Online Groceries and Food Delivery Services in Metro Manila (That I’ve Tried)

It’s been a while since I last set foot in a supermarket. Since the enhanced community quarantine was implemented, I have been trying my best not to go out or at least not to go too far to do my food shopping. In an attempt to avoid crowds (and hopefully stay virus-free), I have learned to forage for food in other safer ways with less human contact. Most of the time, this involves ordering food online. Thank goodness for technology!

One question I often get asked a lot is: “Where do you order your food?” To help you with your social distancing, I am sharing with you a list of establishments that have really been helpful to us for the past few weeks. THESE ARE ALL STORES THAT I HAVE PERSONALLY TRIED. NONE OF THIS IS SPONSORED. I am only writing this so I can support local businesses as my way of saying “thank you” to them for giving us access to good food during this lockdown.

Foodpanda and GrabFood

(Food delivery apps)

I cook most of the time, but on days when I don’t feel like cooking, it’s nice to know that we can still rely on Foodpanda and Grabfood to deliver meals to us. The restaurant options are limited during these times, which is expected, but better than nothing, right? On some days, you’ll get lucky as there are more restaurants that you can choose from.

The restaurants that are open depend on which area you’re from, but for our area, which is in Mandaluyong, we usually order from Pizza Hut (there’s an ongoing promo for FREE stuffed crust pizza!), New Bombay, Uncle Moe’s, Peri Peri Charcoal Grill, and more. From experience, it’s easier and faster to book through Foodpanda but customer support is harder to get a hold of. Grab Food has more restaurant choices but getting a driver takes significantly longer.

Both services promote contactless transactions to minimize the risk of spreading the virus. For Foodpanda, you can use your credit card, while you can opt to pay with Grab Credits for GrabFood.

Pan De Manila

(Breads, spreads, and beverages)

For our bread fix, there’s also a Pan de Manila within walking distance from our place. Unfortunately, as of the last time I tried to go, they had already stopped operating. But don’t worry, bread lovers! There are several Pan de Manila branches that are still open to serve you breads. This list might change from time to time, so follow Pan de Manila on Facebook and always check their pinned post for the latest updates.

Alternatively, you may try calling this number: 09190075904 (Look for Sheena). I haven’t tried contacting her personally so just direct your questions to her through this number.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PandeManilaOfficial

McDonald’s

I’ve always loved McDonald’s but now, I have more reasons to say ‘Love Ko ‘To’ after they have been generously sponsoring the meals of our frontliners, volunteers, and communities in need through their Kindness Kitchen program. Because of that, I am even more encouraged to support their business.

As usual, you may call their delivery hotline at 8888-MCDO (8888-6236) to order or you may also go to their website or order through the McDo PH app, Foodpanda, or GrabFood. Just take note of their shortened delivery hours, which varies day to day.

Also, only their simplified menu can be availed at the moment. Sadly, no Big Macs and Fish Fillet sandwiches. Their breakfast menu is also temporarily unavailable until further notice.

Phone: 8888-6236 (8888-MCDO)
Website: www.mcdonalds.com.ph
McDo PH app: https://www.mcdonalds.com.ph/download-the-mcdelivery-app

Happy Hen Specialty Eggs

(Eggs)

I ordered two dozen all-natural free-range brown eggs from this seller, which is located in Wack Wack Twin Towers, Mandaluyong. As with most online stores, I had to arrange for pickup myself through Lalamove. The eggs arrived in perfect condition! The seller (Chris) was also very easy to deal with and he updated us promptly when the eggs were ready for pickup.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happyhenPH/
Viber: 0917-810-1395 (Chris Tan)

Monterey Meat Shop

(Meats)

Monterey is a trusted name in meats, so you know that if you order from them, you can’t go wrong. True enough, the meats that I got were good and fresh.

Go to Monterey’s official website to search for the branch closest to your home and ask if they deliver. My contact person, Eliza, coordinated with me through Viber. She sent me a product and price list and informed me which items are available and which are out of stock.

Delivery is free for orders worth PHP 1,000 and up.

