Sam's Club is one of the biggest warehouse club stores in the country, with nearly 600 locations and millions of members. Many seniors and their families already shop there for bulk staples like paper products, pantry goods, and frozen foods. What a lot of people do not realize is that Sam's Club also offers grocery delivery in most areas, powered by Instacart.
This guide explains how Sam's Club delivery works, what it costs, how to use SNAP EBT, and whether it makes sense for a senior household. We also cover curbside pickup, which is free and a good option if someone in the household can drive to the store.
Why Sam's Club Grocery Delivery Makes Sense for Seniors
Sam's Club sells many items in bulk, which can save money over time. For a senior couple or a single senior who cooks at home, buying rice, oats, canned goods, frozen fruit, and household staples in larger sizes means fewer trips to the store and a lower cost per serving. Delivery adds a fee, but the bulk savings can offset it.
For seniors who do not drive, have mobility issues, or live in an area without many grocery options nearby, delivery from Sam's Club can bring a wider selection of products than a small local store. The same warehouse-club prices you get in the store apply to delivery orders placed through the Sam's Club app.
Adult children helping a parent from out of town can place orders using the parent's Sam's Club account or their own Instacart account, with the delivery address set to the parent's home. This is one of the easiest ways to keep a parent's pantry stocked without making a trip yourself.
How Sam's Club Same-Day Delivery Works
Sam's Club partners with Instacart for same-day grocery delivery. That means a personal shopper receives your order on their phone, walks the aisles of your nearest Sam's Club, picks your items, checks out, and drives them to your address. Most orders arrive within one to four hours of placing them.
You can place an order three ways:
- Sam's Club website at samsclub.com — sign in with your membership, choose delivery, and check out.
- Sam's Club app on a smartphone or tablet — same process, often faster to browse.
- Instacart app or website at Instacart — select Sam's Club as your store. You do not need a Sam's Club membership to order this way, but item prices run slightly higher than the in-club price.
When you order through Sam's Club directly, you pay the same price you would pay in the store. When you order through Instacart, you pay Instacart's price, which is marked up a small amount over the in-store price. For seniors who already have a Sam's Club membership, ordering through the Sam's Club app is usually the cheaper path.
After you place your order, the shopper picks your items. You can see their progress on the app and send a message if you want to swap an item or add a note. The shopper delivers to your door. If you are not home, they can leave the bags at the door with your permission.
Sam's Club Membership Options for Seniors
To order delivery through the Sam's Club app or website, you need an active Sam's Club membership. Sam's Club offers two main membership levels:
Club Membership — $50 per year
The basic membership. It gives one person access to Sam's Club prices, both in-store and online. You can add a free household card so another person at the same address can also shop. This membership works for delivery orders and curbside pickup.
Plus Membership — $110 per year
The higher tier. It includes everything in the Club membership plus 2% cash back on qualifying purchases (capped at $500 per year), free add-ons, and early shopping hours. If a senior household spends more than $3,000 per year at Sam's Club, the 2% cash back covers the $60 difference between the two tiers.
If you do not want to commit to a full year, Sam's Club sometimes offers a $20 one-day shopping pass for non-members who want to try the store. This pass does not work for online delivery orders, though — it is in-store only.
For seniors who already have a membership and want delivery, there is no extra membership fee. The membership you already have covers delivery orders at the same in-club prices.
Same-Day Delivery Fees and Tipping
The delivery fee on a Sam's Club same-day order depends on the order size and the time slot. Here is what to expect:
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery fee | Starts at $7.99 | Varies by location, time, and order size |
| Service fee | 5% of order subtotal | Waived with Instacart+ membership |
| Tip for shopper | Optional, 10-20% suggested | 100% goes to the shopper |
| Busy pricing | Extra $2-5 during peak times | Weekends, holidays, and dinner rush |
If you order through the Sam's Club app, you pay the delivery fee but not the Instacart service fee. If you order through the Instacart app, you pay both the delivery fee and the 5% service fee unless you have Instacart+.
Instacart+ membership costs $99 per year or $9.99 per month and waives delivery fees and service fees on orders over $35 from most stores, including Sam's Club. For a senior who orders delivery more than twice a month, Instacart+ can save money. For a household that orders once a month or less, paying per order is cheaper.
Tipping is separate from the fees. The shopper keeps 100% of the tip. A tip of $5 to $10 on a typical $80 to $150 order is fair. You can add the tip in the app before or after delivery.
What You Can Order: Bulk Groceries Online
Sam's Club delivery includes most of what you can buy in the club. That means groceries, household items, and some general merchandise. The online selection is not identical to the in-store selection, but it covers the common items most seniors buy.
Items that ship well for delivery:
- Pantry staples like rice, pasta, oats, flour, sugar, cooking oil, and canned goods in larger sizes.
