Marin Grocery Delivery: The Complete List
Photo: Remy Haynes, Courtesy of Amazon Fresh
Marin grocery delivery is becoming a popular option for an increasingly time-starved population that would rather go hiking or spend time with family than navigate a grocery cart up and down the aisles each week. Also as more people are working from home, it is easier to to find delivery times that are convenient.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, grocery delivery services in Marin expanded dramatically, with many local stores offering delivery through their own drivers or outsourced via a delivery service. If I am missing a service or store, please add it to the comments at the bottom of this article and I will update accordingly.
Here are the companies currently delivering groceries in Marin County:
(in no particular order)
#1
Grocery delivery from Amazon/ Whole Foods:
Whole Foods (owned by Amazon) has evolved their grocery delivery service in Marin County over the last few years and each time I update this article I am struck by the changes. As of January 2024, Whole Foods has implemented a grocery delivery fee of $9.95 plus tip in our market. According to this article, they are testing a new grocery subscription for their Prime members which provides free grocery delivery for orders over $35 for $9.99 a month. This test does not include grocery delivery in Marin County. Click here to read more about it. In Marin County, orders north of Sir Francis Drake are filled from the Novato store, while orders south are filled from the Mill Valley Blithedale Store. (Thanks to Brian Woodson for this information!)
New in January 2024: Whole Foods just added the ability to “reserve a delivery window” before you create your order. One of the challenges in the past was spending all the time to put together an order, only to find there were no suitable windows available.
I frequently utilize the curbside pickup option, where you can place the order online, drive to the store, park in an assigned curbside pickup space, and someone will bring your order out to your vehicle. It is easy and quick — I have never had to wait more than 2-3 minutes for my groceries.
The delivery vehicles that bring your food are passenger vehicles and appear to be re-purposed Uber / Lyft drivers from what I can tell. Click here to begin your Whole Foods delivery order.
#2
”Instacart does not maintain warehouses or trucks. Instead, the service is assembled out of found parts — existing supermarkets, willing part-time workers and their cars. The model has many advantages.”
2. INSTACART: Instacart is a venture-capital funded company based in San Francisco, and has a unique model. They contract with part-time workers (ala Uber) who do your shopping for you at local markets and bring your groceries to your home. These workers (“personal shoppers”) sometimes sit in their cars in parking lots of local markets, waiting for an order to come through on the app. They then quickly fill your order — all the while providing status updates on the Instacart app on your mobile phone.
According to their website, “Instacart delivery starts at $3.99 for same-day orders over $35. Fees vary for one-hour deliveries, club store deliveries, and deliveries under $35. You see the delivery fee when choosing your delivery window at checkout. Instacart+ members get free delivery on orders over $35 or more per retailer. All orders must be at least $10 qualify for delivery. They also may add a variety of service fees to your order at checkout,
In Marin County, Instacart currently provides items from Mollie Stone’s, Smart & Final, Sprouts, Costco, CVS Pharmacy, Safeway, Petco and BevMo. Prices are the same as in store except for Costco and Safeway, where a premium is added.
Here is what they have to say about pricing on their website: “Retailers set the prices of products available for delivery on the Instacart platform. In some cases, prices may be higher than in-store. Although Instacart may not honor in-store discounts, we do offer exclusive coupons for select items.” It appears that deliveries over $35 are “free” but they also say that there may be “fees” added and that there is surge pricing during busy times. They used to offer a $149 per year membership but I no longer see mention of that on their website.
Take note that tipping is encouraged — they automatically add a 5% tip to your order which you can revise up or down in the final checkout process. You may increase your tip up to 14 days after delivery or reduce your tip up to 2 hours after delivery.
#3
3. United Markets: Marin’s United Markets has also jumped into the Marin grocery delivery market with two different options. There’s a $9.98 flat-fee option, as well as a $5.98 store pick up (San Rafael only) option. Prices are the same as in store, and there are no membership fees. They do not offer deliveries on Thursdays or Sundays. Learn more by watching the Youtube video here or visiting their delivery “how it works” page here.