Website: https://www.monterey.com.ph/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MontereyMeats

Mr. Gulay

(Fruits and vegetables)

Ordering fruits and vegetables from Mr. Gulay was easy as pie! Go to their website, input your orders, and your invoice will be e-mailed to you after just a few clicks! I ordered vegetables at midnight and around 2:30 in the afternoon of the next day, one of their representatives gave me a call to confirm my orders, which were delivered a few hours later, right after I transferred my payment. I love how seamless and effortless the whole process was. Everyone from their end was also very accommodating and courteous, from the person who answered the phone when I called down to the rider who delivered the items to my house.

Their fruits and vegetables were fresh and the prices were reasonable. Ordering is per kilo only, and not by piece, so better make some room in your fridge to store all that fresh produce! Hopefully, they would soon be open to selling items in smaller quantities.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrGulayPh
Order form: https://form.jotform.com/Lerasan/mrgulay

VNS Lu Chi Authentic Dimsum and Dumplings

(Dimsum and dumplings)

Dimsum and dumplings are some of those things that you need to have in your freezer for those lazy days when you’re not in the mood to cook something complicaed. Just pop it in your steamer or your rice cooker, leave it alone, and in minutes, you’ve got yourself your instant lunch or dinner!

VNS Lu Chi’s bestseller is the Kutchay Dumplings, which I have yet to try because they were out of stock when I ordered, so I got the Japanese Siomai and the Regular Pork Siomai instead. The quality and taste of the dumplings were good. Best of all, they’re super affordable so you can really stretch your weekly grocery budget when you purchase their dumplings. The Japanese Siomai (PHP 250) has 20 pieces in a pack, while the Regular Pork Siomai (PHP 420) has 60 pieces! For a small family like ours, we were able to spread out the dumplings and have them for 5 different meal times. That’s what I call ‘sulit’!

To order, just send them a message on Facebook. The owner herself responds as she is very hands on with order-taking and marketing, and she is very friendly and patient in answering questions.

Each order comes with a small packet of chili garlic sauce.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VNS-Lu-Chi-Authentic-Dimsum-and-Dumplings-101080181320837
Viber: 0917-867-1796 (Atria Ferrer)

TrueBlends

(Milk and other assorted items)

TrueBlends is actually a milk tea and coffee shop but at the moment, they are selling items such as milk, cooking cream, iced tea, and more. The only thing I ordered from them though was 7 cartons of Harvey Fresh full cream milk, since that was the only thing that was available at that time. There are a lot of online sellers selling milk but a lot of them require that you purchase per case, and 1 case could have 12 cartons of milk. If you’re not ready for that kind of commitment (or if you have limited storage space like us), you’ll be happy to know that they do not require a minimum amount to order. My orders arrived in excellent condition and the delivery was quick.

At the moment, they only carry Harvey Fresh full cream milk, but they also sell the following items:

My contact person, Celina, was very warm and lovely to talk to. I felt like I was speaking to a friend and fellow mommy instead of an online seller. She is not the owner of TrueBlends, by the way. It’s owned by her friend Joyce and she is just helping out.

Viber: 0917-837-4613 (Celina)

Dona Maria Rice

(Rice)

A lot of us can’t live without rice! I ordered mine from Dona Maria Rice, which is actually owned by a college schoolmate of mine. I ordered direct from her but you may order through Shop Central. The quality of the rice is pretty good and it’s affordable too!

I do hope you can support them because they are actively donating to the frontliners and to communities in need.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donamariarice
Shop Central: https://shopcentral.com.ph/

Pansol Food

(Meat and seafood products)

Pansol Food is a restaurant grade supplier of seafood and meat products. What I really like about Pansol Food is the variety of their items. You don’t need to order different items from separate stores and in the process, spend more on delivery fees. They are a one-stop shop for your meat and seafood needs. Very convenient!

Their product list is updated regularly and are posted in an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand format, which lessens your ordering and online shopping time. And if ever you still have questions, you can easily contact them via Facebook and they are usually responsive. I was assisted by their staff, Vanessa, and everything went smoothly. I received my orders three days after placing them.

