What Is Kroger Boost?
Instacart, DoorDash, UberEats and everything in between will take care of your grocery and food delivery needs. But one that not many people talk about may end up being the best option out there. That is why Mary Graves put this guest together for us answering the questions, what is Kroger boost? And why it may be the best option out there for food delivery services.
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Kroger Boost Overview
Kroger has enhanced its Fuel Points program with an ability to double your points on groceries and general merchandise purchases. The program is called Boost and it is a subscription-based service that offers 2X fuel points and free delivery.
Kroger Boost Pricing Details
There are two types of annual membership available for Kroger Boost:
- Entry level is $59 per year and includes 2X points and free Next Day deliveries on orders of $35 or more.
- The higher level is $99 and includes 2X fuel points and free 2-hour or less same day deliveries.
Once enrolled, Boost will work in the entire family of Kroger stores (which are available in 35 states). You earn double fuel points with Boost but it comes with the following exceptions:
- Fuel
- Prescriptions
- Fred Meyer jewelers
- The Little Clinic
- Fred Meyer Direct
- Homechef.com
- Vitacost.com
- Kroger SHIP
- Kroger Rush
- Murray’s Cheese
- Any Ruler
- Food $ Less
- Kroger Delivery Now
Also – there is no boost on purchases of alcohol, tobacco, GIFT CARDS, money services, lottery tickets, postage stamps, delivery services, and Boost membership fee.
When there are promotions for additional fuel points (like the 2X points for weekend purchases in July), one additional fuel point is awarded. That means you would earn 3X during those time frames.
What If I Like Boost So Much I Want Faster Deliveries?
If you start at the $59 plan, you can always upgrade later by calling Kroger at 1-833-557-4278. I chose the $99 plan for the convenience of having groceries delivered quickly. This is something I would have NEVER done before the pandemic. But my free Walmart Plus subscription through my Amex Platinum has helped me save dozens of hours driving and shopping at Walmart. So now the idea of replicating this with Kroger is appealing for the time savings, the fuel savings but also the Uber savings. Save on Uber you say, how so?
Kroger Boost Can Be Super Handy While Traveling
Well, when the Graves family travels, we usually have a kitchen and do most of our meals by cooking in. Sometimes the only transportation we use while on vacation is a ride share or rental car – specifically to get groceries to our condo or beach house. Having just spent a week at the heaviest summer traffic I’ve ever seen at Hilton Head beach, I am very agreeable to letting someone else shop for me and deliver groceries to my door. And – except for Hawaii – everywhere we have traveled domestically in the past two years has a store in the Kroger brand family.
The logistics are pretty easy. Once you have enrolled in Boost, make your in-store or online purchase using your Kroger card or alternate ID to log in. If you are setting up delivery, you will, of course, log in via computer or app. At this point you can select a delivery slot based on your Boost membership and availability. I did this last week and felt like the experience was very similar to online order/pickup – except they brought the groceries to my house. The order delivery was fulfilled by Instacart and Boost membership does not cover driver tips.
Awesome Discounts & Coupons For Boost Members
The Boost promotional materials also list some perks such as automatic savings on Vitacost, Murray’s Cheese and Home Chef – but the offers are very comparable to what is publicly available. What is extra are the additional digital coupons available only to Boost members. Some of these will be emailed to you – some you will just notice as you download your coupons digitally. DO look for these in coupons! In the first 2 weeks of Boost, I saved $24 on just the additional coupons which included one for free bacon. Talk about bringing home the bacon!
How To Save Money On Your Boost Membership Cost
Before I purchased this subscription, I searched (in vain) for a way to stack the savings. There is a Kroger Savings Club listed in the Cashback Portal – but it is for their prescription drug program. I use this program also and it is a real money saver, as well. There is now a Chase offer for 5% – 10% back now available. I found it available for my United Visa. Overall, I am happy to have a fairly easy way to nearly double my number of fuel points!
What Is Kroger Boost? Editor Notes
Another big thanks to Mary for a great write up of the Kroger Boost program. Hopefully she answered the question, what is Kroger Boost? She also answered questions you may have on how much it costs and what perks, or discounts, the program offers. I found it eye opening of what you can get for as little as $59.
It got me thinking, if you spend $500 on groceries a month the extra fuel point per dollar can add up to another $17.50 in fuel savings every month. That is assuming you max out the 35 gallons of course. Even if you use it just on 15 gallons of gas every month that is $7.50 in savings. That perk alone nets you $90 a year in savings (at the 15 gallon a month level), more than covering the $59 membership cost. Throw in the coupons etc. that you get with the program and it can add up to a nice win long term. Getting your groceries delivered, and the time you save not going to the store, is just icing on the cake.
I also found it interesting that the orders are fulfilled by Instacart. The Kroger program is $40 a year cheaper, for the $59 option at least, and is done by them anyway. Granted, you get way more store options with Instacart, but if Kroger is your go to anyway then that is a luxury you don’t need to pay for here.
What do you think about the Kroger Boost program? Has Mary swayed you a bit like she did me?
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I shop at Rulers and it’s ran like an Aldi store, not a Kroger. I can swipe my Kroger card but can’t use Kroger coupons. Forget fueling up or grocery delivery.
I’m unlikely to use boost but that’s more because I really like going through the grocery store and seeing what’s available/looks good/is on sale and devising a menu from that. Still, for people who are less picky about produce and improvise less it sounds pretty good.
Produce is the main hang up for people for sure.
The prices seem JACKED UP
Prices of the food etc?
No she didn’t sway me because I’m already using boost and love it! Having groceries delivered for free while I’ve been recovering from surgery has been a lifesaver. Even adding in the tip, it’s worth it.
I was thinking while our family had covid how much harder it would have been 10-20 years ago without food delivery and Amazon etc. since we were stuck at home and not a lot of family around etc. Glad to hear it is working out for you and these programs can be huge after things like surgeries etc. for sure.
So you still tip on every order 20 percent? That adds up to nearly $800 a year if you say shop weekly and spend $15 on tips each time.
Great question, i was wondering the same thing. Instacart website recommends 5% tip, so if we spent our entire family grocery/household budget at a Kroger store ($1000/month), that’s an extra $50 a month or $600/year. Since we’re mobile and have no other logistical difficulties, the convenience (compared to just doing pick-up orders, which are free at our local store for totals of $35+) don’t seem to make sense.