#4
4. Safeway Markets: In addition to their partnership with Instacart (above), Safeway also offers their own grocery delivery and pick-up services. Their website requires you to create an account to see terms and pricing on these services, so I am hoping that someone who has used them can add the fees and information in the comments below so I can add them to this section. Click here to go to the Safeway delivery and pickup page for Marin.
#5
5. Good Eggs: Serving southern and central Marin up to Terra Linda (sorry, Novato!), Good Eggs is another San Francisco startup that has joined the Marin grocery delivery scene. For those who prioritize locally sourced and organic products, Good Eggs is a standout grocery delivery service in Marin County. Partnering with local farmers and producers, Good Eggs offers a curated selection of high-quality, sustainable goods. The platform allows customers to support local businesses while enjoying the convenience of home delivery.
According to their website, they “curate a marketplace full of the best local, organic produce, sustainable meat and fish, and delicious grocery staples.” Selection is smaller than the the other options, but my gourmet friends in Marin will love their selection of charcuterie, cheeses and organic produce.
According to their website:
“Good Eggs offers two membership options for you to choose from:
- Monthly Membership: Enjoy no delivery fees and just one flat $5 service fee per order, regardless of order size, priority customer service, and surprise and delight moments for $29 per month – a savings of $50+ per month on average.
- Annual Membership: Save even more with our annual membership offering and enjoy all the benefits year-round for $299 per year.”
#6
MILL VALLEY MARKET
6. Mill Valley Market: Mill Valley market has added curbside pickup (just open your trunk) and delivery to Mill Valley addresses. Same-day pickup is $10 and delivery is $10 plus $12 Mill Valley delivery charge. According to their website, “Deliveries are made only on Mondays and Saturdays. All orders received on other days will be saved and delivered on the soonest Monday or Saturday.”
Thank you to Janet Dresser for this tip / information!
#7
7. Costco Wholesale: Costco Wholesale located in Novato offers two Marin grocery delivery options, same day and two-day. Their same-day service is provided via Instacart (see above section), while their two-day service is handled by Costco. Here’s the info from their website:
“What is Same-Day Delivery?
With Same-Day Delivery, Costco members in qualifying ZIP codes can order perishable groceries online, including organic meats, produce and seafood. Items are delivered during a selected delivery window for your convenience.
Same-Day Delivery uses Instacart, a national delivery service. After you finish adding items to your online shopping cart, Instacart assigns the order to a personal shopper. Item not in stock? Your Instacart shopper will text or call to discuss a substitute, or refund you for that item. The order minimum is $35.
After they finish your grocery list, the Instacart shopper will deliver your order. You must be present.
What is 2-Day Delivery?
Running out of essentials but can’t make it to your local Costco? Use Costco 2-Day Delivery to order cleaning supplies, organic non-perishables, coffee, bath tissue, laundry detergent, snacks and more. Plus there’s no separate delivery fee for orders of $75 or more.
Your online order will be shipped and delivered like any other package. All you need to do is unbox! 2-Day Delivery is currently available nationwide, except in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.”
#8
7. Andy’s Local Market: Andy’s Local Market (Sun Valley, Loch Lomond, Corte Madera) offered free delivery for orders over $25 during the COVID-19 crisis, but have discontinued that and now rely upon Instacart (see above).
#9
8. Good Earth Natural Foods: Good Earth (Fairfax & Mill Valley) is now delivering to Fairfax and Mill Valley only. The delivery fee is $15 + a fulfillment fee of $4.98 so total delivery fee is $19.98. There is also a $50 order minimum. You may click here for more details.
Note: as of this writing, there are no details about delivery and pickup pricing on their website so the above may be outdated.
#10
9. Marinwood Market: Marinwood Market in Lucas Valley offered curbside pickup during the pandemic, but I no longer see mention of it on their website.
