Will DoorDash, Instacart and other food services deliver to Raleigh customers during snow?
Snow or ice may make some in the Triangle pause before venturing out onto the roads, but their need to eat doesn’t fall with the temperatures.
In response, they may turn to delivery companies such as DoorDash, Instacart and Grubhub to do their grocery shopping or takeout runs for them. But in hazardous weather conditions, delivery may not be available.
The News & Observer asked popular delivery platforms for their responses to winter weather. Here’s what to know.
Will DoorDash deliver in snow?
The company’s “Severe Weather Protocol,” which temporarily suspends operations, kicks in to help keep DoorDash drivers safe during extreme weather-related conditions.
DoorDash has suspended operations in North Carolina before, company spokesperson Julian Crowley told The N&O in an email, including in response to hurricanes.
While the company suspended operations in places including Missouri and Kansas during the recent Winter Storm Blair, it was business as usual in Raleigh and Durham.
Even if DoorDash doesn’t suspend operations, though, DoorDash drivers may choose not to work. The company encourages drivers to “follow local guidance and prioritize their well-being” while working during winter weather, Crowley said.
DoorDash customers are asked to be patient during winter and turn on their outdoor lights to help out the delivery drivers.
Will Grubhub deliver in snow?
Grubhub may pause operations during “extreme weather” for safety reasons, a company spokesperson told The N&O in an email.
Decisions are based on “factors including conditions on the ground and guidance from local officials.”
Grubhub encourages customers to be patient and tip drivers “generously.”
Will Instacart deliver in snow?
Triangle customers can use Instacart to get groceries delivered from stores such as Publix, Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Sprouts and Aldi.
Similar to DoorDash, Instacart may close service in certain regions in “extreme weather circumstances,” Lauren Svensson, the direcor of Consumer, Product & Technology Communications at Instacart, told The N&O in an email.
If stores are open, Instacart shoppers should be able to fulfill orders. But shoppers may choose not to accept an order or not to work on a given day.
This story was originally published January 10, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Will DoorDash, Instacart and other food services deliver to Raleigh customers during snow?."
