Subway is teaming up with Walmart to offer free delivery through the retailer’s app or website, with orders arriving in 30 minutes or less.
Customers in select markets across Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas will now see Subway available through Walmart Express Delivery, according to a Thursday announcement.
Orders can be delivered alongside other Walmart purchases for a flat fee with no hidden charges for the Subway items, with menu pricing matching in-store and some exclusive items available at participating locations.
The partnership plans to expand delivery service to around 1,400 locations by the end of the summer, the companies said.
“The future of retail is about bringing more of customers’ everyday needs into a single, seamless experience,” Tracy Poulliot, EVP eCommerce and Marketing of Walmart U.S. 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.”
This makes Subway the first restaurant brand integrated into Walmart’s fast-delivery platform, but the two companies actually go way back. Subway has had restaurants inside Walmart stores since 2004 and is still the retailer’s biggest in-store restaurant partner.
“Subway has always been focused on making freshly made, quality meals accessible to customers wherever they are,” Damien Harmon, President of Subway North America, said in a statement. “The integration of Subway delivery into the Walmart app and Walmart.com is a natural evolution of our 20-year relationship built on a shared commitment to value, freshness and everyday convenience.”
For Subway, the timing fits into its efforts to boost traffic and stay competitive in a tougher restaurant environment. The chain has been leaning more heavily on value-focused deals, including its Fresh Value Menu launched earlier this year with meals under $5, as it works to draw in more price-conscious customers.
There are also some behind-the-scenes changes making the delivery partnership work. As of June 1, Subway began requiring franchisees inside Walmart stores to participate in Walmart’s third-party delivery system, with orders flowing directly into each restaurant’s point-of-sale system. Franchisees will not face any new participation fees, but they will still cover standard credit card processing costs.
