7 Kroger Secrets Employees Wish West Virginians Knew

Kroger Delivery asks you not to tip, but Express Delivery works differently.

Details like that can cost West Virginians money or time, and Kroger workers notice them.

Here are the Kroger secrets employees wish West Virginians knew.

1. Pickup Coupon Rules

Kroger has 36 grocery stores in 26 West Virginia cities, including Wheeling and Princeton.

If your store offers Pickup, your coupons follow two sets of rules.

Digital coupons load to your Shopper’s Card and apply to the order automatically.

You can only use paper coupons in person when you pick up, and that may add to your wait.

Bring them with you.

Pickup is free on orders of $35 or more, with a $4.95 service fee under that, though restrictions may apply.

If you accept a substitution, you pay the price of the substituted item.

2. Delivery Tipping Rules

Kroger Delivery asks you not to tip.

Express Delivery works differently.

Instacart fulfills those orders, and third-party partners like Instacart can accept tips.

In that case, 100% of any tip you give goes to the driver.

Express adds a $4.95 surcharge on top of a standard delivery fee quoted at $9.95.

Delivery fees vary by day and time slot, so the number you see at checkout may differ.

If Instacart is more than 15 minutes late on an Express order, it refunds the surcharge.

3. Freshness Guarantee Refunds

Kroger’s Freshness Guarantee promises a replacement or refund when you don’t love an item.

It covers produce with a freshness problem, plus Kroger Brand, Simple Truth and Private Selection items that didn’t meet your expectations.

How you shopped decides how the money comes back.

In a store, you can bring the item back for an immediate replacement.

For a refund, you’ll use live chat or call 1-800-KROGERS, and the money comes back as a credit on your Kroger Plus card.

For Pickup and delivery orders, you can request the refund in Purchase History, and it goes back to the payment method you used.

Once Kroger confirms a refund, it takes 5-7 business days to arrive.

4. Community Rewards Sign-Up

Kroger Community Rewards sends donation money to a participating organization you choose, at no added cost to you.

Kroger donates annually, and the amount depends on how your spending compares with the total spending tied to all participating organizations.

You need a digital account to join, and a Shopper’s Card is required for the program.

To count your shopping, present your Shopper’s Card or provide your Alternate ID at the register during the transaction.

It takes about 10 days for your total to begin showing on your receipt.

5. Prescription Points

Kroger Points, which the program page says was formerly Fuel Points, awards 25 points for each prescription that isn’t federally funded.

Each 90-day script earns 75 points.

For federally funded prescriptions, you earn 1 point for every $1 you pay out of pocket.

Refills count too.

That means 25 points for a qualified refill or 75 for a qualifying 90-day refill.

Those points expire at the end of the month after you earn them.

6. Cash Back Pilot

Kroger Cash Back pays you money for items you buy.

It’s a pilot.

As of October 2026, Kroger’s help page says the company is testing it and may end it at any time.

You need an online account with your Shopper’s Card registered to take part.

You can send your earnings to your Shopper’s Card or a PayPal account.

A PayPal cash out becomes available once you’ve earned $20.

You can cash out once in a 24-hour period, up to $99.99 a day.

Cash Back offers can work at any Kroger Company store that carries the product and uses a Shopper’s Card or loyalty card.

7. Boost Free Trial

Kroger’s Boost membership starts with a free 30-day trial, but you have to give payment information to activate it.

If you don’t cancel before the 30 days end, Kroger charges your card for an annual membership.

Each household gets one free trial.

The trial includes free delivery, double points and Boost Exclusive Coupons, with delivery on orders of $35 or more.

Streaming comes with an annual membership, but it’s available only after the free trial.

EBT on Online Orders

Kroger accepts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) EBT for Pickup and delivery orders.

Your card can’t pay for tips, delivery fees, ordering fees or convenience fees.

Those charges go to a credit or debit card you add as a backup.

Kroger also charges that backup card when your final total exceeds the total shown at checkout.

A weighted item can push the total up, since the prices shown online for those are averages.

So can anything added at curbside.

The delivery or pickup address on your order decides which state rules apply.

Weekly Ad Timing

Kroger's new weekly ad is available at midnight Eastern time on Wednesday.

The exceptions the FAQ names are stores in parts of Indiana, Illinois and eastern Missouri, where the ad arrives Thursday instead.

West Virginia isn't among them.

With a digital account and a preferred store set, you can click Weekly Ad in the quick links bar at the top of the site.