” Hurst said. “With bread, meat, wipes, sanitizers and soaps we are working tirelessly and around the clock with suppliers.”
In the case of bars and restaurants, whichwere ordered closed to dine-in customers as of 3 p.m. Monday until March 30, delivery options are available to those who hold special beer, wine and liquor licenses.
Retailers that hold a Specially Designated Merchant licenses may deliver beer and wine to customers at their homes. Retailers withSpecially Designated Distributor licenses may deliver spirits and mixed spirit drink products to customers at their homes.Brewpub and Micro Brewer licenses can deliver beer they maketo customers at homes or designated locations.
Here are some online shopping options:
Instacart
How it works: Sign up at instacart.com(or through the store youshop at) andenter your ZIP code or address, and choose a store. Start shopping, adding to your cart.
Stores: Plum Market (offered only at both Ann Arbor stores, Bloomfield, West Bloomfield and Old Town Chicago stores), Aldi, Meijer, Kroger, Gordon Food Service and Target.
Costs: Delivery is based on the distance from the store you shop to your delivery address. There’s a service fee and you can add a driver tip. Special offers, include free delivery if you spend $35 or more on the first three orders.
Shipt
How it works: You select a plan. Options are $99 billing annually, which works out to $8.25 a month. A monthly plan is $14 and billed monthly.
Stores: Meijer and Target and several other stores like CVS and Petco.But it’s based on stores closest to your ZIP code.
Cost: Free delivery on orders over $35 according to its website.
Busch’s Fresh Food Market
What: Busch’s MyWay loyalty program has a pickup service available at all 16 of its metro Detroit stores.
How it works: Create an online MyWay account at buschs.com. Choose and load items into your online cart, add a credit card for payment and check out. The time frame, according to the website, is 24 hours.
What’s available: All grocery, dry goods, condiments, dairy and frozen items.
Cost: A $6.95 service charge is added to your order.
Gordon Food Service
What: Pick up service atavailable at all Gordon storesand delivery using Instacart.
How it works: Go to gfsstore.comand create an account. Start adding items to your cart and schedule your time for pick up. If an item is not available, you will receive an email notification. Pay at stores.
What’s available: Most all grocery items, produce, fresh meats, seafood, dairy, and paper products. The same in-store prices and promotions are available when ordering online.
Cost: Pick up is free.Delivery through Instacart is $9.95.
Holiday Market, Royal Oak
How it works: Create an account at clickholidaymarket.com. Start filling your online cart.Choose a time slot or the store will give you a time slot to pickup, then pay and check out. You willbe given a designated parking spot for a worker to bring out your groceries.
What’s available: Grocery, fresh produce, items from meat, seafood, bakery counters. You can also order items like Holiday Market’s rotisserie chicken and some of its prepared foods.
Cost: $5 pickup charge.
Kroger
What: Pickup service available at 93 stores in Michigan. Instacart delivery is also available.
How it works:Go to kroger.com create an online account if you don't already have one. Start shopping. Choose a time for pickup and pay online. Store associates do the shopping from your lists. The items ordered are packaged. There's a designated drive-up area where you call and an associate brings your items to the pickup area. A service called Ship is also available for home delivery.
What’s available: Most all grocery items, fresh meats, seafood, dairy and paper products. You can use your Kroger Loyalty card and digital coupons.
Cost: The first three pickup orders are free and then $4.95 each.Delivery through Instacart is $9.95.
Meijer
What: Pickup service at stores through meijer.com anddelivery using Shipt.
How it works:Create an online account and start shopping. Load items into your online cart, add a credit card for payment and check out. If a product is not available, the associate doing the shopping will contact you to let you know. There's a designated drive-up area for pickup.
What’s available: Most grocery items, fresh meats, seafood, dairy and paper products. You can use mPerks and clip digital coupons. Sale promotions are also available, such as 10 for $10 or Buy 5, Save $5 promotions.
Cost:$9.95 per order for delivery through Shipt; $4.95 for pickup orders.
Contact food writer Susan Selasky: 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Instagram.