- Frozen foods like frozen vegetables, frozen fruit, fish, and ready-to-heat meals.
- Dairy and eggs including milk, cheese, butter, and large flats of eggs.
- Fresh produce — bagged salads, apples, bananas, potatoes, onions, and seasonal fruit.
- Meat and poultry in family packs — ground beef, chicken breasts, pork chops, and rotisserie chickens.
- Household items like paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent, and trash bags in bulk packs.
Items that usually do not ship for delivery include large electronics, furniture, tires, and some oversized products. Those ship separately through Sam's Club standard shipping, which can take a few days.
One thing to keep in mind: Sam's Club sells in bulk sizes. A single milk container may be a gallon, and a pack of chicken may be five pounds. If you live alone and do not cook much, bulk sizes can mean food waste. For a single senior, splitting an order with a neighbor or freezing portions right away is a good approach.
Using SNAP EBT with Sam's Club
Sam's Club accepts SNAP EBT for online orders, both for curbside pickup and for delivery. This is good news for seniors who rely on SNAP benefits and want to shop at warehouse-club prices.
How it works:
- Open the Sam's Club app or website and sign in with your membership.
- Build your cart with eligible food items.
- At checkout, select EBT as your payment method for the food items.
- Pay the delivery fee, tip, and any non-food items with a separate card or another payment method.
EBT covers most food items: bread, cereal, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, and snack foods. It does not cover household items like paper towels, cleaning supplies, vitamins, or hot prepared foods. Sam's Club's app marks EBT-eligible items with a label as you browse, so you can tell at a glance what your benefits will cover.
If you order through the Instacart app instead of the Sam's Club app, EBT works the same way. Instacart added EBT support for Sam's Club orders in 2022. You still pay delivery fees and tips with a separate card.
For help applying for SNAP benefits, call your local Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-677-1116 or visit eldercare.acl.gov. Many states also have online SNAP applications through their state health department website.
Curbside Pickup vs Delivery
Sam's Club offers curbside pickup for free at nearly all of its locations. If someone in the household can drive to the store, pickup saves the delivery fee and the tip. You place the order the same way — on the Sam's Club app or website — and choose a pickup time. A Sam's Club employee brings the order out to your car and loads it for you.
Curbside pickup makes sense when:
- You already pass the store on a regular route.
- You want to avoid the delivery fee on a small order.
- You need the order the same day and delivery slots are full.
- You are picking up for a parent and can drop the bags off on your way home.
Delivery makes sense when:
- No one in the household can drive to the store.
- The senior lives alone and cannot carry heavy bags from a car.
- You live in a different city than your parent and cannot pick up for them.
- The weather is bad or the senior is recovering from an illness.
For a senior who does not drive, free curbside pickup is not much help unless a family member or a friend can pick up. In that case, delivery is the better fit. Many families use both: pickup for the big monthly stock-up, delivery for the weekly top-up.
Sam's Club Delivery vs Costco Delivery
Sam's Club and Costco are the two biggest warehouse clubs in the United States, and many seniors have a membership at one or the other. Both offer grocery delivery. Here is how they compare on the points that matter for a senior household.
| Feature | Sam's Club | Costco |
|---|---|---|
| Annual membership | $50 (Club) or $110 (Plus) | $65 (Gold Star) or $130 (Executive) |
| Same-day delivery partner | Instacart | Instacart (Costco Same-Day) |
| Delivery fee | From $7.99 | From $7.99 |
| EBT for delivery | Yes | Yes |
| Curbside pickup | Free | Not offered |
| 2-day shipping (non-perishables) | Free for Plus members | Free for most items over $35 |
| Cash back on membership | 2% with Plus | 2% with Executive |
The biggest difference for seniors is curbside pickup. Sam's Club offers it for free at nearly every location. Costco does not offer curbside pickup at all — if you want to avoid delivery fees at Costco, someone has to walk into the store. For a senior with a driver in the family, Sam's Club pickup is a real money saver.
You can read our full Costco delivery guide at Costco Grocery Delivery for Seniors to compare in more detail.
If you do not have a strong preference between the two, the choice often comes down to which store is closer to your home. Both clubs have similar prices on most staples, and both use Instacart for same-day delivery.
Tips for Seniors Using Sam's Club Delivery
A few practical habits make Sam's Club delivery work better for a senior household:
- Order with a family member's help. If your parent is not comfortable with the app, you can place the order from your phone using their membership number and delivery address. Set the time slot so the senior is home to receive the bags.
- Stick to a monthly big order. Delivery fees add up if you order every week. One large order a month for pantry and household staples, plus a smaller weekly order for fresh produce, is the pattern that keeps costs down.
