The 3rd Instacart Hack

The one I didn’t want to put in the email
Hack #3
The “Post-Delivery Tip Adjustment” Trick

Here’s the one that’s a little controversial:

The trick: Set your tip to 5% (minimum) when you place the order. Then, after delivery, adjust the tip based on actual service quality.

Why it works: Instacart lets you change your tip up to 24 hours after delivery. Most people don’t know this. So you’re not stuck overpaying for bad service.

The steps:

  1. Place order with 5% tip (the minimum)
  2. Rate the delivery after it arrives
  3. Go to “Your Orders” → select the order
  4. Tap “Adjust Tip”
  5. Increase if great service, leave if average, decrease if poor

The savings: Average user saves $8-15 per order by not over-tipping on bad service.

⚠️ Why this is controversial:

Some shoppers complain about this trick because they rely on tips. The “fair” approach is to tip well for good service and adjust down only when it’s genuinely bad. Don’t be a jerk about it.

Bonus Hack
The “Free Delivery Threshold” Split

Orders over $35 get free delivery. If your cart is $32, don’t add random stuff — do this instead:

  1. Split into 2 orders: $20 + $12
  2. Use the “$10 off $15+” promo (always available for new items)
  3. Net cost: $12 + $2 delivery = $14 (vs $32 original)

Savings: $18 per shop if you do it right.

Note: These are independent tips based on user research. Not affiliated with Instacart. Always follow Instacart’s terms of service and tip fairly for good service.
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