Walmart Will Now Deliver Groceries to Your Door

If you feel that self-checkout lanes still involve an unacceptable risk of mingling with other humans, Walmart is prepared to make you an even better offer. Beginning this year, the retailer will be offering grocery delivery service from more than 800 of their stores, reaching an estimated 40 percent of the country.

The move comes after Amazon’s recent announcement that they would be shuttling food from the recently acquired Whole Foods chain to Amazon Prime customers in under two hours for no charge. Walmart’s plan doesn’t involve a subscription fee; instead, users will be charged $9.95 for delivery, with a minimum $30 order. Prices on delivery items will be the same as in the store.

Consumers in participating regions will be able to select items from the Walmart website or app. The company will then enlist a “personal shopper” trained in selecting cuts of meat and fresh produce to gather the items and then route them to homes via Uber or another ride service, typically within a window of 3 to 4 hours.

The store-to-door service is currently in a handful of trial locations, but Walmart is expected to expand delivery zones quickly, with plans to eventually reach every U.S. household.