Key facts
- Walmart is partnering with Dunkin' to offer restaurant delivery.
- The service will expand to most of Dunkin's 10,000 US locations.
- Walmart aims to leverage its Spark delivery drivers for these orders.
- This move positions Walmart as a competitor to DoorDash and Uber Eats in the restaurant delivery market.
- Customers can order Dunkin' items alongside Walmart merchandise via the Walmart app or website.
Walmart is making a significant push into the restaurant delivery market, aiming to leverage its extensive store footprint and delivery infrastructure to compete with established players like DoorDash and Uber Eats. The retail giant has announced a partnership with Dunkin' that will initially roll out at 150 locations within Walmart stores and eventually expand to most of the chain's 10,000 US locations.
This strategic move represents an evolution of Walmart's business model, transforming it into a broader local-commerce platform. Previously, Walmart's delivery efforts, primarily through its Spark service, focused on delivering its own merchandise. Now, the company intends to allow customers to order restaurant items, such as coffee and donuts from Dunkin', alongside their usual household essentials through Walmart's app and website.
Walmart's vast network of stores, with locations within 10 miles of 90% of the US population, positions it to potentially bundle orders from nearby restaurants with items from Walmart. The company has been testing in-store restaurant deliveries and confirmed its entry into this sector earlier this year with a partnership with Subway, which operates about 1,400 locations within Walmart stores.
Despite the potential, Walmart faces stiff competition from services like DoorDash and Uber Eats, which possess significant operational experience and brand recognition in the food delivery space. These competitors are also innovating, with Uber seeking to acquire Delivery Hero for international expansion and DoorDash exploring self-driving robot deliveries.