In the time of COVID 19, grocery delivery is a necessity now more than ever. Thanks to services like Peapod, busy parents and business owners no longer have to worry about getting to the store to get the things they need. If you live in the northeastern part of the United States, Peapod may be the service for you.
The company has recently limited some of its reach. It is no longer Peapod for Giant Food Stores and has separated from its parent company, but they still work with over 400 Stop & Shop locations to make grocery deliveries.
In addition to groceries, you can use Peapod to get office supplies, home supplies, baby and childcare products, and even beauty items.
If you are familiar with similar delivery services, then the business model is the same: you place a grocery order on your phone and someone will shop and deliver your items. However, Peapod has some key factors that differentiate it from its competitors. Let's get into the benefits and potential drawbacks of using Peapod.
Find out where Peapod ranks in our review of grocery delivery services.
Peapod At A Glance
- Best Match For: People in the Northeast area looking for affordable grocery delivery from one of the local chain stores.
- Commitment Level: No commitments - Order at any time; Membership
- Availability: New York City, Rhode Island, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New England
- Value: Peapod offers your average grocery prices with a small delivery fee
- Type: Fresh produce, groceries, quality meats, household essentials, pantry items, alcoholic beverages, fully prepared froze meals, fresh meal kits, and more.
How Peapod Works
To start, you'll need to create an account on the Peapod app. The platform will ask for information such as your email address, credit card information, and zip code. If you have a loyalty card with Stop & Shop, you can enter it and earn rewards and special deals. You can always enter this number later if you choose to sign up for one after joining Peapod.
To place your order, you browse the site for the items you need. The search bar is useful if you know exactly what you want. If you have a large order or want to browse a bit, you can go through Peapod's virtual aisles and sort items by category. For example, if you look at produce, you will see all brands and types of fruits and vegetables available.
A super cool part about Peapod is that you can shop organic foods and even filter based on dietary restriction. It's much easier than checking the labels of all of your items in a store. But, if you need to check the label, you can do that as you shop on Peapod as well.
Peapod can help you save money when you like at the "specials" tab to find discounts and sales. Unlike many other grocery delivery services, Peapod allows you to add coupons before you checkout. It's worth the extra time to take a look at the Stop & Shop website (remember, it's no longer Peapod by Giant) to find a useful coupon for the week.
Once you've used Peapod grocery delivery service more than once, you will be able to see your past purchases when you log in. So, it get easier to buy your favorite items the more you shop.
Finally, Peapod even has meal kits that you can add to your order. It's a perfect solution for people who don't have time to shop or cook (or don't like to). The meal kits make meal planning easy, and most of them enable you to get dinner finished in 30 minutes or less.
What You Can Expect
You will see the total cost of your order adding up as you put items in your shopping cart. When you navigate to the checkout page, you'll find your subtotal plus the delivery fee, which changes based on the size of your order. If you want to avoid delivery fees, you can opt for Peapod pick up. However, not all locations offer that as a grocery shopping option.
There is no service fee when you use Peapod. There is an optional tip, which you can calculate as a percentage of your order. You can tip the delivery driver in cash or with your card in the Peapod app.
Peapod also has cool extra features that make your experience even better.
For example, the company has an "Express Shop" feature to help you save even more time. It works by suggesting standard items that you may need, such as milk, eggs, and bread. You can add any food that they didn't include, and then you get to shop each category one by one.
You can pay with a credit card, debit card, gift card, or Peapod direct check.
PodPass
Peapod has an optional membership program that's handy for people who plan on getting groceries more than once per month. You can pay a membership fee for three, six, or 12 months and enjoy a credit to offset delivery costs. The plans let you choose between any day delivery or delivery only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays.
If you sign up for Pod Pass and no longer want it, it's easy to cancel any time before it autorenews.
Sample Order
Peapod carries most everything you would find in a grocery store or other supermarkets. According to their website, you can easily find:
The delivery person will hand-select your products per your order, bag them, and keep them in temperature-controlled containers until they're ready to come to your house. If you want to recycle your grocery bags, customers can give them to your next delivery guy.
