Instacart full-service shopper — On-the-job English
Study in your language — but on the job you'll speak English. These are the real phrases you actually say for this work, with a note in your language. Not a script; common situations workers report.
Quick drill — pick the best answer, see why. Saved on this device.
✍️ Practice theseThe batch & the store
An Instacart batch is a customer's grocery list, and your job starts by reading it — the items, the amounts, and the notes that say exactly what they want. Then it's the store: finding each item fast, asking staff when you can't, and picking well (ripe produce, the right brand and size). Most of your English here is short and practical: 'Where can I find the ___?' and reading the customer's notes. Get through the list cleanly and the next steps — replacements, checkout, and delivery — all go smoother.
- 👂 You'll hear
Are you shopping for Instacart?
A staff member or customer checking. A simple 'Yes, I'm an Instacart shopper' is all it needs.
- 🗣️ You say
Yes — could you tell me where the almond milk is?
Confirms and immediately asks for help. Naming the item gets you a fast, specific answer.
- 👂 You'll hear
Aisle 7, near the end.
The staff pointing you to the spot. Catch the aisle number; 'near the end' means far from where you're standing.
- 🗣️ You say
Aisle 7 — thank you.
Repeating the number back confirms you heard it right and is polite. Then head straight there.
🧠 Skills this builds
- Asking 'Where can I find the ___?' is your single fastest tool in a big store. Say the item name clearly, listen for the aisle number, and repeat it back to be sure. It turns a long hunt into a ten-second answer.
🇺🇸 US workplace note
- Store staff are used to Instacart shoppers and usually happy to point you to an aisle — a quick, polite question is normal, not a bother. Read every customer item note: following 'ripe but firm' or a specific brand is what separates a 5-star shop from a complaint. Move efficiently; other shoppers and customers share the aisles.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Wandering the store instead of asking staff where an item is. — It burns time on every batch, and time is your pay. A ten-second 'Where can I find the ___?' beats ten minutes of searching.
- Marking an item out of stock without checking the back or asking. — It's often in storage; a quick 'Any more in the back?' saves a refund the customer didn't actually want, and protects your rating.
🔖 Quick reference
Excuse me, where can I find the almond milk?
Your fastest tool in a big store. Instead of wandering, ask a staff member and name the item clearly. A ten-second question saves ten minutes of searching — and your time is your pay.
It's on aisle 7, on the left.
A staff member directing you. The key words are the aisle number and left/right. If you're unsure, repeat it back: 'Aisle 7, thanks.'
Is there any more of this in the back?
Ask this when a shelf is empty but the item might be in storage. Worth checking before you mark it out of stock — staff can often grab more from the back.
Please pick ripe but firm avocados.
Customers leave item instructions in the app — read and follow each one. Picking exactly what they asked for (ripe, a certain brand, a size) is what earns good ratings.
I'll weigh these and enter the amount.
For by-weight items (produce, deli meat), weigh them in the store and enter or scan the amount as the app directs. Match the quantity the customer ordered.
Yes, I'm shopping for Instacart.
Staff or a customer may ask if you're an Instacart shopper. A simple yes is enough; some stores have a special lane or pickup area for you.
Could you point me to the frozen section?
A broader version when you're not sure where a whole category is. Naming the section ('frozen,' 'dairy,' 'produce') gets you moving in the right direction fast.
Replacements & customer chat
Things go out of stock on almost every batch, and how you handle it decides your rating. The app shows what the customer wants — a Best match you pick, a Specific item they chose, or a Refund. When it's unclear, you message them: a quick 'They're out of X — is Y okay, or refund?' or a photo of the options. You can also scan up to three replacements and let them approve one with a tap. The skill is simple, clear communication, and it's most of the English this job really needs.
- 👂 You'll hear
Can you get the store brand instead?
A customer answering your substitution question in chat. Confirm and grab it: 'Sure, getting it now.'
- 🗣️ You say
Sure — getting the store brand now.
Short, clear confirmation. Do it and move on; the customer feels looked after.
- 🗣️ You say
They're out of X — is Y okay, or should I refund it?
The core substitution message. Name the missing item, offer a substitute AND a refund, and make it easy to answer.
- 👂 You'll hear
Whatever's closest is fine, thanks.
The customer trusting your judgment. Pick a close match in brand, size, and price — a good pick earns repeat customers.
🧠 Skills this builds
- The substitution message is the core skill of this job: name the missing item, offer a substitute or a refund, and make it easy for the customer to answer in one tap. 'They're out of X — is Y okay, or refund it?' covers it in a single line.
