Grocery retailers waive DoorDash delivery fees for older customers

On-demand delivery specialist DoorDash is partnering with grocery retailers and e-commerce technology providers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to waive delivery fees on orders it fulfills for people ages 60 and older, starting today.

San Francisco-based DoorDash said Friday that more than 2,000 grocery stores across the country will participate, including Hy-Vee, Woodman’s Market, Kowalski’s Markets and hundreds of independent grocers like Piggly Wiggly, LifeThyme Natural Market, Le District and Matherne’s, among others.

The program launches March 27 and is slated to run through May 7, depending on the grocery retailer. DoorDash noted that the effort aims to help people most vulnerable during this crisis, namely seniors.

“In our continued emphasis on safety and health throughout this crisis, we want to make sure that those who are most at risk are able to shop for their daily grocery needs online and access affordable and safe on-demand grocery options without ever having to leave their homes,” Casey North, vice president of DoorDash Drive, the company’s white-label delivery logistics platform. “We are proud to team up with our partners in the grocery industry to make this a reality across stores nationally.”

DoorDash is leading the initiative in tandem with e-grocery platform providers Freshop, GrocerKey, Mercato and Rosie. Through DoorDash Drive, participating grocery retailers have on-demand access to the DoorDash Dasher fleet to fulfill deliveries. “Dashers” are what DoorDash calls its community of delivery-driver personnel.

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At checkout, customers can request a no-contact home delivery by designating where the order should be left, DoorDash said.

Participating stores are located in almost every major U.S. city, DoorDash noted. Eligible customers can shop online for everything from meat, seafood and produce to bakery items, prepared food and pantry staples at local specialty markets, independent grocers and regional supermarket chains and receive free delivery.

To minimize contact with Dashers, customers can request a no-contact home delivery by designating in the checkout page where the order should be left, DoorDash added.

Starting March 31, West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee will offer free delivery to people 60 and older, as well as expectant mothers and those considered high risk for COVID-19 in communities where Hy-Vee Aisles Online delivery orders are fulfilled by DoorDash. Customers will be able to use a designated promo code at checkout when they place their order. DoorDash said the promotion with Hy-Vee, which operates more than 265 in eight Midwestern states, will cover up to 20,000 deliveries.

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At Woodman’s, customers can take advantage of the no-fee DoorDash delivery program by logging into their account at ShopWoodmans.com and then starting shopping. The discount will be available through May 1. Janesville, Wis.-based Woodman’s has 17 stores in Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

Twin Cities grocer Kowalski’s, with 11 stores, also is offering DoorDash free delivery until May 1 for eligible customers. Shoppers of the Woodbury, Minn.-based chain can get the discount by first accessing their Kowalski’s On The Go account, and then they can begin shopping.

Over 900 independent grocery and specialty food stores use Mercato’s e-commerce platform for online ordering and same-day delivery. To sign up for unlimited free delivery through May 7, customers input their delivery ZIP code and then select products from any of the stores in their delivery area. During checkout, they can sign up for a free trial of the Mercato Green delivery membership program and input the promo code OVER60, after which they will be prompted to enter their date of birth. When the delivery arrives, customers also will be asked to show their ID to the delivery driver.

“The current health crisis has made food procurement a challenge for everyone, but for those over 60 years of age, long lines and crowded stores pose an elevated risk,” commented Bobby Brannigan, Mercato founder and CEO. “At the same time, independent grocers are showing their true character, and that’s a deep-rooted desire to provide their communities with quality, and in many cases, local food items. By waiving our delivery fees, we hope to connect these two groups and help foster the type of connections that make our local communities across the nation so special.”
 
GrocerKey, which provides an end-to-end, retailer-branded e-commerce platform built for independent and regional grocers, is extending free delivery to customers in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois in partnership with DoorDash, Kowalski’s and Woodman’s.  
 
Serving independent retailers, Rosie is providing free delivery via operators such as Rosauers Supermarkets, Super 1 Foods, Macey's and Gourmet A’Fare, among others, through May 7. Customers can access the offer by entering the promo code "DDFREE" at checkout with nearly 200 participating retailers.

“Now more than ever, Americans across the country need a safe and reliable way to get groceries for their households. Our partnership with DoorDash has enabled independent grocers across the nation to serve more members of their communities with a no-contact delivery option,” stated Nick Nickitas, founder and CEO of Rosie. “This free delivery campaign from DoorDash is an amazing benefit for those who need it the most. We are proud to partner with DoorDash on this important initiative.”

Freshop said it’s adding more than 300 stores a week in support of COVID-19 efforts, and DoorDash has enabled many of its grocery partners to start offering delivery during the pandemic. Freshop builds e-commerce platforms for over 2,000 grocery and specialty retailers, including Foodtown, Fisher’s Foods, Brookhaven and Hays.
 
Overall, DoorDash provides on-demand delivery and logistics services to local and national businesses in more than 4,000 cities and all 50 states across the United States, Canada and Australia.