Food delivery apps have gained popularity over the last few years.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people became reliant on apps like Postmates, Door Dash, and Uber Eats to safely deliver food to their doors.
Postmates, sometimes called Postmates Fresh, is an on-demand delivery service that allows users to order items from their phone (or computer) and have the order delivered directly to them.
The startup began in San Francisco in 2011.
Uber acquired it in 2021 for a little over $2 billion.
However, they plan to continue operating under the original name.
The pandemic transformed many landscapes, among them was the food delivery industry skyrocketing.
As part of that transformation, the Postmates grocery delivery services exploded in growth.
Here’s everything you need to know about how the service works.
- What Kinds of Deliveries Does Postmates Make?
- Does Postmates Offer Grocery Delivery?
- Where Does Postmates Offer Grocery Delivery?
- How Does Postmates Grocery Delivery Work?
- How Much Does Postmates Grocery Deliveries Cost?
- Other Places Postmates Delivers From
- Instacart vs Postmates: Grocery Delivery Compared
- Wrapping Up
What Kinds of Deliveries Does Postmates Make?
Unlike many other delivery services, Postmates does not just focus on food.
Through their app, which is available on Android and iOS, you can order anything from restaurant meals, fast food, electronics, clothing, prescriptions, alcohol, and more.
They will not deliver gift cards, live animals, guns, explosives, controlled or illegal substances under any circumstances.
With Postmates, you can schedule your deliveries ahead of time or opt to have the items delivered right away.
They even allow you to choose how you want the order delivered.
The courier can meet you outside your home or workplace, bring the order directly to you, or leave the order at your door for a no-contact delivery.
The no-contact option gained popularity during the pandemic.
Does Postmates Offer Grocery Delivery?
The beauty of an app like Postmates is that you can order almost anything through their service.
That includes groceries.
Grocery shopping can be a time-consuming task.
Not everyone has the time, or the ability, to get to the grocery store to shop.
Postmates is an excellent option for those of us who lead busy lives or are simply unable to leave their home due to injury or illness.
Delivery apps like Postmates were a life save for many when stuck in isolation or following quarantine protocol.
You can purchase groceries through the Postmates website or app or directly from partnering stores in your area.
Where Does Postmates Offer Grocery Delivery?
Postmates currently offers delivery services in all 50 US states.
While the service concentrates in major metropolitan areas like New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Chicago, it is also available in smaller markets.
To see if Postmates offers delivery from your local grocery stores, you will need to check the app.
How Does Postmates Grocery Delivery Work?
Placing a grocery delivery order with Postmates is similar to any other Postmates order.
Log into your Postmates Account
You will begin by logging into your Postmates account.
You can do this on your mobile device via the app or on your laptop or desktop via the website.
Enter the delivery address
Once you do this, all of the available options will appear.
You can narrow it down to show only grocery stores by filtering the options.
If you are just browsing, you can skip step 1 and simply enter your address to see what is available near you.
Create your order
Now that you’ve selected where you are ordering from, you can click into the store.
Choose from the listed items and add any you want to your cart.
If there is an item you want that you do not see, you can add a custom item.
You will need to be very clear in your description of the custom item.
Checkout
Once you’ve filled your cart and are satisfied with your order, you can begin the checkout process.
How Much Does Postmates Grocery Deliveries Cost?
The fees attached to your Postmates order will vary from city to city and store to store.
It will also depend on whether you ordered through the Postmates platform or the grocery store’s website or app.
Postmates charges customers a delivery fee and a service fee on every order placed through their app.
Additional fees may apply to your order if it is too small, canceled, or ordered during a busy period.
Delivery fees
The delivery fee will vary with each order.
The store you purchase from and the city you reside in will factor into the fee calculation.
Delivery fees are typically from $.99 to $3.99 for Partner Merchants.
Postmates identifies Partner Merchants in the app with a green checkmark.
Delivery fees from non-Partner Merchants range from $5.99 to $9.99.
During surge pricing periods, referred to as “Blitz” pricing, you may see higher delivery prices.
“Blitz” pricing is a variable multiplier added during peak hours.
The delivery fee will not be a mystery you uncover once you reach checkout.
