This is my totally non-sponsored review of Walmart’s Grocery Pickup Service. Spoiler: I love it!
What It Is
Walmart Grocery Pickup allows you to order groceries and many household items (cleaning supplies, diapers, pet supplies, toilet paper, even makeup!) online then drive to your local Walmart and pick up the items without leaving your car. Most grocery items are available for online ordering (I’ve heard a few are not, but I’ve never tried to order something I couldn’t get) and you can even get a limited selection of office supplies, sports and fitness items, toys, and video games. You can’t order absolutely anything Walmart carries, but over the time I’ve been using the service I’ve noticed them adding more and more items.
If you’ve been interested in trying the service, you can pretty much always get $10 off your first $50 order. Codes vary by season but if you…
you get $10 (and I get $10 off on my next order.) After you use the service you’ll get your own referral code and you can get $10 any time one of your friends tries the service with your code. (There’s a limit to 20 referrals a year.)
How It Works – Step By Step
- Go to grocery.walmart.com and sign into your existing Walmart account or create a new one. Enter your zip code and make sure Walmart Grocery Pickup service is available in your area. It’s available now in many major markets and expanding to new markets all the time.
- Select your items. Search for items by name, or shop by department using the drop down menu. During holidays they add special “departments” which means you can fill your Easter baskets or Halloween candy bowl without walking into the store. After your first order you can go back and select items from your “favorites”. So, if you buy one gallon of 1% milk, a carton of eggs, and a loaf of your favorite bread every week, you don’t have search for those items individually each time. You can just look through your favorites list and quickly add them. Before you check out make sure you have at least $30 worth of items on your order – $30 is the minimum order amount.
- Reserve a Pickup time and date and double check that you’ve selected the correct Walmart location (Ever order something for in-store pick up on the other side of town? No one? Uh, yeah, me neither…) Some locations have same day pickup but I don’t think it’s available in all markets. I live in a smaller metro area but if you live in a large one they most likely have it. I can generally order 12 hours in advance at the earliest. Pickup times are in 1 hour intervals. For example, I always choose 9am-10am, meaning I have to arrive any time between 9 and 10 am. Enter your debit or credit card info (you can’t pay with cash on pickup.) If you forget to add an item to your order, you can add additional items until a few hours before your pick up time.
- Optional: download the Walmart Grocery app. This app is different than the main Walmart app. You can use it to place orders just like online and check in when you’re on your way to pick up an order.
- When it’s your appointment time, drive to your Walmart and follow the signs that guide you to the pick up area. Pull into a Pickup parking spot and if you haven’t checked in on the app yet, call the number on the sign and tell them your name.
- A nice Walmart Grocery Pickup worker will come out with your groceries. They’ll come up to your window, confirm that they have the right person, and if there are any substitutions they’ll let you know and confirm that they’re OK with you. What are substitutions? Sometimes when you go to pick up your order, the store is out of the exact item you wanted. In this situation Walmart always substitutes (aka upgrades) your product but does not charge you extra. For example, if you ordered half a gallon of milk and they’re out, you get a whole gallon at the same price. Or if you order a case of store brand soda and they don’t have it, they’ll give you the name brand equivalent. (These are both examples that have actually happened to me.) I’ve used Grocery Pickup many times now and only had a handful of substitutions, and I’ve always been very pleased with my substitute item.
- Next they’ll put the groceries in the car (just pop the trunk), ask for your digital signature, and you’re on your way! If it’s your first time using the service you’ll get a little goodie bag with samples. I got a few granola bars, a can of soup, lotion samples, and a few other things.
- Not long after you leave you’ll get an email with a receipt for your order and the process is done! Simple and easy!
Saving Money
Let’s be real: the biggest reason I shop at Walmart is to save money, and one downside of using Walmart Grocery Pickup is that you can’t use coupons. You also cannot use EBT or WIC and because you don’t leave with a paper receipt you can’t use Ibotta or other similar savings apps.
Even though I can’t use coupons, I’ve noticed that I consistently spend less on groceries using the pick up service than when I shop inside the store. I save money in a few ways:
- Even though you’re ordering online, you still get the same low prices and Rollback deals that you would get when shopping in-store. Plus there is no charge for the Pickup service so you’re not paying any extra fees.
- Comparing price per pound, ounce, etc. is easier than in the store. Walmart does the math for you!
- But the #1 way I save money using Pickup service is the simplest way: it’s impossible to buy anything that’s not on on your list! If I go into Walmart I know I’ll be tempted by sale items and yummy looking treats and my 3 year old will be tempted by matchbox cars and checkout aisle candy. If we don’t step foot in the store there’s no temptation!
