Forget McDonald's: Walmart gets trendy new fast-food…

Forget McDonald's: Walmart gets trendy new fast-food partner

Whether you prefer to shop in person or online, chances are you've recently visited a superstore to procure some supplies.

Perhaps it's shopping for back-to-school items. Maybe you're in the market for a deal on electronics or tech. It could have been for pet supplies, workout gear, cheap groceries or specialty items. The list goes on.

The bottom line is that many Americans are increasingly price-sensitive. Many of us are opting to shop at places with better pricing power, even if that means driving a little farther or straying from the comfort and convenience of our typical stores.

This is in part why Walmart (WMT) has outperformed financially in 2024.

The retail giant, which reported fiscal Q1 2025 earnings in May, saw a stronger-than-expected performance across the bulk of its major categories, thanks in part to its price-rollback program.

"Our results were stronger than we anticipated, with sales growth of 5.7% and adjusted operating profit up 12.9% in constant currency. All three operating segments performed well," Chief Executive Doug McMillon said on the earnings call.

Walmart has been particularly outspoken about its efforts to bring down the cost of its food prices to pre-inflation-surge levels, and the efforts have clearly paid off.

Walmart's food and grocery section.
Walmart

Walmart is in the midst of an overhaul

And while it continues to bring prices down across stores, Walmart has also touted its efforts to revamp the shopping experience to make it a more pleasant place for everyone.

"Our store remodels look good and are performing well. Plus, our curbside pickup and delivery capabilities are improving, as indicated by our customer experience metrics," McMillon told analysts on the Q1 call.

Walmart has pledged to invest at least $9 billion to make stores cleaner, more navigable, and feeling refreshed. The overhaul will take multiple years to complete and is expected to affect at least 1,400 stores.

Some of those changes include:

Updated interiors and exteriors
New paint, signs, shopping carriages
More spacious, navigable aisles
New checkout design
Bigger, more centrally located pharmacies
Refreshed vision centers with more designer eyewear
Interactive corner displays featuring home designs, bedding and furniture
Interactive digital displays to learn more about products
More space for pickup-and-delivery options
Seasonal items in the dollar shop
Grab & Go section with fresh meals and drinks

Walmart adding new food offerings

Walmart has made no secret of its ambitions to update the shopping experience for everyone, and some of those changes affect its in-store food offerings, too.

For years, many Walmarts have featured in-store fast-food options from places like McDonald’s, (MCD) Subway and Taco Bell. (YUM)

But management says part of the key to attracting a new cohort of excited customers is bringing in refreshed food options, too.

More Walmart:

On Tuesday, it said it would partner with Knuckies Hoagies, a Milton, Ga., chain specializing in fresh specialty sandwiches and cheesesteaks. The agreement gives franchisees the opportunity to open an Alumni Cookie Dough spot within each location too.

Knuckies was founded in 2019. In 2023 it was placed on one of QSR's 40/40 list, meaning it was one of the most popular restaurants in the U.S. with under 40 locations. It currently has 14 shops in Walmart across six states, including

Georgia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Tennessee
Oklahoma
Texas

Walmart has opened other food shops in hundreds of other stores in 2024 alone. Earlier this spring it began a partnership with Mr. Gatti's Pizza across more than 90 stores, and in January it agreed to expand its partnership with Uncle Sharkii's Poke.

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