Curbside grocery pickup is a service that lets you shop online and pick up groceries with convenience. While the concept is not new, it became popular when COVID and social distancing were a big deal.
Now that most stores offer this option, one question worth answering is the “Do you tip after the service or not?” question.
The answer to this may rely on a couple of factors. They include understanding the grocery store’s policy, your budget, and the type of service provided (is it free or not?). Some popular stores offering this service include Amazon, Walmart, and Target.
This guide explains what curbside grocery pickup is, how much to tip a shopper, and factors to consider.
What is Curbside Grocery Pickup?
Curbside grocery pickup is a service that allows a customer to order groceries online and pick them up at a designated location.
The process involves the use of a curbside grocery shopper. This person does all the shopping and ensures they are set for pick up before your arrival.
Curbside grocery shoppers are responsible for all substitutions or additions your package may require to ensure accuracy.
Do You Tip Curbside Grocery Pickup Employees or Not?
Curbside grocery pickup staff typically earn minimum wage or slightly above minimum wage. Depending on the employer, they also enjoy extra benefits such as health insurance and paid time off.
The decision to tip a curbside grocery pickup employee is entirely up to you and should only be seen as means of appreciating and acknowledging hard work.
How Much Should You Tip a Curbside Grocery Pickup Shopper?
The standard practice for tipping a curbside grocery pickup staff is to leave a $5 tip or 10% of the total order cost. Other factors that can help with your decision-making include:
Size of your order
Small and straightforward orders are effortless to arrange for pick up. On the other hand, large orders can be challenging to prepare. If you base your decision on this factor, you may tip for only large orders.
Store policy & service offered
You should also respect the store’s policies when tipping a curbside grocery pickup shopper. Some stores have strict guidelines on how much you should tip a pickup employee, while some prohibit the practice.
You should also consider the type of service offered. Some stores offer free pickup services for orders beyond a particular fee. If this is the case, you might tip the pickup staff.
However, tipping may not be compulsory if you have to pay for the pickup service regardless of the size of your order.
Your budget or finances
Before tipping a curbside grocery pickup service, consider your finances. For example, if your order is worth $800 and a 10% tip of $80 will affect your budget or finance, please reduce it to a bearable figure.
Also, if there is not enough to tip a pickup shopper, thanking the personnel and appreciating his or her hard work would genuinely go a long way.
FAQs
Are you supposed to tip the Walmart Grocery Pickup?
Walmart grocery pickup does not accept this. Their policy is fully focused on only providing customers with a convenient shopping experience.
Do you tip Kroger curbside pickup?
Like Walmart, Kroger’s curbside grocery pickup service does not accept a tip. This policy has been in place since 2018.
Do you tip for HEB curbside pickup?
HEB curbside pickup service accepts tips. How much to tip is entirely up to you.
In a Nutshell
Tipping a curbside grocery pickup staff is mostly up to you. While a standard tip is usually just $5 or about 10% of the total order cost, a couple of considerations can aid your decision-making.
They include the quality of the service, whether it is free or has automatically been charged, how big your order is, and the store’s policy.
Regardless of whichever decision you make, it is more important to always show gratitude and appreciate the hard work of every pickup shopper.
I hope you found this guide helpful. If you did, you might also be interested in knowing if Walmart accepts EBT for online groceries shopping.
Thanks for reading.