Delivery
The minimum size for your Peapod order must be $30 whether you are picking up or using the grocery delivery service. The larger your order, the less money you'll pay in delivery fees. By using Peapod discounts, you can often get a percentage off of delivery. For that reason, it's worth it to sign up for the Peapod emails to keep track of opportunities to save on orders.
When you complete the ordering process, you will be prompted to select a delivery slot. A customer can get a lower delivery price for ordering in advance. For the most part, you will need to place the order at least 24 hours before you want it delivered.
To find out if there are Peapod delivery drivers in your area, you can enter your zip code on the Peapod website. Currently, the service is available in:
If you are in Washington DC, Maryland, or Virginia, Peapod no longer serves those area. Since the separation of Peapod Giant (or Giant Peapod), the Giant store brand has its own delivery personnel.
Peapod also delivers alcohol in some markets.
FAQS
Since the driver is doing a service for you, it is customary to tip even though it isn't required. When it comes to food delivery, the average driver tip is about 10 to 15% of your total order. At minimum, your driver's compensation should be at least $5 for carrying groceries to your home.
There is no monthly fee to use Peapod for groceries. However, if you use the service often, it may be worth it to sign up for their membership program, PodPass. You can pay a set fee annually, every six months, or every three months for a discounted delivery fee. You can do the math on your orders to find out if a PodPass membership is right for you.
According to the Pea Pod site, all products come from high quality producers across the US. Staple items come from the company's Chicago warehouse, and the produce comes from local farmers during the Fall and Summer.
Unlike similar services, Peapod hires full-time employees to do the grocery shopping and arrive within your delivery window. Since it's not a side gig, you can trust that the people know a thing or two about picking and dropping off your groceries.
Peapod also has a great shopping algorithm for your convenience. Instead of scrolling for hours, you can use the quick method of looking through your previous orders or using Express Shop.
As with anything, there is a possibility for your Peapod experience to go wrong. Something you need could be out of stock at the warehouse, resulting in missing items from your order. Fortunately, their customer service team is only a phone call or email away, and they fix problems quickly.
Peapod doesn't have a bunch of extra fees, so the pricing is pretty fair. There is one delivery fee based on your order and an optional tip. You can also save on the delivery cost by picking up your items.
There are many ways to spend less money with Peapod. By joining the email list, you can take advantage of different discount codes and savings opportunities. You can also shop sale items and discounted staples, which increases your savings. Finally, having a Stop & Shop rewards card can help even more.
It's hard to go over your budget with Peapod because you know exactly what you'll spend before you check out, unlike at the grocery store. You also don't have to worry about impulse purchases or being tempted to buy things you don't really need.
Peapod Costs
Peapod’s groceries come at the standard price you can get at your local supermarket and an additional $7.95-$9.95 delivery fee for orders under $100. You must meet a minimum of $30 total, and if you spend over $100, your shipping fee is $6.95.
Food for Thought
Grocery shopping can be a hassle for anyone, especially during a pandemic. There's the inconvenience of getting in your car and mentally preparing to shop on top of an already full schedule. Fortunately, Peapod is in the business of making life a little easier for consumers.
The company has a great inventory of fresh products and the only charge is for delivery. No one likes to waste time prepping and planning and browsing for meals. If you haven't tried getting delivery for groceries before, you may be surprised at just how much easier it makes your day.
For everyone on a diet or trying to change their lifestyle, Peapod is a good way to avoid in-store temptation for stuff you don't want to eat. And, it's easy to shop by dietary needs instead of wondering what you can and can't buy as you browse different shelves.
We appreciate how easy it is to use digital coupons for your groceries. However, we do wish the service was more widely available and partnered with a few more grocery stores. Either way, Peapod has many positive reviews from people who've ordered groceries for their home, apartment, or job.
Peapod is most compatible with people in the Northeast region who want high-quality grocery items delivered to their home or business.
Peapod