How Much Tip: Instacart Shoppers, Pay Attention!

Who doesn't love Instacart? It allows you to do your weekly shopping from the comfort of your home or when you don't have free time to go grocery shopping, so you trust Instacart can do the job for you.

Regardless of the reason, there are certain things you should pay attention to when using this app, and one of them is the tip. Although you don't physically go to the store, that doesn't mean Instacart applies different shopping principles. In other words, treating the person serving you nicely and tipping them for their effort should be a norm for every customer. If you tip restaurant servers, why not also tip an experienced shopper?

That is why we've decided to explain once and for all how much you should tip when using the app, according to Instacart shoppers. Keep this information in mind when you're next in your pajamas and creating your grocery list.

Who Are Instacart Shoppers?

It's not unusual to forget that behind an app, there are people. With Instacart, these people are either full-time shoppers or in-store shoppers.

For users of the Instacart app, this information means that somebody takes their list and does the grocery shopping for them. Not only do Instacart shoppers do the shopping for you, but they will also deliver it to your doors.

If you've never used Instacart, here's how it works: You download the app and create an account. Then, you choose your groceries and place the order when you're ready.

From that point on, Instacart shoppers will take care of the entire process for you. Instacart workers will shop in the store, organize your groceries in a bag, and deliver them to your home.

Although there are no fees to sign up for Instacart, a shopper should consider the additional charges they will have to take out of their earnings.

Platform fees are something they should consider, as well as the customers who are tipping them. These costs are:

• Gas and insurance for your vehicle
• Car maintenance
• Independent contractor taxes (typically about 30% overall)

This means that shoppers should set aside money to meet these expenses as the app does not cover them. Keep this in mind, and don't forget that a tip is what many drivers depend on to generate their income.

Instacart Shoppers' Pay

Instacart workers are getting paid by the app for the work they do. The pay is divided into three separate ways:

• Batch pay: The entire predicted effort required to finish a batch, including travel to and from the store, the weight and number of the items, and the estimated amount of time needed to shop the batch, is reflected in batch pay. This is also known as the minimum wage.
• Promotions: In times of high client demand, this app provides promos to customers as extra earning chances. Offers for promotions may be made to specific customers in one or more batches.
• Tips: Instacart workers always receive 100% of the tips their customers leave.

These three make the total earnings of an Instacart shopper. That said, this is why it's important to understand the importance of tipping culture when using this and similar apps.

In most cases, their actual pay will not be enough to cover their work and lifestyle needs, so ensuring a default tip mindset is crucial.

After all, if you typically tip for food delivery, there's no reason not to tip an Instacart shopper, as they offer that service and more. Besides your groceries delivered, a shopper will carefully choose your products and organize them in bags.

As long as a person has earned at least $5, Instacart rewards them every week. With this app, one may potentially make a substantial amount of money as the daily cap is $3,000.

Depending on a person's work hours and delivery volume, Instacart may provide both part-time and full-time revenue.

Minimum Wage in the U.S. Vs. Instacart Pay

When talking about getting paid as Instacart workers, you have to know that most of them are getting paid $7 per full-service order, which is much lower than the national range for hourly pay.

The minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25 per hour; however, keep in mind that to provide a full service as an Instacart worker, you often need more than one hour.

That is why this app offers a tip-based system and guarantees that 100% of the tips go to the shopper. Between 10% and 20% of the total order is recommended if you ask the app's shoppers who are sharing their opinions on social media groups and forums.

Tipping is optional, however customers should be aware that they may not receive the happiest personal shopper or any individual within their distance range.

Customers can select a fixed cash amount or a tip percentage based on the size of their basket when placing their order. The mentioned tipping percentage can change in case of refunds or damage claims.

The remuneration for Instacart drivers varies by area or city. The pay for Instacart varies based on whether a customer purchases in-store or receives full service.

Customers should budget between $5 and $10 for each grocery delivery or $17 per hour (tips included). Tips from customers can increase the income of full-service shops. With them, full-service shoppers make between $7 and $10+ every batch. At least $7–$10 is guaranteed by the app for each order.

Demand and order quantity typically have an impact on the precise payment amount. A big, weighty order brings in more money for shoppers than a little one.

When client demand spikes—especially on Sundays or evenings— shoppers earning potential rises. To maximize their profits, they should analyze consumer demand in your location.

If a person decides to become a full-service shopper, they will deliver groceries through the app as an independent contractor.

They will be able to set your own hours and work as much as you like. It is possible to shop full-service anywhere that Instacart is accessible. One of the main services of this app is grocery delivery.

A shopper won't have to make deliveries if they only purchase groceries in-store. They will purchase groceries that clients request via the app in-store. Part-time employees are the people who shop in-store.

A minimum of 15 to 20 hours a week, including Sundays and Mondays, will be required to work in this role. As part of the company's work payment plan, these contractors will be qualified for 401(k) benefits as an employee. These are renewable, part-time jobs that normally last 90 days.

How to Tip Orders in Instacart

A tipping culture is pretty much everywhere in the service industry. Customers tip for receiving exceptional service, whether that's to a restaurant server, gig workers, or delivery drivers from Amazon Fresh and Uber Eats.

The tip amount will depend on you and your satisfaction level, however, the expected customers tip across the United States is 15-20% of the entire amount. Of course, if you're extremely satisfied with the service, you are more than welcome to tip order above that tip amount.

Another thing to keep in mind is how you'll tip the Instacart shopper. You can tip orders in the app, and shoppers will get paid their tips via the app.