🇺🇸 US workplace note
- US customers appreciate being asked before you substitute — a silent swap that isn't what they wanted is the fastest way to a low rating. Read their setting (Best match / Specific / Refund) first and only chat when it's unclear; that respects their time. And remember only alcohol can replace alcohol.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Substituting an out-of-stock item silently without asking or checking their setting. — The customer gets a product they didn't want and rates you down. Read their Best match / Specific / Refund choice, and chat a substitute-or-refund question when it's unclear.
- Refunding an item the second it's not on the shelf. — It might be in the back, or a close substitute would've been welcome. Offer a replacement or ask first; a refund should be the last option, not the first.
🔖 Quick reference
Best match / Specific item / Refund
When an item is out of stock, your app shows what the customer chose. 'Best match' = you pick a good substitute; 'Specific item' = they already chose the replacement; 'Refund' = don't replace, just refund. Follow the one they set.
They're out of the 2% milk — is whole milk okay, or should I refund it?
When there's no clear replacement, message the customer with a substitute and a refund option. This one quick chat prevents most bad ratings on a batch.
I'll scan a couple of options for you to pick.
You can scan up to three candidate replacements in the app; the customer gets a notification and approves one with a tap — so you often don't need to chat at all.
No substitutions, just refund it.
The customer replying in the chat. Do exactly what they say — refund the item, don't substitute. Following their word here builds trust.
Here's a photo — is this size okay?
You can send a photo in the chat to check a size, a brand, or how ripe the produce is. A picture answers a question faster than words.
They only had the larger size — let me know if that works.
Be upfront about a size or price difference instead of guessing. Telling the customer so it's not a surprise reads far better than a silent swap.
Only alcohol can replace alcohol.
If a specific beer or wine is out of stock, you can only substitute another alcohol item — never a non-alcohol product for an alcohol one. This is a firm rule.
Checkout & payment
Once your cart is full, checkout is quick but has its own rules. You pay with the Instacart payment card — pre-loaded with the order total, so never your own money — or with Instacart Mobile Checkout (Apple or Google Pay) where the store allows it. Warehouse stores like Costco need the app's membership and only take the Instacart card. If the card is ever declined, you stop and contact support, not reach for your own wallet. A few clear words to the cashier and you're on your way to the delivery.
- 👂 You'll hear
Do you have a membership for Costco?
A warehouse-store cashier. The app provides a membership for the order — show it as the app directs.
- 🗣️ You say
Yes — it's here in the app for this order.
Confirms and shows it. Follow the app's Costco steps and pay with the Instacart card.
- 👂 You'll hear
Sorry, that card didn't go through.
A declined Instacart card. Don't reach for your own money — this is a support issue.
- 🗣️ You say
No problem — let me check the app and contact support.
Calm and correct. The card is funded for the order, so support can usually fix it fast.
🧠 Skills this builds
- Knowing which payment the store takes — the Instacart card everywhere, plus Mobile Checkout (Apple/Google Pay) except at Costco, Kroger, and Walmart — saves a checkout headache. When in doubt, use the Instacart card.
🇺🇸 US workplace note
- The Instacart card is the customer's money, loaded for their order — never add anything for yourself, and never pay out of pocket expecting reimbursement (that's a separate, slower process). At Costco and similar warehouse stores, follow the app's membership steps. A declined card means contact support, not your own wallet.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Paying with your own card or cash when the Instacart card doesn't work. — You may not be reimbursed easily, and it isn't how the job works. If the card fails, stop and contact support through the app.
- Trying to use Apple or Google Pay at Costco, Kroger, or Walmart. — Instacart Mobile Checkout isn't accepted there; use the Instacart card. Knowing this before you reach the register saves an awkward hold-up.
🔖 Quick reference
I'm checking out an Instacart order — I'll pay with the Instacart card.
At the register you pay with the Instacart payment card, which is pre-loaded with the order amount. You never pay out of your own pocket.
Is this all one order?
A cashier asking how to ring it up. 'Yes, it's all one order' keeps it simple and quick.
It's an Instacart card — it should go through.
If a cashier is unsure about the card, this reassures them; it runs like a normal card, or through Instacart Mobile Checkout (Apple/Google Pay) where the store allows it.
The card was declined.
If the Instacart card is declined, do NOT pay with your own money. Contact Instacart support through the app — the card is funded for this order, so a decline usually means a step to redo or a quick support fix.
Here's the membership for this order.
Warehouse stores like Costco may need a membership scanned at checkout — the app provides one. Follow the app's Costco steps, and note you can't use Apple/Google Pay there, only the Instacart card.
You're all set.
