How to Decide Between Grocery Delivery, Pickup, or In‑Store Shopping with a Total‑Cost Calculator

One‑Screen Summary

Who this is for: Anyone choosing between delivery, curbside pickup, or going in‑store—and who wants a calm, apples‑to‑apples comparison.
The decision it supports: Which option is lowest total cost for your next order when you account for time, distance, fees, memberships, markups, and accuracy risk.
How to use this guide:
1. Follow the flowchart to narrow to 1–2 likely winners.
2. Plug your numbers into the total‑cost calculator inputs (defaults included).
3. Print the one‑page decision aid to repeat the check any time policies or promos change.

Minimal Monee mention: If you use Monee, tag delivery fees, tips, and memberships as separate categories from “groceries” to see patterns over time. That’s all.

What Actually Drives “Total Cost”

Four levers move the real price of delivery, pickup, and in‑store:

Time you spend: A practical default for “value of time” is the U.S. median hourly wage (23.80/hr), with an option to try average hourly earnings (~36.53/hr) for a higher bound. Both help quantify time saved when using delivery or pickup versus navigating the store yourself. [BLS]
Distance you drive: Using the 2025 IRS business mileage rate (0.70/mile) is a standard proxy for out‑of‑pocket driving costs. You can also explore a conservative “fuel‑only” lens (~0.13/mile per AAA) to see sensitivity. [IRS, AAA]
Platform and retailer policies: Service and delivery fees, pickup minimums, membership amortization, and documented price markups vs in‑store matter more than broad inflation trends in many orders. In 2025, grocery inflation is moderate (~2.4–2.7% y/y), so fees and markups often dominate the break‑even. [USDA ERS Food Price Outlook]
Order accuracy risk: Missed items or substitutions can impose hidden time or follow‑up trips. In a 2025 study, 30% of online grocery shoppers didn’t receive all items, and produce confidence was 73%. Model a small “second‑trip” probability if you often receive substitutions. [The Feedback Group via Shelby Report]

Demand context: About 19.5% shopped online in the prior 30 days; among them, pickup (52.4%) edges delivery (43.5%). Top reasons include time savings and convenience—useful when you assign your time value. [USDA ERS ATUS] Delivery’s share rose through 2024, often propelled by promotions and membership discounts—so amortizing memberships and entering your discounted price is key for frequent users. [Grocery Dive; DC360]

The Total‑Cost Calculator (use these inputs)

Time & Distance

Value of time (edit): default 23.80/hour; toggle to ~36.53/hour as a high‑side test. [BLS]
Round‑trip distance: default 8 miles to a preferred grocer (~4 miles each way average). [Capital One Shopping]
Driving cost per mile: default 0.70/mile (IRS); optional conservative ~0.13/mile fuel‑only lens (AAA). [IRS; AAA]

Delivery‑Specific

Service fee: varies by platform and retailer. Note: Instacart service fees vary by order specifics; pickup orders have no service fee. [Instacart]
Delivery fee: varies; enter your app/retailer number.
Membership amortization: enter your actual (possibly discounted) membership price and divide by your expected orders per month. Promotions can materially change the ROI. [Instacart+; Shipt; Walmart+; Kroger Boost; DC360]
Markup flag: ON if your retailer/app marks up items online (e.g., warehouse‑club same‑day). OFF for retailers that advertise online/in‑store parity. [Costco Same‑Day]
Tip: include your tip amount or percentage to reflect real out‑of‑pocket cost.

Pickup‑Specific

Pickup fee: often 0 with $35+ baskets at major grocers; note under‑minimum fees. Example: Kroger advertises pickup free at $35+. [Kroger Boost FAQ]
Price parity: some retailers/apps keep shelf‑price parity for pickup; others may differ—use the markup toggle if you see higher online prices.
Special policies: Example—Instacart pickup has no service fee; Whole Foods pickup is free on any size, while Prime delivery includes a 9.95 service fee. [Instacart; Whole Foods (Amazon)]

Memberships (examples to model)

Instacart+: Trial auto‑renews to 99/year; starting Mar 1, 2025, Instacart+ no longer reduces service fees—enter the membership and order count to amortize, but don’t assume waived service fees. [Instacart; Instacart+]
Shipt: 99/year; members get 0 delivery fee on 35+ orders; under‑min fee about 7; one‑time deliveries may charge around a 10 delivery fee plus a service fee. [Shipt]
Walmart+: 98/year; delivery typically free on 35+ orders. Note: a 6.99 fee applies on sub‑35 SNAP EBT pickup/delivery. [Walmart+]
Kroger Boost: Essential 69/yr (next‑day), Boost 99/yr (as fast as same‑day). Pickup free at 35+. Next‑day delivery listed around 6.95 if not covered; Express noted 4.95. [Kroger Boost FAQ]

