Wegmans Pivoting on Foodservice?

Wegmans Food Markets has just made a move that tells you everything you need to know about the future of grocery and foodservice innovation.

According to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, the New York-based grocer, which is renown for its dine-in offerings, has decided to shutter one of its most innovative foodservice concepts before the COVID-19 crisis: its Pub by Wegmans locations. Wegmans currently has 12 of these Pub restaurants across its footprint.

“We know those who love our Pub restaurants will be disappointed to learn that we have made the decision not to reopen our 12 Pubs across the company,” Wegmans spokesperson Deana Percassi told the newspaper in an email. “We are focused on applying our culinary expertise to the increasing demand for fast, casual meal solutions available in our stores, for pickup, and through delivery.”

Wegmans, which is known for its huge stores chock full of fast casual and full-service restaurant offerings, has had to shut down much of these features in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Like many grocers, Wegmans has also closed its self-serve hot and cold food bars in stores. Last month, a spokesperson told the newspaper that no decision had been made about when those options might return. Wegmans and other grocers are scrambling to predict how much demand there will be for dine-in foodservice post-pandemic.

Family-owned Wegmans operates 101 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts. The Rochester, N.Y.-based company is No. 36 on Progressive Grocer’s 2020 PG 100 list of the top grocers in the United States.