On the face of it, Instacart is revolutionary. You can get all your groceries at the push of a button. However, things aren’t always as simple as they seem. Case-in-point: forgetting to give your Instacart shopper the gate code if you live in an apartment.
In a viral video, a frustrated Instacart shopper Anhelica Hafley (@anhelica_hafley) emphasized the importance of doing this in a car full of un-claimed bags.
“I just got all of these groceries for free,” she began, panning the camera to sacks of groceries taking up the whole of the passenger seat.
She shares, “OK, I don’t know how many times I have to say this, and I shouldn’t even have to say this. Put your gate code. If you are in an apartment and you’re ordering through Instacart, please put your gate code.”
Hafley says drivers can’t deliver the order if they can’t get past the gate.
“And then if you’re not going to put a gate code for safety reasons or whatever, answer your phone,” she says.
Hafley then pointed to firewood in the back seat and added that she also had that because the person didn’t give her a gate code. She then went on to add that she waited 40 minutes for the firewood customer and 20 minutes for the groceries customer, although Instacart only requires riders to wait for 10 minutes.
“So I waited all that time, all because somebody didn’t put a gate code,” she added. “OK, please put a gate code. Thank you. I appreciate it. […] It makes things so much easier for you and me.”
The video amassed 50,800 views as of Sunday. Hafley didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
@anhelica_hafley Like thanks but yallll are killing meee 😭 #instacart #instacartshopper #fyp ♬ original sound – ✨A n h e l i c a✨
Fellow Instacart shoppers agreed
Fellow Instacart shoppers expressed similar complaints in the comments section.
“They NEVER answer the phone,” one complained.
“Then once you leave they want to answer,” another added.
“My pet peeve when delivering for Instacart is when it’s dark outside and they don’t put their porch lights on,” a third added.
While a fourth echoed, “Not answering the phone always irritates me like you know you’re getting something delivered. I know your scrolling on TikTok.”
On the other side of the coin, there are Instacart customers who expect shoppers to come into their homes—which, as explained in another viral TikTok, causes a whole litany of safety issues.
“I am well aware of the issues that this brings up for handicapped, disabled, or elderly customers,” Instacart shopper Ella (@five_star_shopper) said in a TikTok. “For many of these individuals, Instacart is a vital and essential service, and they need a little bit of extra help. Some shoppers may be comfortable with [entering someone’s home], but many are not.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Instacart via email.
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