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As coronavirus fears grow, delivery operators offer contactless options

Instacart, DoorDash and others take action to safeguard customers, drivers

3 Min Read
Instacart shopper delivery-coronavirus.jpg
Instacart has been testing its new “Leave at My Door Delivery” feature and last week rolled it out to all customers across North America.Instacart

Amid widespread fears over coronavirus, delivery operators such as Instacart, DoorDash and Postmates are taking extra measures to protect the health and safety of the delivery ecosystem, which involves food and package handling stretching from grocery stores and restaurants to gig drivers to consumers.

Instacart, the online grocery delivery system available at nearly 25,000 stores in more than 5,500 cities in the U.S. and Canada, has been testing its new “Leave at My Door Delivery” feature and last week rolled it out to all customers across North America. “Leave at My Door Delivery” was originally designed to provide a more flexible option for customers that may not be home at the time of delivery.

In a statement, Instacart announced, “Over the last week, in particular, we observed a significant surge in consumer adoption and opt-in usage of the feature. Based on the increased demand for this new product feature, we’ve now made it available to all Instacart customers — bringing even more flexibility and optionality to their grocery delivery experience.”

Instacart door delivery.png

Instacart customers can now opt-in to “Leave at My Door Delivery” as part of their delivery options at checkout.

Customers can now opt-in to “Leave at My Door Delivery” as part of their delivery options at checkout, and can also provide more specific delivery instructions like a gate code or apartment number. A real-time photo will alert customers when their groceries are at their doorstep.

Related:Coronavirus fears trigger grocery shopper scramble

On Monday, food delivery company DoorDash said it is “testing enhanced features for contactless delivery to be rolled out shortly.”

Additionally, DoorDash said it is reminding consumers in affected areas of the app’s "delivery instruction" feature, which allows requests for food to be left at the door along with a photo of where the food should be left.

“We will continue to closely monitor and take action in response to this developing situation,” the San Francisco-based company said.

The delivery market leader in the U.S. has also set up a tips page for its Dashers, or drivers. The page lists actions and advice for protecting drivers and others from the coronavirus. The page, for example, tells drivers to be vigilant about cleaning their cars and hot bags.

“Keep surfaces, including your hot bag and vehicle, clean by using regular household cleaning spray or wipes,” the site states.

While third-party delivery operators can’t control when gig employees opt to work, the company strongly encouraged drivers to stay at home if they feel sick especially if "you are experiencing respiratory symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, or shortness of breath, cold or flu-like symptoms.”

Related:Instacart pilots online meal ordering/delivery with Publix

DoorDash said employees based in Seattle, one of the most impacted cities in the U.S., have been told to work from home. The city’s onboarding Dasher, or driver, support center has also been closed.

The company said it is also preparing to distribute much-needed supplies such as hand sanitizers to drivers in affected areas. 

Restaurant delivery company Postmates has also introduced a non-contact delivery option on its app for customers who prefer restaurant or merchant deliveries to be left at the door. Drivers are alerted to the preference at the time of delivery.

“We're the first food delivery company in the U.S. to offer this and we think that it is a way to make both customers and the fleet comfortable while making and receiving deliveries,” the third-party delivery company told Nation’s Restaurant News, a sister publication of Supermarket News.

 “For corporate employees, we've suspended non-essential travel and have always had a flexible work-from-home policy, at the manager's discretion,” DoorDash said.

 

About the Authors

Michael Browne

Executive Editor, Supermarket News

Michael Browne joined Supermarket News in 2018 after serving in managing and executive editor capacities at leading B2B media brands including Convenience Store NewsLicense Global and Travel Agent. He also previously served as content production manager for print and digital in the Business Intelligence division of Informa, parent company of Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News.

As executive editor, Mike oversees the editorial content of supermarketnews.com as well as the monthly print publication. He also directs all content-based brand-related projects including the annual Top 75 Retailers report, Category Guide, Retailer of the Year, research surveys and special reports, as well as podcast and webinar content. Mike has also presented and moderated at industry events.

In addition to the positions mentioned above, Mike has also worked as a writer and/or editor for special projects at American Legal Media (ALM), managing editor for Tobacco International, special projects editor at American Banker • Bond Buyer, and as production editor for Bank Technology News and other related financial magazines and journals published by Faulkner & Gray.

A graduate of Fordham University, Mike is based in New York City, where he was born and raised.

Contact Mike at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

Nancy Luna

Senior editor, Nation's Restaurant News

Nancy Luna is a senior editor at Nation's Restaurant News and a contributing editor at Supermarket News. She covers the industry's largest and most talked about fast-food brands including McDonald's, Starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Subway. She is an award-winning journalist with more than 25 years reporting experience. As a veteran business reporter based in Southern California, Nancy has covered some of the country's most beloved food and retail brands including In-N-Out, Taco Bell, Trader Joe's, Aldi, Whole Foods Market, Target and Costco. Luna is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton. When she's not digging for news on her beat, you can find Nancy regaling her fans about her latest dining adventures on her Fast Food Maven social media channels. Contact [email protected]  or follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/fastfoodmaven

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