Walmart Is Testing Food Halls Inside Its Supercenters

Walmart recently flooded our news feeds with the report that the retailer is doing some considerable expansion over the next five years. And now the grocer is making headlines once again with a new collaboration.

The superstore has just announced that it’s launching a pilot location of a store that will have a mini food hall. If you’re getting Costco food court vibes, us too. Here’s what we know: Walmart is teaming up with entrepreneur Marc Lore, who founded the food delivery startup Wonder Group back in 2018. The company offers food delivery and pickup services to select areas of New York City and New Jersey. The brand partners with restaurants across the country from Los Angeles to Atlanta to make delicious meals more affordable and accessible. They call the concept “fast-fine,” even working with renowned chefs like Bobby Flay. With a focus on sourcing ingredients locally and reducing food waste, the brand is on a mission to change the way people think about fast food.

Wonder’s first test with Walmart is its own storefront inside a supercenter in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Inside, there’s a mini food hall of sorts where you can order food from eight different vendors — so you’ll never go shopping hangry again — including Texas brisket. Wonder and Walmart plan to expand to two to three more restaurants inside select Walmart locations this year, next in New Jersey. The plan is to open 25 new locations by the end of 2024.

This isn’t the first business venture Lore has conducted with Walmart. The entrepreneur sold his last startup, Jet.com, to the retailer for $3.3 billion in 2016.

While Wonder prides itself on takeout, the Walmart locations have seating like a casual restaurant and after the opening, it seems that more patrons were keen on sitting down rather than taking their food to go. Walmart is really taking things up a notch — who knew you could get some delicious gourmet food on your next grocery trip?