The cashier saying the order is paid and done. Move on to bagging and heading to your car for delivery.
Could I get a few extra bags, please?
A small, normal request so you can carry the order safely to the car and to the customer's door without bags tearing.
Delivery & alcohol ID
The delivery is the last step, and Instacart gives the customer a choice: Leave at My Door, where you set the bags down and photograph them, or Hand to Me, where you give them over in person. Read their delivery notes first — a gate code or a drop spot saves you a call. Alcohol adds a rule that isn't optional: you check and usually scan an ID, the customer must be 21, and you never leave it at a door. Handle the drop cleanly and the batch is done — then it's on to ratings, and, if anything went wrong, support.
- 👂 You'll hear
Can you just leave it at the door?
Fine for a normal order — set the bags down and photograph them. But NOT for alcohol, which must be handed to an adult with ID.
- 🗣️ You say
Sure — I'll set it down and send you a photo.
Confirms the contactless drop and the proof photo in one line. Warm and clear.
- 🗣️ You say
This order has alcohol, so I'll need to see and scan your ID.
Set the expectation before handing anything over on an alcohol order. Most people expect it.
- 👂 You'll hear
I don't have my ID on me — can you leave it?
A request to skip the alcohol ID check. The answer is no — no valid ID means you refund the alcohol and return it; it can't be left unattended.
🧠 Skills this builds
- The delivery photo is your proof — a clear shot of the bags at the right door protects you if a customer later claims the order never came. For alcohol, scanning the ID is both the law and your protection; make it a habit you never skip.
🇺🇸 US workplace note
- Follow the customer's delivery choice and notes exactly — a photo for Leave at My Door, an in-person handoff for Hand to Me. Alcohol ID is the law, not a favor: you can refuse without penalty, and alcohol is never left unattended. Be quick and respectful at the door — you're briefly a guest at someone's home.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Taking a Leave at My Door photo of just the bags, with no door or house number in it. — It doesn't prove WHERE you left the order, so it won't protect you against a 'never delivered' claim. Frame the door or the house number in the shot.
- Leaving alcohol at the door, or handing it over without checking ID. — Both break the law and Instacart's rules. An underage or intoxicated customer, or no valid ID, means you refund the alcohol and return it to the store — never leave it.
🔖 Quick reference
Leave at My Door / Hand to Me
Your app shows how the customer wants delivery. 'Leave at My Door' = set the bags down and take a photo; 'Hand to Me' = give them to the customer in person. Follow the one they chose.
I'll leave your groceries at the door and send a photo.
For a Leave at My Door order, place the bags neatly, then take a photo — it shares the photo, your location, and the time with the customer as proof of delivery.
Hi, I'm here with your Instacart order.
For a Hand to Me order, let the customer know you've arrived. If they don't answer within the app's wait time (about 10 minutes), it may let you leave it at the door instead of returning it.
What's your gate code? I can't get in.
Text or call the customer when a gated complex has no code in the delivery notes. Read the notes first — customers often leave a gate code, a floor, or a drop spot there before you even arrive.
This order has alcohol, so I'll need to scan your ID.
🔴 For alcohol you verify the customer's ID at the door — usually by scanning it in the app. In California, and at Costco and Walmart, you MUST scan (manual entry isn't allowed). The customer must be 21 or older.
I'm sorry, I can't hand over the alcohol without a valid ID.
If the person is under 21, has no valid ID, or seems intoxicated, you refuse the alcohol, refund it, and return it to the store. Alcohol can never be left at the door.
A driver's license or state ID works — a passport too, except at Costco or Walmart.
Accepted IDs are US photo IDs. A green card or passport is NOT accepted at Costco or Walmart. If you're unsure, the app tells you what's valid for that order.
No one's here with an ID for the alcohol, so it goes back to the store.
When an alcohol delivery can't be verified, you don't leave it — you refund it and return it to the store, and the app guides you through it. You can still complete the rest of the order.
Ratings, support & appeals
Even after the groceries are delivered, a few things can come up — an unfair rating, a false 'missing item' claim, a lowered tip, or, at worst, a deactivation. Instacart handles these in the app, calmly and with evidence. Your rating is an average of your recent batches, and some low ratings are removed automatically, so one bad one isn't the end. The winning move is always the same: keep your receipt and delivery photo, state what happened, and ask for a review — no arguing, no long story.
- 👂 You'll hear
You didn't deliver my order!
A false or mistaken 'never delivered' claim. Don't panic or argue — your delivery photo and receipt are your proof.
- 🗣️ You say
I delivered it and have a timestamped photo at your door — I'll share it with support.