You can find the delivery fee for each merchant listed under their name in the app.
Service fee
In addition to the delivery fee, Postmates also charges a service fee on each order.
The service fee is a variable percentage but is typically anywhere from 9% to 15% of the total.
Since the service fee is a variable fee, it won’t show before checkout.
However, you can view the service fee for your order on the checkout page with the “Tax & Fees.”
If you click the small “i,” you can see a fee breakdown that includes the total tax and the service fee as well as a total for both.
Additional fees
Some orders may carry some additional fees based on the size of the order, the time of the order, and whether or not someone canceled the order.
Small cart fee
Postmates does have a minimum order value of $12 ($10 in Los Angeles).
Though they will still deliver your order if the total does not meet the minimum, they also add an additional fee of $1.99.
Cancellation fee
The cancellation fee only applies to already placed orders.
If you have not yet completed your order, there is no charge to cancel.
However, if the Postmates courier, AKA delivery person, has already picked up your order when you cancel it, then you will need to pay the order in full (food cost, delivery fee, and service fee).
Cancellation fees will vary.
“Blitz” pricing
As we mentioned above, there may be a surge in pricing during peak hours.
These hours and fees will vary by city but will always be a variable multiplier.
Postmates Unlimited
Postmates offers a premium membership option for those who regularly use their services.
Postmates Unlimited provides free delivery on all orders over $15, no small order fee, and no “Blitz” pricing.
In addition to the cost benefits, premium members can also access member-specific promotions.
Postmates Unlimited costs $9.99 per month.
Learn More: Postmates Fees, Pricing, and Ways to Save
Other Places Postmates Delivers From
Many merchants are available through Postmates; below, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions.
Does Postmates Deliver From Convenience Stores?
Yes.
Postmates will deliver from stores like Walgreens and CVS.
There is a Convenience option on the results page.
They will also deliver from pharmacies.
Does Postmates Shop at Walmart?
Yes.
Walmart and Postmates partnered in 2018 to help Walmart expand its Online Grocery Delivery options.
The Online Grocery Delivery option is not offered at every Walmart, but it is offered at over 1,000 stores nationwide.
The largest concentration of stores is currently in North Carolina.
Walmart customers can order through the Walmart app, or you can order through the Postmates app or website.
Walmart’s personal shoppers pick all Walmart orders.
In addition, the Walmart has also rolled out another option called Spark Delivery.
Spark drivers pick up groceries and orders from local stores and deliver them to customers, adding yet another product channel to their existing delivery options.
Is Trader Joe’s on Postmates?
No.
Trader Joe’s does not currently offer delivery through any apps.
Unlike many other grocery stores, Trader Joe’s has not built out an online grocery shopping platform preferring to focus their time and money on their employees.
Instacart vs Postmates: Grocery Delivery Compared
Instacart is another popular grocery delivery app available nationwide.
We break down the most significant similarities and differences so you can make an educated choice on which app to use.
Similarities Between Instacart and Postmates
- Both Instacart and Postmates offer a premium membership (Postmates Unlimited and Instacart Express) which allows for free delivery with a certain minimum amount.
- Both have a minimum order value for delivery
- Food costs for both apps can be higher than in-store prices
Differences Between Instacart and Postmates
- Instacart focuses only on grocery delivery, while Postmates offers delivery from a variety of stores.
- Instacart has a larger minimum order value ($35). The minimum order value for Postmates is only $12.
- Instacart has a flat delivery fee of 3.99 for same-day deliveries. Postmates delivery fee depends on location and store.
- Instacart isin more areas with same-day delivery for more than 20k stores in over 5k cities.
Postmates vs Instacart: Costs
Postmates costs are above in this article.
You will need to pay a delivery fee and service fee on every order.
These fees are dependent on several variables.
Delivery fees are set and range from $.99 to $9.99 per order.
Instacart has a set delivery fee of $3.99 for same-day orders.
However, the costs for one-hour deliveries, deliveries made from club stores (like Costco), and deliveries under the $35 minimum will vary.
Wrapping Up
Postmates is a popular on-demand grocery delivery app.
This delivery service is available across the United States and provides a simple solution to those who don’t have the time or ability to make it to the grocery store.
