Waitrose’s food delivery service got off to a slow start as the supermarket prioritised slots for the elderly and vulnerable, but the retailer has said it will offer an extra 10,000 online delivery slots to help with demand.

Waitrose is also planning to add 5,000 rapid delivery slots, which will allow customers to order their groceries and receive them in two hours or less. We’ve been checking Waitrose’s website for delivery slots each day, but haven’t had much luck.

If you want to order your grocery delivery from Waitrose, customers are advised to check back daily as more slots are added.

You should only book one slot per week, too, to ensure others can find a delivery slot.Waitrose opening hours The first opening hour of Waitrose supermarkets is dedicated to elderly and vulnerable shoppers.

Opening hours remain the same 8am to 8pm, but some shops may also close earlier than normal to keep shelves stocked.

This will vary in different parts of the country, store to store, however.Waitrose is also setting aside a proportion of hard-to-find and essential products exclusively for NHS staff.

NHS staff will also be given priority access to shops and checkouts, to ensure they can complete their shop as quickly and efficiently as possible. Waitrose has launched a Volunteer’s Shopping Card for self-isolating customers who can’t get to the shops themselves.

It’s a simple, safe and contact-free way to get your groceries delivered by a friend or family member, and can be purchased online.

Once you’ve added some funds of up to £10 to £500, you can email your e-gift card to your designated shopper which they can then use in store. Volunteers can also pick up your click - collect order on your behalf if you’re self-isolating.

All they need is the order confirmation number and their own form of ID (a debit or credit card, driving licence or utility bill).Waitrose food delivery: keep checking for new slotsWaitrose’s website advises that customers should keep checking back each day for delivery and click - collect slots.

You should only book one slot per week if you do happen to find a free slot.Gov.uk: Register for coronavirus support if you’re vulnerableIf you're an elderly or vulnerable customer, make sure you're registered on the Gov.uk list of clinically extremely vulnerable people.

Waitrose is one of the many supermarkets that is using this register to prioritise its home delivery slots - so if you're eligible, you want to be on it.

You can register yourself, or on behalf of someone else.How to get a Waitrose delivery slotYou might be sick of hearing it, but checking back daily is the best way to find a Waitrose delivery slot.

The website shows when slots are available, and it’s easy to switch between different addresses if you’re looking for family and friends.

It’s also worth checking if any click - collect slots are available if you can’t find a delivery slot. The supermarket will expand its online collection service by the end of May to a further 70 shops across the UK, too, with 40 shops able to offer the service by the end of April.

From today (April 17), the ‘rapid’ service will be available in 20 additional shops across London, and should help 2.5 million households get food and essentials more easily.How does Waitrose click - collect work?If you’d prefer to use click - collect, simply select your groceries with Waitrose online and select click - collect before you checkout.

Unsurprisingly, availability is extremely limited, so we can only advise that you keep checking for new slots when you can. More food delivery services: quick links Grocery deliveryRecipe box and meal deliveryPizza deliveryTakeaway deliveryAlcohol deliveryTakeaway deliveryAlcohol delivery