Instacart Reveals How the Pandemic has Transformed Consumer Grocery Habits

Instacart released "Beyond the Cart: A Year of Essential Insights," a new report highlighting how the pandemic has transformed 100 years of grocery habits through the lens of trends from the past year that are shaping the future of online grocery shopping. The report combines an in-depth look at data from Instacart along with insights from a new Instacart survey of 2,038 U.S. adults conducted recently online by The Harris Poll.

"More than a year of pandemic living has dramatically reshaped how American households shop for groceries and other household essentials," said Laurentia Romaniuk, Instacart's Trends Expert and Senior Product Manager. "As we analyzed twelve months of data from Instacart, we discovered that...

Taco Bell is Redefining the Restaurant of The Future with Ambitious Growth Pipeline

Taco Bell® is looking long-term as it reinvents what it means to be a restaurant of the future. On track to have 10,000 restaurants open globally this decade, the brand is leveraging a multitude of design formats to enhance and redefine both the customer and team member QSR experience in a constantly shifting world.

In collaboration with its franchisees, Taco Bell has continued to evolve its restaurants on an ongoing basis. Back in 2015, the brand saw that customers were eager for urban locations without drive-thrus; so, they developed Cantinas. In navigating COVID-19, Taco Bell again adapted with improvements to digital and...

BJ’s Wholesale Club Adds Online EBT Payment Option for Pickup Orders in Select States

BJ’s Wholesale Club, a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States, announced that it now accepts EBT payments for SNAP eligible items on BJs.com for in-club pickup and curbside pickup orders in Florida and North Carolina.

BJ’s members in these states can now seamlessly shop for their groceries on BJs.com for in-club pickup or contactless curbside pickup and use their EBT card for SNAP eligible items at checkout. The retailer’s easy two-step checkout process for online EBT payment also includes the option to...

Walmart Drops $35 Minimum for Express Delivery

Walmart is making it easier for customers to get the items they want at the lightning-fast speed they may need them. Beginning today, the retailer is removing the $35 minimum order requirement for Express delivery.

Express delivery allows customers to order items from Walmart’s food, consumables and general merchandise assortment such as produce, pantry staples, everyday essentials, toys and electronics. It relies on the retailer’s team of 170,000 trained personal shoppers who pick customers’ orders. Like Walmart’s pickup and delivery service, there is no markup on items – an item is priced the same as it is on the shelf. Express delivery costs...

BJ’s Wholesale Club Introduces New App Features for Seamless Shopping 

BJ’s Wholesale Club announced that the company is making it easier for members to seamlessly shop and save by launching new features on the BJ’s app.

The BJ’s app includes a refreshed homepage where members can now easily reorder their favorite items, quickly clip digital coupons and conveniently shop using digital services, such as same-day delivery, buy online, pick up in-club and curbside pickup.

“The BJ’s app is the easiest way to get the most out of your BJ’s membership, from...

ALDI Continues Nationwide Expansion with 100 New Stores in 2021

ALDI continues coast-to-coast expansion with new stores, its 26th regional headquarters and distribution center and expanded eCommerce offerings. The retailer announced that it will open approximately 100 new locations nationwide in 2021, with a focus on Arizona, California, Florida and the Northeast.

As part of its continued mission to offer customers convenience in how and when they shop, ALDI will further expand its eCommerce offering throughout 2021. The company will add...

Chipotle Tests Carside Pickup

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced it is testing Chipotle Carside at 29 restaurants in California. For the first time, fans can get Chipotle's real food delivered right to their parked cars using the Chipotle app.

How it Works

When ordering from participating restaurants, guests can select "Carside Pickup" in the checkout section of the Chipotle app.

After the order is confirmed, the following instructions will be displayed...

U.S. Restaurant Industry Ends 2020 Making Its Way Out of the Steep Declines Caused by Pandemic

The U.S. restaurant industry closed one of the most unpopular years in history moving its way out of the steepest declines the industry has experienced since the Great Recession, reports The NPD Group. Customer transaction declines at major restaurant chains in December were down -10% compared to same period year ago, a 27-point improvement from April, the height of the shelter-at-home and restaurant dine-in closure mandates, when transactions declined by -37% from a year ago, according to NPD’s CREST® Performance Alerts, which provides a rapid weekly view of chain-specific transactions and share trends for 75 quick service, fast casual, midscale, and casual dining chains representing...

El Pollo Loco Unveils New L.A. Mex Restaurant Design to Meet Evolving Customer Demand

El Pollo Loco unveiled its new restaurant of the future designed to enhance off-premise convenience powered by a more robust and frictionless digital experience.

The re-imagined El Pollo Loco restaurants have been inspired by the changing habits of consumers to enjoy a more digital-forward and contactless off-premise experience that was inevitably sped up by...

Panasonic Explores How the Pandemic has Transformed Food Services and Food Retail Industries

Panasonic Corporation of North America, a leading technology company, released its industry survey as to how the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed Food Services and Food Retail businesses. The new study reveals that one in four Food Services and Food Retailers now view their companies as tech-forward early adopters, up from one in eight prior to the pandemic.

The research is a follow up to a previous study conducted by Panasonic shortly before the coronavirus outbreak. In late 2019, Panasonic conducted a food industry pulse survey in association with...

Pizza Hut to Offer Holiday Meal Box 

With the holiday season in full swing, Pizza Hut is crossing cooking off the to-do list by delivering the ultimate gift: the Triple Treat Box.

Arriving just in time for the holidays, each Triple Treat Box features a three-in-one meal, packed with two medium one-topping pizzas, five breadsticks and 10 Cinnabon Mini Rolls. Pizzas are available on...

Smashburger Introduces New Pulled Pork Tailgater Burger Nationwide

Smashburger has announced its newest premium burger creation that is big enough for game day. Now through January 17, 2021, guests are invited to indulge in the Pulled Pork Tailgater Burger available at Smashburger locations nationwide along with a $2 beer special.

Featuring slow-smoked pulled pork, caramelized onions, Swiss and Certified Angus Beef® piled up on a pretzel bun with spicy mustard, the new Pulled Pork Tailgater is made to...

Nielsen: Thanksgiving Highlights COVID-19 Divide 

In a year unlike any other, even Thanksgiving is not immune to polarization in the U.S.

As we confront ever-rising COVID-19 cases and physical and financial restraints, this year’s Thanksgiving festivities will look and feel drastically different, depending on location, generation and the financial impact of the pandemic. Yet from online shopping to price hikes, consumers share commonalities in confronting a Thanksgiving unlike any other.

Americans are almost perfectly split on whether they’re planning to...

Subway Launches Contactless Curbside Nationwide

Subway is introducing Contactless Curbside pick-up available nationwide at participating Subway restaurants,  so guests have a safe and easy option to get their favorite Footlong sandwiches when and how they want them. Since summer, Subway has brought curbside delivery to more than 11,000 restaurants. Curbside orders are even sealed with a tamper proof sticker and delivered on a tray, ensuring a safe and completely contactless experience.

Requesting Contactless Curbside can be done through placing an order on the Subway App or website. From there, one of Subway's Sandwich Artists makes the order fresh. When the guest arrives...