Southeastern grocery giant Publix is renowned for the great subs they make in-store, plus they make terrific salads and have a hot soup bar - so it’s a good option for either hurry-up or desperation meals. Only difference is that some stores have a few tables for instore noshing, but most don’t.
PubSubs are so beloved that a few years ago, that when Publix did an April Fool’s post that they were opening standalone sandwich shops a la Subway – people were genuinely disappointed that it wasn’t actually coming to pass.
When I worked somewhat out of the centre of London, the Waitrose supermarket was the only place to get a decent cup of coffee. Good toast for breakfast too. There is also a Waitrose in the basement of the John Lewis department store in Oxford Street. It has a wine bar, and very occasionally, a cheese plate and a glass of prosecco while doing the shopping feels like the height of decadence.
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Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)
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The question itself is full of nostalgia. Walgreens lunch counters were once a national institution. I was thinking just the other day, I wish someone bold in corporate Walgreensland would bring them back. Department stores used to have very posh restaurants and tea rooms. Most of those have faded from dept. store offerings. When I am checking out at Sam’s Club, the front area is always crowded with families who are doing pizza before getting out of there. I may do a hot pretzel at Sams once in a while. In this day and age, you could include the McDonalds (or Subway, etc.) that has a location just inside the entrance to WalMart, too. Might be OK when lifestyles stay so rushed.
Oooh that reminds me- the few times i have gone to the huge amazing Mitsuwa marketplace in new jersey one of the points of the journey is their amazing food court that has counters with any delicious asian food you can imagine…
Although it isn’t a chain so maybe it’s not really an answer for the OP
Most supermarket food courts or eateries tend to be set up like a canteen, so it’s not like you have to wait for someone to seat and serve you. Most meals takes no more than 30 minutes. Some planning is required. If I know it’s a place where I’ll grab a bite, we usually eat first and then shop after. If it’s an unplanned lunch, we always have the option of taking the food to the car first (in winter, it’s like a fridge anyway). If we’re realizing our shopping trip is running long and it’s hot outside, then yeah - we’ll skip the ice-cream and just grab the needed not-so-perishable items or wait for food.
About department stores used to have restaurants and tea rooms and have now disappeared. What do you think of the reverse trend in bookstores? Bookstores now are having higher end coffee shops within them.
Yes, I still see many mini McDonald inside Walmart.
I’m not big on prepared food, so no, I’ve never eaten at my local Giant or Whole Foods. I’m also not a big fan of Wegman’s, so even though it’s the closest market to my home I rarely shop there and have never eaten in their food court. I do, however, occasionally eat at Wegman’s pub when craving a decent burger, good fries and a nice beer. (But that’s a sit-down restaurant that prepares its food to order and is willing to make a truly med-rare burger.)
Every time I visit friends around the Beltway I try to stop by Whole Foods in Fairfax, VA. It is a concept store with eating kiosks I have not seen in their other stores. On my recent foray we shared selections from the Whole Foods Smokehouse and it was delicious. We sat at the counter and their brisket was especially amazing. It melted in your mouth…
This store also has a seafood/oyster bar, sushi station, even a craft beer bar with a dozen selections, not to mention all the take out counters.
Visited a local Wegman’s, too and got a kick out of watching a group of ladies having snacks and playing a full blown game of Mah Jong in the community room…
