Walmart to Test Drive-Thru

Walmart is launching a new grocery format, a stand-alone pick-up center where customers can drive in and pick up their grocery items they previously selected online. Aiming to satisfy customers’ desire for convenience, Walmart will break ground on the first grocery depot in its headquarters city of Bentonville, Ark. pending approval from city planning officials this tomorrow.

Walmart tested drive-thru pick-up service for online orders in 11 traditional Walmart stores in the Denver area. The stand-alone test unit will feature 15,000 square feet and stock 10,000 fresh and dry grocery products.

Walmart's Asda division in the U.K. has succeeded in a similar venture, with more than 100 drive-thru pickup locations and plans for more. The Bentonville prototype is said to resemble a Sonic drive-in format, where customers can place a call to a store associate, who in turn delivers the order to the customer’s car.