Kwik Trip Offering Free Delivery to Help Customers Practice Social Distancing

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Kwik Trip customers are able to shop the convenience store from home without paying a fee.

The La Crosse-based convenience retailer is waiving the delivery charge on any order more than $8 purchased through its delivery partnership with EatStreet. The change came on March 16 as U.S. consumers began to limit their interactions during as COVID-19 cases continue to spread, according to WMTV.

"These are largely unprecedented times, and we want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to get the items they need without having to take on additional costs," said David Jackson, Kwik Trip's digital marketing and loyalty manager.

All food and essential items, such as eggs, bread and toilet paper, are available for delivery as long as they are in stock. Beer, liquor and tobacco products are not available through the service.

Kwik Trip began offering delivery in August with an initial pilot program with EatStreet in Madison and La Crosse, before expanding the service to other areas of Wisconsin, as Convenience Store News previously reported.   

"Kwik Trip offers so many essential items we all use in our daily lives, so we wanted to find a way to make it easier for our customers to get what they need without leaving home," said Matt Howard, EatStreet CEO and co-founder.

EatStreet has also made its own changes to decrease the amount of social contact necessary for its customers, who can now choose to have their orders left at the door.

Inside its stores, Kwik Trip said its associates are continuously monitoring the bathrooms and wiping down all commonly contacted surfaces at least every 60 minutes. The retailer also temporarily discontinued food sampling and is reallocating labor hours toward cleaning and sanitation efforts.

In addition, Kwik Trip discontinued the use of refillable mugs and cups in its c-stores.

Known as Kwik Trip in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and as Kwik Star in Iowa, the retailer operates more than 675 family-owned convenience stores.