Overall, I love this service and I’ve been waiting for other stores (cough cough Target) to follow suit! Happy shopping!
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I absolutely love Walmart grocery pickup it is the greatest thing ever! Renee is so sweet at our Washington Missouri location and I just really enjoy seeing her every time I pick up groceries!
It’s good to hear from you, Esther! So glad you are enjoying Walmart grocery pickup!
Than you for the article. Our local Wal-Mart just started grocery pick up about 2 weeks ago. When my family was stationed in Camp Lejeune, NC (2006-2015), I became addicted to grocery pick up at Lowe’s Foods (a chain grocery store). They did charge around $5 for each pickup or could get a cheaper rate with a monthly subscription, or do like us coupons and wait to go until you scored a free or discounted trip. You’d pull up to the drive thru at your allotted time, press a button and give your name, an employee would come out and go over your order, tell you the substitutions, take all your coupons, load your order and give you your reciept, they there was also a strict no tip policy. The way coupons worked was you give the employee all your coupons, someone verifies that their not fake, expired, or something else wrong, then they total them up and the total coupon amount will be deducted from your next order. You also got a paper receipt so you could use rebate apps like Ibotta and you could earn money off gas with certain purchases. I desperately miss Lowe’s food pick up and I wish Wal-Mart would do it right like them, but Lowe’s Foods probably isn’t even this good anymore. Hopefully Wal-Mart will evolve!
Thanks for these tips – it does seem like almost every store is starting to offer grocery pickup.
Walmart Spokane Valley Store #5883
5025 E Sprague Ave
Spokane Valley, WA 99212
We have ordered online groceries from this store twice now with the same disappointing service. First time ended up in a 50 minute wait with us waiting in the lot while they did the actual shopping. The manager called the following day to apologize and assure us this is not the type of service they offered in additions to a $20 bill. ( We thought no worries they are new to this and let it slide). Now this is the second order we have placed at this store where we called while heading to pick up and after thirty minutes of waiting they informed us they were 20-30 minutes behind with orders. We asked to speak to a manager and the store Manager Brandy came up and let us know we could cancel our order if we wanted to. We informed her how inconvenienced we were and that we would file a complaint online since her solution after wasting our time was to now cancel our order, and she replied with “go ahead the complaint will just come back to me anyways”). We have done online groceries at multiple locations and have never received such poor mediocre service. I will definitely be sharing and posting my experience to make sure other consumers are made aware that there are other stores like Rosauers and Fred Meyer to name but a few that actually take pride in their service and care about their customers. This is a poor standard of service and the store manager’s attitude (Brandy) definitely speaks for the quality of service that Walmart offers. So thank you Brandy for offering us to take our business elsewhere obviously you are not invested in the mission and values of the company you work for and could care less for its success.
Wow, Leila, it’s a shame that you received such bad service at that particular store. We’ve always had a good experience with Walmart grocery pickup.
When I copy and paste the TC code from the Walmart grocery pick up receipt in to the Walmart savings catcher, I get an error message. Then I looked on Walmart’s FAQ page and it states that they do not accept grocery pick up tc codes for savings catcher. Am I doing something wrong since you’ve been successful in doing so? I’m always looking for ways to save money and it drives me bonkers that I can’t use Ibotta on walmart grocery pick up! Thanks!
Thanks for your question, Chelsea. Walmart changed their policy after this post was written 🙁 We’ve updated the post to reflect the new policy.
It looks like they changed Savings Catcher, you can no longer enter your TC # but have to do it at a register. 🙁 please let me know if you see a work around as I dont see it. I appreciate you letting me know about the old way as it saved me $20 over time.
Walmart grocery pickup us so convenient and saves so much time and wear and tear on the legs. Let them do the walking around instead of me and find that they are out of stock lol. But they do very good. I just haven’t worked up the nerve to order produce or meat yet. I have been requesting for a special instructions box on each item to communicate with the shoppers like Smiths has and that really works great.
I agree – a special instructions box is very helpful, so you can communicate with the person filling your cart.
I have tried this service three times and it is aweful service and a waste of time!!!! I am at the Walmart on Pendleton Pike in Indianapolis. I received text message that my order was ready for pick up. I followed all instructions down to identifying parking spot I was waiting in. It’s been over 15 min and I’m still waiting. There is only one person working to bring out orders. Never using again. Walmart does not staff properly! This is my third time trying it and I’m done with it. Do not waste your time because you will only gain frustration.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Kathy! We have had good experiences with it, but I’m sure service varies.
My order had items missing for which Wal-Mart credited back and it took me 20 minutes to get loaded and on my way. This is the 2nd time the wait time exceeded a reasonable period. The first time my wait was almost 40 minutes. I am done with this service since they cannot get it right. HEB and Kroger may charge a little more but I have never waited more than 5 minutes for loading and have never been shorted my order. This Bryan, Texas Wal-Mart better fix this problem before more people start abandoning this service. As for me I done with it.