The meat and seafood products that I ordered were still frozen when they arrived at my place, and I was pleased with how securely packed they were. As for the quality of the products, I’m happy to say that they were all very fresh.

Pansol Food Makati: https://www.facebook.com/pansolfoodmakati
Pansol Food Mandaluyong: https://www.facebook.com/pansolfoodmandaluyong

The Purple Elephant

(Meats, seafood, pasta sauces and noodles, oils, dairy, McCormick spices, and juices)

One of the most annoying things about being in quarantine is that we can’t just do a grocery run anytime just like we used to. How many times have you wanted to cook a dish but realized that you’re missing a few key ingredients? Thankfully, shops like The Purple Elephant bring us our much needed pantry staples. They have everything from pasta noodles and sauces to dairy products to McCormick spices. I love how (almost) complete their selection is! They make it a lot easier for us to stay at home instead of going out for items that are usually just found in supermarkets.

One thing they can improve on though is their attentiveness to inquiries. There were a couple of instances wherein I was ‘seenzoned’ on Viber. I’m sure they were very busy with all the orders, but a simple acknowledgment of my order would have been appreciated. (They did update me after I followed up though, so it was all good). Aside from that, everything else was fine and I would still recommend them. The products were delivered to me in good condition and they were all neatly packaged in one box. I’m pretty sure I’ll be ordering from them again.

Here is their price list as of April 14.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purpleelephantfoods
Viber / SMS: 0917 500 8615

Pampanga’s Best

(Ready-to-cook meat products)

What Filipino isn’t familiar with Pampanga’s Best? I’m pretty sure we’ve all enjoyed hearty breakfasts with their delicious tocinos, longanizas, and other meat products. Good news, guys! While their products are still available in supermarkets, they can also deliver straight to your homes.

The ordering process was very systematic. You just need to join their Viber group and click on the link to the order form in their pinned post. After, you need to type your personal details and your orders. Your order will be confirmed the following day and you will be asked to double check an itemized invoice if all orders are correct. After I paid, I got my orders the very next day!

The business is managed by my fellow event host (and one of the best event hosts in the country, if I may add!), JC Alelis, together with his wife, Denise. I know JC personally so I can really vouch for him and his professionalism. They are both very hands-on in handling all the orders and respond courteously and patiently to all inquiries.

Join: Pampanga’s Best Viber Group (if you are having trouble joining, message me and I will add you)

Mini Stop

(Convenience store)

I feel fortunate that there are several Mini Stop stores near our place. This is where I get some of the items I would normally get from the supermarket, such as snacks, breads, beverages, canned goods, condiments, and non-food items such as tissue paper, garbage bags, or bleach. Since I opt not to risk exposure at the supermarket, doing my ‘mini shopping’ at Mini Stop is the next best thing. There are way less people in there, so I’d say it’s safer.

Check if you have a nearby Mini Stop in your area and ask if they deliver. The reason why I included Mini Stop in this list is because the branch that I go to offers free delivery for a minimum purchase of PHP 250, which is small, if you ask me! Just don’t forget to ask for a receipt and tell them how much change you need them to bring.

If you’ve noticed, I get all my food supplies from different stores. Ideally, I would prefer getting everything from just one source. However, the problem with sites such as Metromart or Lazmart is that it’s difficult to get a delivery slot. With Metromart, I’ve tried many times to secure a delivery date but there are never any available delivery schedules, and I’ve read some reviews wherein delivery dates get pushed back further and further until their orders never actually arrive, and asking for a refund is a pain. Lazmart seems to have better reviews and is said to be more reliable. However, most items are out of stock and as expected, deliveries will take a long time. I’ve also recently signed up for a membership at Landers, though I haven’t tried shopping from them yet. In case you are already a member but you have not yet claimed your membership card, you may still shop online and take advantage of your membership even without a physical membership card.

There are still a lot of online stores and shopping services that I have yet to try, but so far, I’m quite satisfied with these ones that I’ve already tried.

Happy shopping and happy eating, everyone! Stay safe and healthy!