Consumers are trying to save money, but not on $30 delivery burritos. Sales from DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart show that consumes are still willing to shell out to have groceries and restaurant food delivered to their homes. Their willingness to pay extra for delivery even surprised DoorDash CEO Tony Xu. One reason the delivery apps are still growing is because they’re adding new offerings. DoorDash, for example, struck deals with more regional grocers, even arranging with Kroger to allow consumers to buy have groceries delivered using SNAP benefits. People eat 21 times a week, whether it’s groceries or restaurant food. Frequent delivery app users say the convenience of having food dropped on their doorstep makes the higher costs worthwhile. Those who live with a disability and don’t drive say delivery services like DoorDash are a way to feel independent. Those without disabilities say the time they spend shopping for groceries, planning the cooking, doing the cooking, and cleaning up after, is a lot long longer than it takes to have food delivered. For some shoppers, grocery delivery is a more budget-friendly option than shopping in-store. They point out that when they stop by the grocery store for a couple of items, it’s not unusual to come home with 20 extra items they never intended to buy. At least for the time being, other things may take a hit when it comes to budgeting, but it doesn’t look like food delivery is going to be one of them.
