Bit of a bumpdate:
Grocery pickup slots have been MUCH easier to come by lately - as in, getting one 1 week out has been a nonproblem (lots of slots sold out, but as long as I could be flexible as to which hour-long slot I took, I could get one).
Delivery, ditto.
Is anyone else seeing the improved trend?
I haven’t been in a grocery store in person in just over 2 months now, so maybe more people are braving it themselves.
It’s easier to get slots, and Instacart seems to be sorting out problems they were having with a particular store. Walmart’s annoying me. I mark my orders with them “no substitutions”, since they can never seem to do a reasonable one (order sugar-free pudding mix, get unflavored gelatin?), and I STILL get items substituted on me.
Definitely - I have now done a couple of pickups from a local grocery, one from Mariano’s (a local chain), a couple of deliveries via Mercato from a couple of different local groceries, and my first-ever Instacart order. Had no problem scheduling deliveries same-day or next-day for any of them. Tonight I am trying my first-ever delivery from a service that seems to have been set up by a few of the local businesses on Devon Avenue (the South Asian neighborhood in Chicago - not too far from us). Big plus: no delivery charge with a $30 order. (Myvalue365.com, for Chicago folks. Hadn’t heard of them until I saw a spreadsheet of grocery options on a neighborhood mutual aid organization Facebook page.)
I’d definitely do curbside pickup from more local and ethnic groceries if more of them offered the service - I am thinking of calling the local large-ish Middle Eastern grocery to see if I can do something with them on an ad hoc basis because they have so many things that more mainstream groceries don’t carry. I miss my fresh, warm pita!
As far as the reasons for better availability? I think it’s a combination of things: people have now stocked up, delivery services have staffed up, and people have gotten used to ordering larger quantities at a time so they don’t need to shop every few days.
However, I do miss grocery shopping myself - I like to be able to pick produce based on what looks good, etc. And I have yet to get a grocery order with no missing items or substitutions.
I have registered with imperfect.com. I wouldn’t depend on Imperfect for my everyday food needs, but it’s great to broaden your horizons, maybe try something new, or to give yourself a little treat. It’s not a money saver, either.
But I LIKE it.
Ordering opens on Monday for Friday’s box. I pick out the things that I need, or stuff that I want to try.
Then I promptly forget about it.
When the box comes on Friday, it’s almost like Christmas!
This damned virus has bent everything out of shape. We don’t know when we’ll find toilet paper, some places don’t have milk or eggs, and meat is practically rationed. The Imperfect box is a bright moment. We need all the bright moments we can get.
~VOW