# INSTACART QUESTION. - pls advise **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 3, 2026, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instacart-question-pls-advise/1031389 "2026-07-03T18:40:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instacart-question-pls-advise/1031389/1 "2026-07-03T18:40:47Z")
I hope this is the right forum, if not pls move it. I am fairly new to instacart, ordered a few times with no problem. I placed an order this morning, it’s over 2 hrs. overdue. I understand things go wrong, supposedly the shopper was on their way, but there is no response and no response fm instacart on the phone except ‘wait’ and can’t cancel since my order is supposedly en route. The thing is, I have an appointment, I will have to go out soon for a short time, what am I supposed to do? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instacart-question-pls-advise/1031389/2 "2026-07-03T18:50:59Z")
Call them? **Customer service** 1 (888) 246-7822 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instacart-question-pls-advise/1031389/3 "2026-07-03T18:51:34Z")
> [@salinqmind1](#): > > I hope this is the right forum, if not pls move it. Moving to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instacart-question-pls-advise/1031389/4 "2026-07-03T19:30:04Z")
They showed up just as I was getting in my car to leave. I think they were swamped (4th of July weekend) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instacart-question-pls-advise/1031389/5 "2026-07-03T19:30:50Z")
all is good now, they showed up at last. (no answer to phone, btw) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instacart-question-pls-advise/1031389/6 "2026-07-03T20:41:23Z")
My wife used Instacart for the first, and only, time recently to get grocs through Publix. Yesterday, she got a text from the credit union that Instacart tried to charge $99 to her card. She had to go get a new card and Instacart can eat rocks. Publix manager wasn’t too thrilled about it, either. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instacart-question-pls-advise/1031389/7 "2026-07-03T20:51:43Z")
Did she, perhaps accidentally, check the box for the Instacart+ annual membership? Because, Googling, that is exactly what that costs. And why not order groceries directly through Publix? ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2026, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instacart-question-pls-advise/1031389/8 "2026-07-03T23:53:02Z")
FWIW, I’ve used Instacart for years with no problem. Their prices are often higher than in-store, plus there’s the delivery fee, but sometimes the convenience outweighs the cost (for me). I used to order delivery directly from Safeway and Giant, but the “out of stock” options tended to suck: Instacart lets me provide very clear instructions about what to do if anything on my list isn’t available. They also often provide more delivery time options. Maybe the direct-from-store delivery services have improved, but I don’t mind using Instacart from time to time. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Did she, perhaps accidentally, check the box for the Instacart+ annual membership? That was my thought, as well. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2026, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/instacart-question-pls-advise/1031389/9 "2026-07-04T01:56:22Z")
OK, the story I got was she ordered grocs from the Publix website and there was a box she checked asking for delivery. Apparently, Publix handles the delivery part by contacting Instacart. If she had seen anything about a $99 yearly membership fee she would have canceled the order. And probably sent me to get the goods.