Calm and factual, pointing straight to your proof. This is exactly why you keep the photo.
- 🗣️ You say
My account was deactivated and I did not break the rules — I'd like to appeal.
The start of an appeal. Reply to the Trust & Safety email or use in-app Help, and attach your evidence.
- 👂 You'll hear
Please reply to this email with any supporting evidence.
Trust & Safety telling you what they need. Send photos of completed batches and a calm, factual account.
🧠 Skills this builds
- Writing a short, factual report or appeal is the key skill here: what happened, your evidence (receipt, delivery photo), and your request — in three plain sentences. Facts and proof win a review; emotion and long stories don't.
🇺🇸 US workplace note
- Instacart support is in the app (the headset icon, or '?' / Help), not a public phone line you find online — those are often scams. Your rating averages your recent batches, and Instacart removes some unfair low ratings automatically (weather, low stock, app glitches, its own suggested replacements), so protect your average with clean shops but don't panic over one. Keep every receipt and delivery photo.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Arguing with a customer in chat over a missing-item claim instead of showing proof. — It rarely helps and can be quoted against you. Reply calmly with your receipt and delivery photo, and let support handle a genuine mistake.
- Not keeping your receipt or delivery photo. — Without proof, a false 'missing item' or 'never delivered' claim is hard to fight. Save them for every batch; they are your defense.
🔖 Quick reference
I delivered everything on the order and have the receipt and a delivery photo — this missing-item claim isn't correct. Please review.
A customer sometimes falsely reports a missing item. Keep your receipt and your delivery photo; state calmly that you delivered the full order and have proof, and ask for a review.
My rating dropped from a batch that wasn't my fault — can it be reviewed?
If a low rating feels unfair, you can contact support about it. Instacart says some low ratings are excluded automatically — for example in bad weather or store stock issues — so one bad rating isn't the end.
My account was deactivated. I did not break the rules — here is my evidence. Please review and reinstate me.
Appeal by replying to the Trust & Safety deactivation email, or through in-app Help (tap the '?' then the headset icon). Attach evidence, like photos of completed batches.
I need to reach Instacart support.
Reach support in the app — tap the headset icon (or '?' / Help) and choose live chat or a phone callback. The Care and Trust & Safety teams are available 24/7.
We've noted this on your account.
Support confirming they recorded your report. Ask them to confirm it in writing in the chat so you keep your own record of what was said.
I did the shop as ordered and kept the receipt.
Sometimes a big tip shown up front is lowered after delivery ('tip baiting'). You can't control it, but a clean shop and your saved records are your best response — don't let it change how you treat the next customer.
I have the receipt and the delivery photo saved.
Naming your evidence early frames any dispute. Keep your receipts and delivery photos for every batch — they're what turn a false claim around.
You forgot my eggs!
A customer message claiming a missing item. Check your records; if you delivered it, reply calmly with your proof and let support handle a genuine mistake — don't argue in the chat.
Staying safe: on the road & at the door
An Instacart shopper drives to the store and to the customer's door, so the road — and sometimes the doorstep — carries the same risks as any driving job. This is the chapter to know cold. The order never changes: safety first, then 911 if anyone's hurt, then information. Instacart builds its own safety features into the app, gathered in the Safety Hub (tap '?' then 'Your safety'): an in-app emergency call that shares your location, Shopper Safety Alerts that warn you about incidents nearby, and a way to report a problem to the Trust & Safety team. These are Instacart's tools — find the Safety Hub before you ever need it. Drill the few key lines, and for any life-threatening emergency, 911 comes first.
- 👂 You'll hear
911, what's your emergency?
The dispatcher's opening line. Answer in a few plain words — 'There's been a car accident' — then follow their questions. Don't wait to build a perfect sentence.
- 🗣️ You say
There's been a car accident. Someone's hurt — we need an ambulance.
Situation, then injury status. If anyone is hurt, this comes before the app and before photos, every time.
- 👂 You'll hear
What's your location?
The one thing they can't help without. Give a street address, a store name, or two cross streets.
- 🗣️ You say
Sorry, could you say that again?
Use it the instant you don't catch something. Guessing in an emergency sends help to the wrong place; asking again is normal and expected.
🧠 Skills this builds
- "Sorry, could you say that again?" — or "Slower, please" — is your lifeline under pressure. Drill it until it's automatic, because an emergency is exactly when your English will feel hardest and a guessed answer costs the most.
- Find Instacart's Safety Hub ('?' → 'Your safety') and what's inside — the in-app emergency call, Shopper Safety Alerts, incident reporting — before you ever need it, so in a crisis you're not searching menus.
