Walmart Takes on DoorDash and UberEats with New In-Store Restaurant Delivery Service
Walmart has long positioned itself as the one-stop shop for American households, but now the retail giant is taking that convenience a step further by adding restaurant delivery to its growing list of services.
Starting in June, customers will be able to order from in-store restaurants through the Walmart app or Walmart.com, with the option to bundle meals alongside groceries, household essentials, and even prescriptions as part of an Express Delivery order. The move marks Walmart’s first integration of restaurant delivery into its existing logistics network, and it comes as the company looks to chip away at the dominance of food-delivery apps like DoorDash and UberEats.
Subway, Walmart’s largest in-store restaurant tenant, will be the first to join the service. Shoppers in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas can already add Subway sandwiches to their carts, and Walmart says it plans to expand the service to 1,400 more locations by the end of the summer. The company didn’t disclose which other restaurant brands might follow, but given Subway's footprint — more than 21,000 locations across the U.S. — the initial rollout alone covers a significant swath of Walmart's roughly 4,700 stores.
For Walmart, the timing is strategic. Consumers have grown increasingly frustrated with the sticker shock that often comes with third-party delivery apps. A recent study from Business Insider found that prices on DoorDash and UberEats can be 20% to 38% higher than in-store prices, thanks to inflated menu prices, service fees, delivery charges, and tips. One reporter for TheStreet recounted ordering a $12 McDonald’s breakfast in-store only to see it balloon to nearly $30 on a delivery app.
Walmart is betting that its “Everyday Low Price” promise — applied now to restaurant meals — will set it apart. The company says Subway orders placed through its platform will match in-restaurant menu prices, with only a flat Walmart Express Delivery fee applied. No surge pricing, no algorithmic price swings, no hidden surcharges. “That guarantee alone may be enough for many consumers to choose Walmart over other food delivery apps,” the article noted.
The expansion reflects a broader shift in retail. As Americans face mounting financial pressures and time constraints, convenience has become the kingmaker. A Morgan Stanley Research AlphaWise survey found that 77% of consumers rank convenience as a key factor in purchasing decisions. “Consumers will in many cases choose one product or service over another if it is more convenient,” said Michelle Weaver, Morgan Stanley’s U.S. Thematic Strategist. “We believe companies selling products or services to simplify consumers’ lives or make the purchasing process itself easier will see the most benefit from the convenience premium.”
Walmart is leaning hard into that trend. Beyond groceries and household staples, the retailer already offers auto care, pharmacy services, vision centers, and financial products. Adding restaurant delivery is another way to tighten its grip on daily routines. “The future of retail is about bringing more of customers’ everyday needs into a single, seamless experience,” Tracy Poulliot, Walmart’s executive vice president of eCommerce and marketing, said in a statement. “Bringing Subway delivery into the Walmart app is another way we’re using our proximity to customers and scale to make everyday decisions simpler and everyday life a little easier.”
Whether Walmart can truly disrupt the food-delivery space remains to be seen. DoorDash and UberEats have spent years building relationships with independent restaurants and refining their logistics. But Walmart has its own advantages: a massive existing customer base, thousands of physical locations that double as mini-warehouses, and a reputation for low prices that resonates with budget-conscious shoppers. If the initial rollout succeeds, Walmart could quickly become a serious contender in the meal-delivery game — and a wake-up call for the incumbents.
This story was originally published by TheStreet on Jun 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Retail section.