- Use curbside pickup when you can. It is free and saves the delivery fee and tip. If a neighbor, friend, or family member can drive, send them with the order.
- Check the unit price. Sam's Club bulk sizes are usually cheaper per ounce, but not always. The app shows the price per unit so you can compare to your local grocery store before you commit.
- Freeze what you will not eat in a week. Bulk meat, bread, and even milk can be frozen in smaller portions. This cuts waste and stretches the savings.
- Add a tip in the app, not in cash. Tips added in the app go straight to the shopper. Cash tips work too, but the app version is simpler for a senior who does not want to handle money at the door.
- Use the chat feature to swap items. If the store is out of your usual brand, the shopper can message you through the app to suggest a replacement. This keeps the order moving without a second trip.
One thing to watch: Sam's Club delivery through Instacart can show "out of stock" on popular items during busy weeks. If a senior relies on a specific brand of bread or a specific medication-friendly snack, order early in the day, before the shelves get picked over.
Sam's Club Delivery for Seniors on a Fixed Income
For seniors on a fixed income, the question is whether the bulk savings at Sam's Club outweigh the membership cost and the delivery fees. Here is a simple way to think about it.
A $50 Club membership costs about $4.17 per month. If a senior household saves more than $5 per month by buying bulk staples at Sam's Club prices instead of regular grocery store prices, the membership pays for itself. For most seniors who cook at home and buy paper goods, rice, oil, and canned goods regularly, that is easy to clear.
Delivery fees are the bigger variable. At $7.99 per order plus a tip, a monthly delivery order costs about $15 to $18. If the bulk savings on that one order are higher than $18, delivery still saves money over shopping at a pricier local store.
For more on keeping grocery costs low, see our guide on Grocery Delivery for Seniors on a Fixed Income. For seniors who use SNAP, see our full SNAP EBT Grocery Delivery Guide for Seniors.
Common Questions About Sam's Club Delivery
Does Sam's Club offer grocery delivery for seniors?
Yes. Sam's Club offers same-day grocery delivery through Instacart in most areas with a Sam's Club location. You can order from the Sam's Club website, the Sam's Club app, or the Instacart app using your Sam's Club membership. A personal shopper picks your items and delivers them to your door, usually within a few hours.
How much does Sam's Club grocery delivery cost?
Delivery fees start at $7.99 per order for same-day delivery via Instacart, but the exact fee depends on your location, time slot, and order size. You also pay a 5% service fee on the order total unless you have an Instacart+ membership, which waives the service fee. Tipping the driver is separate and optional but appreciated.
Does Sam's Club delivery accept SNAP EBT?
Yes. Sam's Club accepts SNAP EBT for both curbside pickup and delivery orders placed through the Sam's Club app or website. You can use your EBT card for eligible food items at checkout. You still need to pay delivery fees, tips, and any non-eligible items with another payment method.
Do I need a Sam's Club membership for delivery?
Yes for orders placed through Sam's Club directly or the Sam's Club app. A standard Club membership costs $50 per year and a Plus membership costs $110 per year. If you order through the Instacart app instead, you do not need a Sam's Club membership, but you will pay slightly higher item prices and the standard Instacart service fee.
Can a family member order Sam's Club delivery for a senior?
Yes. An adult child or caregiver can place a Sam's Club delivery order for a senior parent using the Sam's Club app or Instacart. You can set the delivery address to your parent's home and pay with your own card. Many families use the same Sam's Club membership by adding a household card to the account.
Your Next Steps
If Sam's Club delivery sounds right for your household, here is a short checklist to get started:
- Check if Sam's Club delivers to your address. Go to samsclub.com, sign in or create an account, enter your ZIP code, and look for the "Delivery" option on a product page.
- Confirm your membership is active. If you do not have one, a $50 Club membership is the cheapest option that works for delivery. You can sign up online or at the customer service desk in any Sam's Club.
- Add a household card if another person at the same address shops for the senior. This is free with a Club membership.
- Try one delivery order first. Pick your usual staples — paper goods, pantry items, frozen foods — and see how the prices, the shopper, and the delivery window feel before you commit to a routine.
- Set up EBT in the app if you use SNAP benefits. Add your EBT card as a payment method and the app will show which items are EBT-eligible.
- Decide on a monthly pattern. One big delivery per month for staples, plus curbside pickup or a small fresh-produce order mid-month, is the pattern most senior households settle on.
- Ask for help if you need it. Call your local Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-677-1116 for help with SNAP applications, transportation, or finding a volunteer driver for curbside pickup.
If Sam's Club is not the right fit, our Best Grocery Delivery Services for Seniors guide compares other options, and our Costco Grocery Delivery for Seniors guide walks through the other big warehouse-club choice.