Quality/Accuracy Risk

Second‑trip risk slider: 0–30% (based on your experience). Expected second‑trip cost = probability × (round‑trip miles × mileage rate + time cost). [The Feedback Group via Shelby Report; IRS; BLS]

Inflation Check

Food‑at‑home inflation is modest in 2025 (~2.4–2.7% y/y), so channel fees/markups can outweigh inflation in your comparison. [USDA ERS Food Price Outlook]

Formulas (plug your numbers)

In‑Store total = (Round‑trip miles × mileage rate) + (Shopping time × time value) + (Shelf‑price items)
Pickup total = (Online items × (1 + markup% if any)) + (Pickup fee) + (Membership amortization) + (Expected second‑trip cost)
Delivery total = (Online items × (1 + markup% if any)) + (Service fee + Delivery fee + Tip) + (Membership amortization) + (Expected second‑trip cost)

Quick Flowchart

Start
→ Do your app/retailer prices match in‑store shelf prices?
→ If “No” and markups are known (e.g., warehouse‑club same‑day), turn ON “markup” in the calculator.
→ If “Yes,” leave “markup” OFF.

Next
→ Is your round‑trip distance/time high? (e.g., >8 miles or time is tight today)
→ If “Yes,” delivery or pickup may outscore in‑store once time and mileage are priced.

Next
→ Do you already have a membership you’ll actually use several times this season?
→ If “Yes,” amortize it over realistic orders (include any promo price). This can flip delivery from “too expensive” to “worth it.”
→ If “No,” treat delivery as a one‑off with fees and tip.

Next
→ Any special policies that change the math?

Instacart pickup has no service fee.
Whole Foods Prime delivery adds a 9.95 service fee; pickup is free.
Walmart+ free delivery typically starts at 35; SNAP EBT under‑min may be 6.99.
Kroger pickup free at 35+; next‑day/express fees vary.
Turn these into inputs.

Next
→ Are accuracy/produce quality crucial today?
→ If “Yes,” keep pickup/in‑store in the mix and add a “second‑trip” risk to delivery.

Decision
→ Run your top 1–2 modes in the calculator and choose the lower Total Cost.

Mini‑Checklist (Skim and Decide)

Distance & time entered (miles, minutes)
Time value set (median default; try the higher average option)
IRS mileage rate selected (try AAA “fuel‑only” sensitivity)
Markup flagged correctly (ON for warehouse‑club same‑day; OFF if shelf‑price parity)
Delivery: service fee, delivery fee, tip, membership amortized
Pickup: fee, minimums, parity check (and “no service fee” where applicable)
Special policies for your retailer/app applied
Accuracy risk set (substitutions/missed items → second‑trip expected cost)
Final compare: in‑store vs pickup vs delivery totals

Print‑Ready Decision Aid (1 page)

Copy/paste this section to print.

Decision Aid: Grocery Mode Comparator

Your Inputs

Round‑trip distance: ______ miles
Shopping time if in‑store: ______ minutes
Time value (choose one): [ ] 23.80/hr [ ] ~36.53/hr [ ] Custom: ______/hr
Mileage rate: [ ] 0.70/mi (IRS) [ ] ~0.13/mi (fuel‑only) [ ] Custom: ______/mi
Online markup: [ ] OFF [ ] ON at ______ %
Second‑trip risk: ______ %

Delivery

Service fee: ______
Delivery fee: ______
Tip: ______
Membership amortization: ______
Delivery total = Items × (1 + markup) + fees + tip + membership + (second‑trip expected)

Pickup

Pickup fee: ______
Membership amortization: ______
Pickup total = Items × (1 + markup) + fee + membership + (second‑trip expected)

In‑Store

In‑store total = (miles × mileage) + (minutes ÷ 60 × time value) + shelf‑price items

Choose the lowest total for this order.

Note: Enter retailer specifics—e.g., Instacart pickup no service fee; Whole Foods Prime delivery adds 9.95; Walmart+ free delivery typically 35+; Kroger pickup free 35+. See sources for details.

Optional (Monee): Tag delivery fees, tips, and memberships separately from groceries to review patterns later.

Tips for Faster, Calmer Choices

Start with distance/time: If you’re far from the store or short on time, delivery or pickup often improves the total—especially when memberships are already paid and amortized across multiple orders. [IRS; BLS; Grocery Dive; DC360]
Model memberships honestly: Use your real promo price and realistic order count. Instacart+ no longer reduces service fees as of Mar 1, 2025—don’t over‑credit it. [Instacart; Instacart+]
Watch markups: Warehouse‑club same‑day marks up item prices. If your usual grocer advertises shelf‑price parity online, leave the markup OFF. [Costco Same‑Day]
Consider accuracy: If substitutions or missed items are common for you, include a non‑zero “second‑trip” probability. [The Feedback Group via Shelby Report]
Keep context in mind: With food‑at‑home inflation moderate in 2025, fees, markups, and time usually determine the winner, not broad price trends. [USDA ERS Food Price Outlook]