In a viral video posted Sept. 26, TikToker Airica (@iricanotafrica) claims a restaurant in Columbus, Ohio ordered over 200 items on Instacart and did not intend to tip their shopper. Her video has over 20,200 views.
“To put this business on blast or not,” Airica questioned in the text overlay.
@iricanotafrica #instacart #instacartbatches #instacartshopper #instacartdelivery #tripleorder #grocery #krogerdeliverynow #kroger #fyp #shopping #training #instacarttrainer #instacarttraining #shopwithme #ilikebigtips #instacartstorytime #instacarttips #instacartnightmares #aldi #aldifinds #shopwithme ♬ original sound – Airica
Airica explains that if she were to spread awareness as to what’s happening to InstaCart shoppers, she could be deactivated by the platform. However, she decided to share the story regardless.
“There’s an order on the platform right now for over 240 units from a very well-known, high-class restaurant in my area, and there’s no tip on it,” she says in the clip. “So you want me to shop for 246 items and deliver them to you but that’s not worth a tip to you?”
The creator continued, claiming that the restaurant probably made over $1 million in just this last quarter. “Yeah, I really want to put you on blast,” she ends the video.
In the comments section, users provided the creator with their Instacart hacks.
“I am also an instacart shopper and I refuse to take any orders that do not have some kind of tip,” one user said.
“As someone who has been a server I would tip in cash so that way you don’t have to claim it. Maybe that’s what they are thinking being a restaurant,” another commented. Airica responded, saying that “it’s possible but highly unlikely. I think next time I’ll take it just to answer this exact question.”
“Can I just say this whole thing is crazy? Instacart only offering $8 for that big of an order is insane!!!!” a third user said.
According to the map Airica shows in her video, it appears that the restaurant in question is steakhouse chain Smith & Wollensky in Columbus, Ohio.
Update 9:05am CT, Oct. 13: Smith & Wollensky told the Daily Dot it does “not use Instacart to order groceries for our restaurant.”
“I’m not sure why Smith & Wollensky is part of this story. … Perhaps this is a mistake?” it questioned. “I can also assure you that we are very big tippers, and respect and applaud all workers in the hospitality industry!!! And we are always looking for great people to join our team!”
Airica told the Daily Dot she has since been suspended from Instacart.