🇺🇸 US workplace note
- In the US, calling 911 is free and expected for any real emergency — you won't get in trouble for calling when someone's hurt or you're in danger. At a police stop, stay calm, keep your hands visible, and comply first. You can pause shopping for dangerous weather at any time.
- Instacart's safety features are its own, gathered in the Safety Hub: an in-app emergency call (which shares your location with emergency services and a 24/7 safety team), Shopper Safety Alerts that warn you away from nearby incidents, and incident reporting to Trust & Safety. Trusting your gut and leaving an unsafe address is allowed and smart — and Instacart can remove ratings hurt by a safety situation.
⚠️ Common mistakes
- Reaching for your phone to take photos or open the app before checking whether anyone is hurt. — If someone's injured, calling 911 for an ambulance comes first, always. The order is safety, then 911, then information.
- Pushing into an address or area that feels unsafe because you don't want a low rating. — No order is worth your safety; leave, report it to Trust & Safety, and Instacart can remove ratings affected by the safety situation.
- Pretending you understood a 911 dispatcher or officer when you didn't. — A guessed answer sends help to the wrong place or the wrong address. Say 'Sorry, could you say that again?' or 'Slower, please' — every single time you need to.
🔖 Quick reference
911, what's your emergency?
The first thing the 911 dispatcher says when you call. Don't wait for a perfect sentence — answer in a few plain words: 'There's been a car accident.' If you freeze or hang up, help isn't sent. Speaking slowly and clearly matters more than grammar.
There's been an accident. No one's hurt.
Use this when you've crashed but everyone is okay. Say the situation first, then the injury status — the dispatcher needs both. If you skip 'No one's hurt,' they may send an ambulance you don't need. Keep it short and factual; don't apologize or explain who caused it.
Someone's hurt — we need an ambulance.
Use this the moment anyone is injured — you, another driver, or a pedestrian. As a shopper you drive to the store and to the door, so a crash is a real risk. This is the most important line: if someone is hurt, calling 911 comes before photos, before the app, before everything. Don't move an injured person.
What's your location?
The dispatcher asks so responders can find you. Read a street address, a store name, or two cross streets. If you don't know, say what you see — a store sign, a highway exit number. Don't just name the neighborhood.
I need emergency help — I'm using the emergency call in the app.
🔴 Instacart has an in-app emergency call in the Safety Hub: when you use it, it shares your location with emergency services and a 24/7 safety team to speed up help. For any life-threatening emergency, calling 911 directly from your phone always works too.
This address doesn't feel safe — I'm leaving and reporting it.
Trust your gut. If a delivery or an area feels unsafe, you can leave, and you can report it to Instacart's Trust & Safety team through the app. No order is worth your safety, and ratings affected by a safety situation can be removed.
Safety alert: avoid the area near there.
Instacart's Shopper Safety Alerts warn you in near-real-time about a major incident nearby so you can avoid it; if you're on an order, the app may pause it to keep you out of the area. Take these alerts seriously and steer clear.
Can I get your insurance and license, please?
Say this to the other driver after a crash to swap details — you both need each other's insurance to file a claim. It's a normal step, not an accusation. If they refuse or try to leave, note the license plate and let the police handle it.
Are you okay?
The other driver or a bystander asking if you're hurt — not an admission of fault, not a trick. Answer honestly: 'I'm okay' or 'I think I'm hurt.' If you're shaken, 'Give me a second' is fine. Don't answer 'It was your fault.'
I'm going to take some photos for the record.
Say this before photographing so others know you're documenting, not being aggressive. Photograph the vehicles, the damage, the plates, and the whole scene. Do this only after everyone is safe and 911 has been called if anyone's hurt.
License and registration, please.
A police officer says this at a stop. Safest response: keep your hands where the officer can see them, say where the documents are before reaching ('It's in the glove box'), then hand them over. Stay calm, don't argue, don't reach suddenly. You can mention you shop for Instacart — but comply first, explain second.
It's not safe to drive in this — I'm pausing until it clears.
In ice, snow, flooding, or extreme heat, you can stop shopping and pause for your own safety — no batch is worth a crash. State it plainly and don't push through hoping it improves; ratings hurt by bad weather can be removed.
Sorry, could you say that again?
Your single most important line under stress. When a 911 dispatcher, a police officer, or a tow dispatcher speaks fast and your mind goes blank, this buys a repeat without panic — native speakers use it too. You can also say 'Slower, please.' Never pretend you understood and guess; in an emergency a wrong answer sends help to the wrong place. Ask again, every time you need to.