Waitrose has announced that its Christmas delivery and collection slots open on 30 September, giving UK shoppers the chance to arrange their festive grocery orders ahead of December.
For households planning Christmas dinner, the opening provides an opportunity to organise shopping around travel, hosting and family commitments. However, selecting a slot is only part of the process: customers should complete checkout to confirm their order.
Here are the key dates, booking steps and distinctions shoppers need to know.
When Do Waitrose Christmas Delivery Slots Open?
According to the retailer’s official Christmas information page, Christmas delivery and collection bookings open on 30 September 2026.
Its Christmas dinner planning guide lists 20–24 December as the main Christmas grocery delivery and collection window. New Year slots are listed for 29–31 December.
Availability depends on the delivery address or collection location. Shoppers should check the options shown in their account rather than assume every date will be available locally.
Key Christmas Ordering Dates
There are separate dates for grocery slots and the retailer’s Entertaining and Food to Order ranges.
| Order or service | Date listed by Waitrose |
|---|---|
| Christmas booking opens | 30 September 2026 |
| Christmas grocery delivery and collection | 20–24 December 2026 |
| Christmas Entertaining and Food to Order cut-off | 15 December 2026 |
| New Year Entertaining and Food to Order cut-off | 21 December 2026 |
| New Year delivery and collection | 29–31 December 2026 |
These deadlines should be checked against the selected products and order confirmation, particularly when combining everyday groceries with dishes prepared to order.
How to Book a Delivery or Collection Slot
Customers can start by signing in to their Waitrose account and selecting the booking option.
Booking Home Delivery
Choose home delivery, confirm the delivery address and select an available slot. Add the required groceries and complete checkout.
Waitrose’s customer guidance explains that a selected slot is held temporarily. Leaving the website before completing checkout can therefore mean losing that reservation.
The website displays a £40 minimum grocery order. Any delivery charge is shown during booking and added to the checkout total.
Choosing Click & Collect
Collection offers another option for shoppers who can pick up their groceries. Check the available collection locations and times before building the order.
Consider how collection will fit around work, travel and preparations at home. A convenient time is more useful than a date that leaves little room to store chilled food or organise the kitchen.
Grocery Orders and Food to Order Have Different Deadlines
The distinction between a grocery booking and a Food to Order purchase matters when planning a festive meal.
A grocery slot covers the scheduled delivery or collection of the shopping order. Entertaining products can have their own advance-order requirements.
For that reason, shoppers should check individual product instructions before adding a prepared centrepiece, platter or dessert. The Christmas Food to Order cut-off should not be treated as the deadline for every ordinary grocery amendment.
A simple checklist can help: record the slot, the products requiring advance notice and the final confirmation details in one place.
Plan the Menu Before Filling the Basket
Before shopping, decide how many people will be eating and which meals the order needs to cover. Christmas dinner, visiting guests and Boxing Day leftovers can each require different quantities.
Start with the main meal, then add sides, desserts and drinks. Check cupboard supplies first to avoid buying duplicates.
For hosts building an inclusive drinks selection, FEAST’s guide to the best non-alcoholic drinks in the UK offers further inspiration.
Food gifts are worth planning separately from the household grocery basket. Our guide to choosing the right hamper for friends, family or clients can help readers think through the recipient and occasion.
What If Your Preferred Slot Is Unavailable?
Check alternative times and collection options before changing the meal plan. Waitrose’s general booking guidance says new slots are released daily, although this does not guarantee that a particular Christmas date will become available.
Keep essential purchases separate from optional extras when organising a backup shop. This makes it easier to adjust the order without rebuilding the entire menu.
The announcement follows other seasonal supermarket updates covered by FEAST, including Tesco Café’s launch of 21 new autumn dishes and drinks.
For shoppers booking now, the immediate priorities are to choose a workable slot, complete checkout and note any separate food-order deadlines.
Booking information checked on 30 September 2026. Local availability and product-specific conditions should be confirmed when ordering.