The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.In New York City, it's easy to find a grocery store to shop fresh produce, packaged foods, and household essentials. Locating a store is probably the only easy part of grocery shopping in a city of 8.6 million people.When everyone else has the same brilliant idea to shop after work, and less crowded or popular stores upcharge customers on items, grocery shopping in person becomes a major time, energy, and money suck that doesn't seem worth it (and undoubtedly contributes to an uptick in GrubHub and Seamless orders).Enter online grocery delivery, the service that helps us maintain our sanity in a world where we already have enough things on our mind and to-do lists. This modern innovation frees you up to focus on your other priorities, and you don't even have to step away from your bed or desk to enjoy it.There are a handful of major grocery delivery services that are available nationwide or serve New York City inhabitants specifically, all with different shopping experiences, delivery fee structures, and special promotions. Read on learn which one is best for you.Fill your carts at these six convenient online grocery delivery services in New York City:FreshDirect: The best balance of value, convenience, variety, and ease of shoppingShop groceries at FreshDirect hereHow it works:Create a free account in under a minute, then start shopping and adding items to your cart. The site is organized clearly into different categories, and it makes it easy to create shopping lists and re-order your frequently shopped items.For a morning or early afternoon delivery (two-hour time slots), you must place your order by 6 p.m. the day before. For a late afternoon or evening delivery (two-hour time slots), you must place your order by 11 p.m. the day before.Fees:Free to create an account$5.99 delivery fee, with a minimum order of $30Grocery offerings:FreshDirect gets its produce, dairy, and meat straight from the source, but it also carries popular grocery brands such as Pillsbury, Stonyfield Organic, and Boar's Head. You can find everything you normally shop at the store (including alcohol), whether you browse the categories, search exact items directly, or filter by labels like organic, kosher, and top-rated.Price comparison:Fuji apple: $0.99/eaBoneless chicken breast: $5.99/lbOne dozen large white eggs: $3.59Special programs and discounts:Chef's Table is FreshDirect's loyalty program. To become a member, you must place12 orders or spend an average of $500 or more each calendar month during any 3-month period. Benefits include preferred delivery access, dedicated service specialists, and exclusive discounts.DeliveryPass membership gets you unlimited free deliveries. It costs $79 for six months or $129 annually, and if you're a frequent customer, it'll save you on the fees that can add up quickly.You can also check out the Fresh Deals, coupons, and sale sections to save on products every week.Peapod: The best shopping assistants, rewards programs, and discountsShop groceries at Peapod hereHow it works:Create a free account, then start shopping and adding items to your cart. You can browse by aisle and curated categories, or take advantage of features like Order Genius and Express Shop. Order Genius analyzes your past purchases to recommend products you'll like, and Express Shop quickly generates product results for you based on your grocery list.Peapod offers special discounts of up to $5 off during certain two-hour delivery slots throughout the week, so if you're flexible with when you receive your order, take advantage of this feature. It also lets you schedule deliveries up to two weeks in advance.Fees:Free to create an account$9.95 delivery fee, with a minimum order of $60$6.95 delivery fee on orders of $100 or moreGrocery offerings:Peapod carries a large assortment of your favorite brands as well as its own in-house brand. The organic selection is robust, and its seasonal curations are also worth a look.Price comparison:Fuji apple: $1.10/eaBoneless chicken breast: $3.79/lbOne dozen large white eggs: $2.09Special programs and discounts:First-time customers get $20 off and 60 days free delivery. In addition to weekly promotions, these programs help you save money:The VIPea Club rewards shoppers who spend $2,000 in a six month period with exclusive offers, customer care priority, and an extra $10 referral bonus.PodPass is a program that saves on monthly delivery fees. The best value option is a $55/year pass that's valid for Tuesday through Thursday deliveries.Stop & Shop store members should connect their account to Peapod to earn gas and school rewards.Instacart: The best place to shop local markets and shop as a groupShop groceries at InstacartHow it works:Instacart brings together local supermarkets on one platform.Create a free account, then choose your store to start shopping. In New York, options include Costco, Fairway, Whole Foods, Morton Williams, and CVS.The platform allows you to select back-up items in case the ingredient you want is sold out or unavailable, and you'll have a dedicated shopper who communicates with you via text to let you know when items aren't available or when they've been swapped.Delivery is available in as little as an hour, but you can also schedule it up to a week in advance. Delivery fees may increase during popular times of the week and delivery hours depend on your local store hours.Instacart is a great grocery delivery option for groups like apartment roommates or families because you can create group carts to shop together.Fees:Free to create an account$11.99 delivery fee on orders under $35, with a minimum order of $10$7.99 delivery fee on orders of $35 or more$13.99 one-hour delivery fee on orders under $35, with a minimum order of $10$9.99 one-hour delivery fee on orders of $35 or moreGrocery offerings:The online prices can differ from in-store prices, but you can find each store's policy regarding price adjustments under the store name.Price comparison:Fuji apple: Varies by individual storeBoneless chicken breast:Varies by individual storeOne dozen large white eggs:Varies by individual storeSpecial programs and discounts:Instacart compiles each store's coupons on to the store page so they're easy to find and use.Instacart Express is a $149 annual membership for free delivery on all orders of $35 or more. You can take advantage of a free two-week trial before committing to the program.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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