Buzz
Equitably distribute your generosity while ensuring smooth grocery deliveries.
We're accustomed to tipping restaurant servers and delivery drivers, but what's the appropriate tip for an Instacart shopper? There are several factors to consider when tipping a personal shopper—Instacart workers go to the store, collect all your items, and deliver them directly to your doorstep. Tipping depends on your income level, the quality of service, and the total order amount. If you're still unsure about how much to tip, proper tipping etiquette, and the significance of tipping, keep reading for guidance.
Key Points to Remember
- Tip a minimum of $5 for each order, and allocate $1 for every two items in orders exceeding 10 products.
- For large orders, tip 15-20% of the total bill, akin to restaurant tipping customs.
- Consider adding extra gratuity for exceptional service or challenging orders, such as those involving staircases or heavy items.
Essential Steps
Determining Your Instacart Tip Amount
Always tip a minimum of $5 for each order, regardless of its size. Instacart recommends a 5% tip, but remember, when you use Instacart, you're sending someone to the store, to your home, and back again. Even for small orders, expenses like gas, parking, and tolls quickly accumulate, and these costs are borne by the shoppers themselves. A 5% tip may not adequately reflect the effort they've invested.
- Instacart shoppers operate on tips, similar to restaurant servers. They depend on the tips you provide to make a living, so unless the service is exceptionally poor, never tip less than 5%.
For orders with 10 or more items, tip half the quantity of items you receive. Much of an Instacart shopper's work involves shopping, regardless of the price of individual items. To fairly compensate for this effort, consider tipping $1 for every two items you purchase.
- Instacart shoppers earn $0.30 for each unique item on your list. Therefore, whether you're buying 30 bags of dog food or a single loaf of bread, they receive the same compensation.
- For instance, an order comprising one loaf of bread and one stick of butter would yield $0.60 in compensation, while an order consisting of 20 gallons of milk would also yield $0.30.
- For instance, an order comprising one loaf of bread and one stick of butter would yield $0.60 in compensation, while an order consisting of 20 gallons of milk would also yield $0.30.
Tip 15-20% on orders totaling $100 or more. When your order is relatively expensive, it's appropriate to tip your shopper similarly to how you would tip a restaurant server. They put in extra effort and physical labor, especially for large orders where the groceries can be quite heavy.
- For larger orders, consider tipping within the 15-25% range. For example, a 40-item order amounting to $300 would warrant a $60 tip.
Etiquette for Tipping
Consider increasing your tip for exceptional service. You have the flexibility to adjust your tip after receiving your order, so if someone goes above and beyond, express your gratitude with a generous tip.
- Some shoppers excel by carefully packaging groceries (placing fragile items on top and heavier items on the bottom), ensuring temperature-sensitive items remain hot or cold during transit, communicating promptly if an item is unavailable, and completing deliveries promptly.
- One common complaint among Instacart users is receiving incomplete orders due to store stockouts or shopper inability to locate items. In such cases, shoppers either find suitable substitutes or issue refunds for the missing items.
Reserve cash tips as additional rewards. Instacart workers can view anticipated tips through the app, and many drivers prefer orders with predetermined tips. To ensure optimal service and provide peace of mind to your shopper, tip via the app rather than with cash.
- If satisfied with their service, you can always supplement your tip with cash afterward.
Offer designated drivers a 10-15% tip. In certain instances, Instacart may assign separate individuals for shopping and driving, especially in high-traffic locales. The in-store shoppers (who are not eligible for tips) are directly employed by Instacart and typically earn $15.25 per hour. Since drivers handle the delivery aspect, consider tipping them similarly to delivery drivers—around 10-15%.
Base your tip on time rather than cost. While tipping based on the order total is customary in the service industry, for personal shoppers, it's more about the time invested than the monetary value. When tipping, consider the duration required to fulfill your order rather than its cost.
- For instance, if you ordered 35 items from a discount store, refrain from tipping solely based on the $35 total. Instead, factor in the quantity of items. For substantial orders, contemplate tipping within the 15-25% range.
Provide a higher tip for inconveniences. Instacart shoppers deliver goods directly to your doorstep, and you're compensating them for this convenience. If your location poses challenges, such as distance from the grocery store or flights of stairs, consider offering a supplementary tip for the additional effort. Additionally, it's advisable to tip extra for heavy items.
- For instance, if you reside in a high-floor walk-up apartment, acknowledge the physical exertion involved. Particularly if you're ordering bulky items like pet food, consider tipping more generously.
- Another scenario is adverse weather conditions. If you're sending someone out for essentials during inclement weather, show appreciation by tipping more than usual for the inconvenience.
Benefits of Offering Generous Tips
Consider providing larger tips due to the expenses incurred by Instacart workers for travel. While Instacart compensates drivers at a rate of approximately $0.60 per mile, this does not cover tolls, parking fees, and vehicle maintenance costs. Your drivers incur expenses to deliver your groceries, so offering a substantial tip helps offset these costs.
Larger tips are crucial as Instacart shoppers may earn below the minimum wage without them. Except for in-store shoppers, Instacart workers do not receive an hourly minimum wage and rely heavily on tips and lucrative orders for their income. Even if an order exceeds an hour, Instacart typically pays only $5-$10.
- Think of Instacart as a platform that connects you with personal shoppers rather than an employer. Shoppers depend on tips as a significant portion of their earnings.
- Rest assured, Instacart workers retain 100% of their tips.
Be mindful that Instacart workers lack employment benefits. As independent contractors, Instacart workers do not receive benefits such as insurance, retirement plans, or sick leave. Managing one's health and well-being without adequate compensation is challenging, and your generosity can make a significant difference.
Best Practices for Tipping on Instacart
Provide a tip during the checkout process. Navigate to “Go to Checkout” within the Instacart app or website. Scroll down to “Delivery Tip” and select “Change” to adjust the default amount. Enter your preferred tip amount and then click “Save Tip”.
Adjust your tip after delivery, if necessary. Tap the three horizontal bars located in the upper left corner of the app. Access “Your Orders” from the menu and choose the relevant order. Select “More” followed by “Change tip”. For website users, click the three lines in the top left corner, then “Your Orders”, and choose “View Order Detail” for the order in question. Enter your new tip amount and proceed.
- You have the option to increase your tip within 14 days after order completion or decrease it within 2 hours after. However, avoid engaging in tip-baiting, which involves offering a large tip to ensure order acceptance and then retracting or significantly reducing it upon completion. Tip-baiting is prohibited and unfair.
