In a Nutshell
pros
- Wide selection of fresh produce
- Express 2-hour delivery available
- Offers alcohol delivery
cons
- More expensive than most grocery stores
- Operates in a limited geographic area
FreshDirect at a Glance
Services available: Grocery delivery, alcohol delivery
Price per delivery: $5.99 (minimum $30 order)
Delivery options: 2-hour delivery, next-day delivery, up to one-week advanced scheduled delivery
Subscription options:
6-month mid-week: $39
6-month unlimited: $79
12-month unlimited: $129
What’s Unique About FreshDirect?
FreshDirect uses its own warehouses to fulfill orders rather than relying on existing grocery stores. That enables the company to stock a wider range of items than many local grocers, including fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, and pre-prepared foods. On top of that, FreshDirect’s self-fulfillment model allows it to offer discounts on in-season produce.
One of the unique things about FreshDirect is that the company enables you to schedule deliveries up to a week ahead of time. And even when you book a week in advance, FreshDirect will give you a 3-hour window for when your groceries will show up at your door. So, that makes this service ideal for people with busy schedules who want to use a grocery delivery service instead of making a weekly shopping run.
Another thing that’s worth noting about FreshDirect is its geographic range. Instead of operating in several major cities across the country, FreshDirect focuses on the tri-state area around New York City. The company can deliver groceries anywhere within New York City’s 5 boroughs, plus most of northern New Jersey, Long Island, and the area around Philadelphia. FreshDirect even makes deliveries to the Jersey Shore and the Hamptons during the summer months, knowing that many New Yorkers spend their summers in these beach areas.
How It Works
Ordering groceries with FreshDirect is simple. You can see all of the company’s available products and deals before you create an account, and products are organized into categories to make it easier to find what you need.
We especially like that categories such as Seafood and Meat have a Prepped subheading, so you can quickly find ready-to-cook meals if you’re ordering ahead for dinner. Another nice feature is that you can sort products in any category by nutritional attributes, such as fat content. FreshDirect also has a mobile app for iOS and Android devices if you want to order groceries on the go.
Once you’ve added items to your cart, you can check out and choose a delivery option.
Delivery Options
FreshDirect has 3 different delivery options available:
Express: Express delivery arrives within 2 hours of your order, and you receive a 1-hour delivery window. This service is only available in parts of Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, and your selection of products is limited.
Standard: Standard delivery can arrive either the same or the next day, and you receive a 3-hour delivery window. With this shipping service, you have access to FreshDirect’s full selection of products.
Scheduled: FreshDirect allows you to schedule a standard delivery up to one week in advance. Scheduled deliveries have a 3-hour delivery window around your chosen time slot.
One thing to note about FreshDirect’s delivery options is that time slots do fill up fast, especially if you want to receive your groceries on the same day that you order. If that happens, you’ll need to choose a different delivery time slot.
Pricing
Membership
FreshDirect charges $5.99 for deliveries throughout most of its operating area, regardless of whether you choose Express, Standard, or Scheduled delivery. In Westchester County, Nassau County, and New Jersey, the delivery fee can be up to $7.99. The cost for summer delivery to the Hamptons is $15.99.
FreshDirect also has a subscription membership called DeliveryPass, which offers free delivery to most areas as well as access to members-only delivery time slots. DeliveryPass starts at $39 for a 6-month membership which only offers free deliveries from Tuesday to Friday. A full DeliveryPass membership, which includes free delivery on weekends, costs $79 for 6 months or $129 for 12 months.
Help & Support
FreshDirect’s customer service team is available from 6:30 AM to 12:30 AM (ET), 7 days a week. You can get in touch by phone, email, or live chat. If you experience a problem with your order and just want a credit back to your account, FreshDirect offers a simple request form that only takes a minute to fill out.
Bottom Line
FreshDirect is a grocery delivery service that operates in the New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. regions. The company charges just $5.99 for most deliveries. Alternatively, you can purchase a DeliveryPass membership to get free deliveries and access to reserved delivery time slots.
FreshDirect offers 2-hour delivery in parts of New York City and same-day delivery throughout most of its operating range. You can also schedule grocery delivery up to a week in advance and get a 3-hour delivery window. That makes it ideal for people with busy schedules who want to use FreshDirect to fulfill their weekly food shopping list.