You can also tip cash when your order is delivered to your front door. You can do both and tip extra if the delivery driver had to drive through the rain or rush hour to show your appreciation.

One thing is clear: big tip or small, it's important to acknowledge good service as a customer. As apps eliminate the human factor to a certain point, don't forget that the Instacart app is not doing your grocery shopping but a real shopper. The tip amount matters to them as it's a percentage of their earnings, so make sure your tipping etiquette matches the level of service you're getting.

Think about how the process operates to get an idea of how much and why you should tip. Customers use the app to place their batches or orders.

The app displays the quantity of products, estimated tip, delivery distance, and batch pricing. The customer has the option to accept or reject the batch.

Instacart shoppers choose the customer's purchases at the store, talk to them about any adjustments or inquiries, pay using the card they have supplied, and then deliver the groceries. Depending on several factors, this process may take between 60 and 90 minutes.

In order to receive batch priority, a shopper must have a rating of 4.7. Good-tipped batches disappear quickly once they appear. Ultimately, it's not an easy task for the shoppers to be on top of the batches and be faster than other food shoppers.

Factors That Impact Food Delivery Tips

If you're using an app for grocery delivery like Instacart, there are certain things you should be aware of when tipping. For instance, the weather will have a huge impact on the time of delivery.

While you might feel upset that your order is not arriving at the same time as the previous one, it's important to keep in mind that Instacart will pay their food shoppers the same regardless of the time it takes them to deliver the groceries. In other words, they are the ones losing, so make sure to tip well.

Another thing is the traffic. It's always recommended to place your orders outside the rush hours to simplify the delivery conditions, especially if you've ordered only a few items.

For Instacart workers, time is money. If they spend a lot of time completing your order, your tipping should grow gratitude.

On the other hand, if your order consists just of a few items, it would also be recommended to tip well because although an individual can shop these products quickly, they still need to use the same amount of gas to deliver these few items to your home.

Overall, when in doubt, always tip well. Such applications are created with the idea that the customers are the ones who are contributing to the income of their contractors, so not paying a tip could seriously affect not only the contractor's lifestyle but also their ability to continue working as they have to invest in their car, pay insurance and taxes.

Cash Tips Mistakes You Should Avoid

How to become a tipping expert? If you want to learn how to tip well, you'll be happy to hear that it's not difficult. The tipping principle is always the same regardless of the service.

If you feel like the person is making an extra effort to provide the service, your tipping should reflect that.

On the other side, trying to tip without actual knowledge of it can be counterproductive. Below, find common mistakes when tipping.

There is a delivery fee when making an order. This is an additional charge to cover the cost of delivery; it is not a tip.

Your delivery driver, who frequently relies on gratuities to cover their salaries, doesn't really receive any of that money. Make sure you tip the driver and pay the delivery cost.

If you feel that the service you received was inadequate, don't be scared to pick a "no tip" option. Also, if you're uncertain about the tip amount, take an extra minute to determine a percentage you are comfortable with.

Inflation and the cost of living have increased, but there has also been a rise in the anticipated tip percentage. Just a few years ago, a 10% tip was recommended in this industry.

Nowadays, tipping at 15% will give the impression that you are purposefully leaving a reduced tip because you were dissatisfied with the service, even though 20% is the customary amount.

Keep in mind that other factors can impact the quality of the service, and deciding not to tip will only harm the person doing the service, not the entire app. For instance, if the food delivery takes a while because of the traffic, not tipping the personal shopper is considered rude. Be mindful of the things that are in their control and tip accordingly.

Another mistake that often occurs with apps similar to Instacart is that the client who has placed the order is not responding to a personal shopper, so they have to make the decision on their own. If you haven't replied to their messages about an alternative for a certain product, you shouldn't deny them their tip because of it.

Conclusion

If you don't want to drive to the story, hand-pick all foods, wait in line to pay, and drive back home, use Instacart. This app is perfect for customers who're looking to save their time and have personal shoppers do the task for them. That said, tipping these personal shoppers is essential to properly compensate for their effort.

Don't forget that Instacart pays its shoppers the base pay as only a part of their earnings because they're independent contractors, so tipping etiquette can be very helpful. Also, tipping encourages better service, so each time you feel like your app shopper has made an effort, make sure to tip extra. Good tips start at 10% and can go up to 25% for high-level service. Most customers will tip in between this range.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do I Have to Wait for Instacart Delivery?

An Instacart order typically is completed in about an hour. If you notice that your delivery driver had to go through a lot of traffic or it was raining during the delivery time, make sure to give them extra dollars for their effort. If you've placed a large order, your tip should also be higher as the person will take more time to find all the groceries in the store. When tipping, be aware of all the factors impacting the work of the shopper and tip well.

Who Are Instacart Shoppers?

Instacart shoppers by groceries for this app's clients. They are employed as independent contractors, meaning they have a base pay, which is only a portion of their total earnings. A personal shopper who works at Instacart relies heavily on getting a tip from the client. This app facilitates shopping at a grocery store and has a tip-based system in which clients are able to chip in and help raise the total earnings of this app's employees.

How Much to Tip the Instacart Shopper?

The bare minimum for tipping someone in the service industry in the United States is between 15% and 20%. If you're looking to leave more generous tips, consider tipping above 20% for the grocery delivery from the grocery store to your front door. Whatever the amount of your average order might be, be sure to tip within that range if you don't want the shopper to think you're not satisfied with the service or with them personally.