The availability of diverse grocery delivery services in Marin County reflects the changing landscape of consumer preferences and the increasing demand for convenience. Whether you prefer the flexibility of Instacart, the reliability of Amazon / Whole Foods, the familiarity of Safeway, the local touch of Good Eggs/United, or the savings of Costco, there is a grocery delivery service that caters to your needs. Embracing these services not only simplifies the shopping experience but also allows residents to make informed choices about their food preferences and support local businesses in the process. As technology continues to advance, the landscape of grocery delivery services in Marin County is likely to evolve, providing even more options and conveniences for the residents of our vibrant community. I will endevaour to keep this list of Marin grocery delivery options updated for your reference.
If I have missed any Marin grocery delivery options, please add them in the comments below and I will update this article. As always, if I can be of any assistance with your Marin real estate needs, please text or call me at 415-847.5574.
About the Author
Thomas Henthorne is consistently top-ranked, award-winning real estate agent in Marin, helping people buy and sell homes for almost a decade. He writes the #1 real estate blog in Marin County and is a frequent speaker on panels at industry gatherings.
He may be reached at 415-847-5584.
I don’t like how Instacart works. They don’t pay their workers and then expect your tip to cover their salary + health insurance.
Thank you so much, Thomas, for putting this list together! I met you at an open house last year. Hoping you and your family are safe through this crisis.
I’m glad you found it helpful, Janice. Hope to see you again at another open house when it’s safe to have them. Good health to you and yours as well.
Thomas,
Thank you for sharing this valuable information.
A couple of things for you to add with your next update.
Whole Foods is now offering delivery from the Blithedale location in Mill Valley. That location is handling orders from the Sir Francis Drake Blvd offramp of south 101 to Sausalito.
The Novato Whole Foods is handling all delivery orders from Novato to the Sir Francis Drake Blvd offramp.
Also, the San Rafael Whole Foods is now offering curbside pickup for orders placed online.
Brian, thank you so much for the info! I will add it right now. It was great to wake up this morning to your helpful comment. Do you have any idea of how quickly they are able to add drivers / delivery slots? Right now it’s extremely difficult to get a delivery slot. Thanks again and be well, Thomas
Thanks for this list! Please add Marinwood Market north of Lucas Valley Road, just off Hwy 101 (155 Marinwood Ave #1521, San Rafael, CA 94903):
I called Monday and confirmed this item in another source, including the email for ordering and the method for pickup, except: they DO NOT offer this service on Thursdays or on weekends, only Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
“For curbside pickup at the Marinwood Market, order the day before by email (marinwoodmarket@gmail.com) and pick it up the next day. Someone will put your groceries in your car. Open your trunk, so the delivery person doesn’t need to touch your car. You need to leave your credit card under the windshield wiper and they will take it inside, swipe it, and bring it back to you.”
They can accept EBT if you are willing to go into the store just to swipe the card and enter your PIN. Your PIN shouldn’t be given out.
Pat, thank you for the information – that’s great! I have added Marinwood Market to the list. Thank you again and be well, Thomas
Thanks, this is a great service!
Hi Thomas. I’m unclear how to find restaurants that will deliver to Tiburon. I can go to each town on your website, but that seems to imply that only residents of that town can order delivery from restaurants in the same town. Is there a site or section of your website where I can determine who will deliver to me or who otherwise considers Tiburon out of their service area? Or do I have to go each town, then visit each restaurant’s website, in order to see where that particular restaurant delivers? I am not interested in any restaurants in Tiburon (2 good ones closed permanently). But there are several in Mill Valley and Sausalito I’d like to try. I have a favorite restaurant in San Anselmo, but why would they want to deliver as far away as Tiburon?
My wife and I also participated in Great Plates Delivered if you would like some informal comments. Great Plates is no longer offered in Marin, but is up and running all over California where the experience has been more posit
Hi Ted,
I think you might want to check out my food delivery services blog article here on my website:
List of Restaurant Delivery Services in Marin
Near the top of the article is a list of services that deliver from restaurants all over Marin, such as Dine in Marin and Grubhub. Hope this helps and be well!
Very best, Thomas
are there any services that deliver to Dillon beach?
Sorry, Daniel, not that I know of.