Entitled customer provokes discourse by pleading to be able to choose the gender of her Instacart shopper: 'Go shop for yourself'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Jan 15, 2025 4:00 PM EST

What is the price that we should pay for not having to do basic chores ourselves? If the army of apps on many phones is anything to go by, this should only be monetary. In countries like the USA, we live in an age of ultimate convenience so long as we have the cash for it. In just a few short years, things like buying groceries and ordering takeaway have changed beyond recognition into an optimized process that millions not only enjoy but also feel like they rely on.

One of the side effects of this is that social media has evolved a pretty regular habit of debating the downsides and the ethics of using these companies that promise the hassle-free delivery of food to your door. The inconveniences that can be felt by both the customer and those providing them a service seem to be a topic that provides endless amounts of material. 

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  • This was certainly the case when one woman took to the internet to plead with Instacart about being able to choose the gender of her shopper after receiving an order done by a man that she felt had a number of inadequate substitutions. Claiming that she had worked for the company herself, she detailed how the results of her five-item shop felt unacceptable.

    When this video reached Twitter/X, some were sympathetic to what she had experienced but many more had some strong criticisms about what they viewed as entitled behavior. While there are reasons why somebody may not be able to shop for groceries themselves, many people believe that there is a sliding scale of validity.

  • 01
    Jelly Santos @MrsJellySantos I think Instacart should give you the option of what shopper you want. I also think that people should rate them and if you get too many requests wrong maybe you should Idunno. Not be picked to shop for groceries. Like get pushed to the bottom of the queue.
    via MrsJellySantos
  • 02
    via MrsJellySantos
  • 03
    Jelly Santos @MrsJellySantos Replying to @MrsJellySantos Sounds harsh?... perhaps. But so is going out of your way to provide a service. I don't think that everyone who uses these apps is because they simply don't wanna leave the house. Some can't. So for you to not even try sometimes. Just get another gig.
    via MrsJellySantos
  • 04
    Linda Leslie @LindaLe83525565 Replying to @MrsJellySantos Just go shop for yourself!
    via LindaLe83525565
  • 05
    Titaness @hottieoverthink Replying to @MrsJellySantos This made me think about how I sent my brother to the store for 10 items. He called me 4 times and sent me 2 texts Men should be EMBARRASSED he's 30.
    via hottieoverthink
  • 06
    tippity @tippitytoptweet Replying to @MrsJellySantos if there's a instacart shopper you got one time that you really liked and got your order perfectly no problem, cut the middleman app and just ask for their phone number and tell em you'll pay them cash to deliver your groceries it'll be cheaper on your end, more money on their end and you both don't have to deal with the headaches that the app presents. you can even tip them way more generously and STILL come out ahead.
    via tippitytoptweet
  • 07
    AlexGee @AlexGeeeeeeeee Replying to @MrsJellySantos I work Instacart everyday. In the app, it tell us if you want a replacement or to automatically refund you. It's not our job to read your mind. Have your settings set properly or go shop yourself. Also, if we grab the wrong item, it won't let you successfully pick it. So yeah..
    via AlexGeeeeeeeee
  • 08
    Dee @Deeisnotmyname7 Replying to @MrsJellySantos Or, and hear me out. You seem able bodied to go shopping yourself? How lazy is this generation?
    via Deeisnotmyname7
  • 09
    Amanda @Based Blondex Replying to @MrsJellySantos First world problems Complaining that a random stranger didn't get you the right brand of food No one will ever get it done better than you, just do it yourself
    via BasedBlondex
  • 10
    TyNika ❤ @YaGurlWoo Replying to @MrsJellySantos Uhhhhh you literally have to scan the products on the app..... and it has to be the correct item that the customer picked... so how
    via YaGurlWoo
  • 11
    lux@lamegff Replying to @MrsJellySantos Don't forget when you order fruit and vegetables and they pick out the rotten ones it's happens so many times I end up having to change the meal I was going to make and throw the vegetables out that come
    via lamegff
  • 12
    Philippe @unfazedgoat Replying to @MrsJellySantos Where I live, 90% of the time, the person who actually does the shopping and the delivery isn't the shopper they claim is doing it. And they deliver with an excuse, “my dad is sick so I'm making the delivery”, or “my wife is pregnant, so I'm making the delivery".
    via unfazedgoat
  • 13
    jolene @cervixpiercer gonna be honest every time i've gotten a janky n bad replacement item from these apps its been a woman shopping.
    via cervixpiercer
  • 14
    just matt @questionableway i think you should buy your own groceries
    via questionableway
  • 15
    @willystaley I think these shoppers are correctly responding to incentives. Finding specific items at a supermarket can be really hard! (You make it easier on yourself by repeatedly going to the same store.) They can waste 20 mins getting your stupid order right or get it done and do another.
    via willystaley
  • 16
    leftwick (lefttwick on bl... @lefttwick yeah the treatler people are right, the domestic servant apps have destroyed our socieity
    via lefttwick
  • 17
    Edison Carter @Edison CarterN23 Quality work requires quality pay. How about instead of advocating for a punitive ratings system that hurts workers you instead advocate for a living wage for gig workers?
    via EdisonCarterN23
  • 18
    Cliffy @CliffRacer_ Do these not exist in the US? ...are delivered supermarket groceries seriously the only thing the UK is ahead of the curve on? Morrisons TESCO TESCO Ery ocado.com The pipline subermarket Sainsbury's www.ASDA.COM From our store to your door ASDA
    via CliffRacer_
  • 19
    austerity is theft @wideofthepost The funniest part, and a huge tell that this is performance for clicks, is that she did a shopping video a month ago, where she bought the exact salad kit she's now about her instacart shopper forcing on her, and called it her favorite. PREMLAK thought re-filmed this guess not CALAO @Sammiellenclare This was so pointless I bought basically not hing to eat #groceries #haul #vlog #sho pping #food #drinks #eating #athome #sh anwithma #fun #fw #fun See mor 104.7K 42
    via wideofthepost
  • 20
    fareed @it_is_fareed I KNOW that's not "Emma, future office worker" complaining about DoorDash grocery servants. Girl get your steps in! ✪
    via it_is_fareed
  • 21
    Post-Badman @The_Swole_Nerd It's gonna be so funny when these apps cave to pressure and allow you to request a woman does the shopping for you and people realise that the women tethered to these apps are under the exact same pressures that lead to these mistakes
    via The_Swole_Nerd
  • 22
    party mom @fifimcfae i have never once used instacart, and i don't get why so many people use it! it seems like it sks?! all you guys do is complain about it!
    via fifimcfae
  • 23
    hasan kyker @plzdieinafire If you're gonna be that picky just go to the store
    via plzdieinafire
  • 24
    tractor @nudeobama what is that wall art man
    via nudeobama
  • 25
    m @_helloimage__ is this the fifth wave of feminism where it's now somehow empowering to compliment women as being more smart and therefore Better at Shopping for other people's Groceries. imbecile.
    via _helloimage__
  • 26
    kate @anymnesis I think If you have the instacart app on your phone you should be put in jail
    via anymnesis

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shopping online shopping instacart men feminism women customer service groceries customers grocery shopping discourse twitter discourse entitled people tiktok
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