We ordered coffee, organic frosted flakes, personal hygiene pads…and paper towels. It took a week to get them…a week! If I had not had a 19 bucks off coupon I would have canceled the order. Walmart is so far behind (as usual) in understanding what we need. Never again!
We placed an order at the Walmart in Palestine, Tx. We purchased over 300 dollars of groceries , meats, supplies. It was perfect. Nothing missing , a couple of upgrades, my husband picked it up with 2 grandkids. They had a blast. We will continue to use them and encourage others to do so also.
Good to know, Vickye!
I am a Walmart pick-up employee, and you can now use EBT for your online grocery pickup orders!
Thanks for this update, Amy!
We have been using Walmart grocery pick up for over two years now in two locations in Houston Texas. We have had excellent service, and the substitutions have always been better than my selections! One thing I wanted to note here is that although you cannot tip the Walmart employee I am told that if you do the short survey that comes with your emailed receipt and you give the employees name with a positive experience they will receive a gift card to use at Walmart. Therefore, for the Walmart employees benefit ,we do the surveys immediately upon receipt !
Thanks for info, Susan!
My exp today pickup groceries was a very good one, the young lady by the name of Ash was so pleasant and sweet, we just got to talking like we knew each other she is very good with customers.
I AGREE WITH TINA WALMART PICKUP IT!!!! I have had so many bad experiences with Walmart pickup I will no longer shop there. I buy some for others too and so usually spend around $700-$900 a month there. 90% of the time I get charged for items I never recieved. Only to be questions as to wether or not I am lying and then they find the rest of my order in the store. as On one occasion they were loading the groceries I ordered and they had forgot the items from the Pharmacy area totaling over $60 worth of merchandise. Once they realized it they made me sit and wait while they went and got them. Today I was reviewing my bank account and found out that Walmart over charged me for my order once again. The store on E 60th street North in Sioux Falls SD is the worst!! They steal from you and then over charge you on top of it. DO NOT GET YOUR GROCERIES FROM WALMART. I have complained to Customer Service and they have been great but the store manager will laugh at you and degrade you for complaining. Excuses by the dozens and still the problem is not being dealt with. This is by far the worst grocery service there is and is unreliable. I am disabled so I thought this would be good for someone like me but no that is not true. The stress of catching them time and time again at stealing from me is not worth it. There are other avenues for me here in my town. Maybe my money isn’t important to Walmart but they just lost around $1000.00 a month from me. I will not only stop grocery shopping but all items as well will be boughten from another store. Shame on Walmart for being out and out theives in my opinion!!!!!
Wow, it’s too bad this happened, Sandra! I’ve done Walmart pickup at least a dozen times, and the customer service at the store near me has been excellent. The one thing I don’t like is that their system doesn’t allow you to make comments about the items – for example, what size a piece of meat should be.
I’ve tried to order pickup but it’s always a week or 10 days away. Nothing today or tomorrow. I guess I am not that org@nized to know what I wNt for the following week or two. I give up. I was ordering on line and happy u til now there is such a shortage of common things that I can’t order online or they are in-store pick up. I’m certainly not going to order milk for next week when I need it now. I’m just not happy with it at all.
I agree – if the appointment is several days or a week away, it’s hard to know what groceries you’re going to want! If it’s any consolation, in my area the next day appointments are starting to become available again.
I started doing the Walmart online grocery pick up when that mess with Covid started. It is a lot safer and quicker then going into the grocery store. When I first starting ordering using this service back in April, I had to wait about a week before the first available time slot. Now, it is pretty much same day, if not then the next day. I like the part that I can add and change my order as I go along. So far I have had very good experience with picking up my things, wait time is very short once I get there and workers are very friendly. Most of the time my order is ready to go about 15 minutes before my reserved time.
Once thing I noticed recently( and I was wondering if other people noticed that, too). After I pick up my groceries and out everything away, I noticed a few things that I was sure I put on my list, is not there. When I check my order history, it doesn’t show the items I thought I had purchased. So, wasn’t charged for it. First I thought that maybe I meant to to put them on my list and just forgot to add them to check out. But it has happened again a few more times and then checked my email and it showed that I did add them but never got them and was never charged. Not that big of a deal, but I think sometimes the app has a glitch and it doesn’t add items correctly.
Otherwise, I love using Walmart grocery pickup and will continue until i feel comfortable going inside the store again
Hi Patrica – yes, it’s crazy how much COVID has changed grocery shopping! Hopefully things will start to return to normal very soon.