Imagine being able to order all different kinds of food from America’s top chefs and restaurants in one place. Then imagine that the location is conveniently located inside your local Walmart store. That’s the concept behind the 21st century food hall experience known as Wonder, which last week held a grand opening celebration for its newest store in the Quakertown Walmart on Rt. 309.
Imagine being able to order all different kinds of food from America’s top chefs and restaurants in one place. Then imagine that the location is conveniently located inside your local Walmart store.
That’s the concept behind the 21st century food hall experience known as Wonder, which last week held a grand opening celebration for its newest store in the Quakertown Walmart on Rt. 309.
Wonder has been around for several years, but if the name doesn’t ring any bells, that’s probably because most of its stores to date have been in the New York metropolitan area. That all changed with the opening of the 1,400 square-foot Wonder in Quakertown, which is the company’s eleventh brick-and-mortar site, but its first location in Pennsylvania and first store inside a Walmart.
Thanks to an aggressive expansion strategy that includes opening more Walmart in-store Wonders, 25 more openings are targeted for this year, Wonder’s SVP of Operations Jason Rusk said.
Rusk explained the Wonder concept as a trailblazing one, in part because of the company’s partnerships with top culinary names like chefs/TV personalities Bobby Flay and Jose Andres, whose “fast fine” dining menus are available to order from all Wonder locations, along with dozens of other menus featuring everything from Greek to Mexican to barbecue and, of course, dessert.
In addition to collaborating with household names like Flay, Wonder controls the entire production and distribution side of the business from “end to end,” he said, which helps ensure that the quality standards America’s top chefs expect are consistently met.
In fact, everything is prepared fresh to order at Wonder, which has stores of varying size. The Quakertown Wonder is a smaller location and currently offers eight different menus, but some of the other locations are larger and thus able to offer customers even more choices. Food can be ordered on kiosks or online for pickup or delivery (a limited amount of in-store seating is also available).
The eight menus the Quakertown Wonder is offering are from Limesalt (Mexican), Yasas by Michael Symon (Greek), Alanza (Italian/pizza), Fred’s Meat and Bred (cheesesteaks/burgers), Tejas Barbecue, Wing Trip, Burger Baby and Room for Dessert. Other menus featured on the Wonder website and available in other locations include Chai Pani (Indian), Bobby Flay Steak, Hanu Poke, Jota (Spanish) and Mayd?n (Middle Eastern).
Rusk said the Quakertown Wonder has “room to grow over time,” and noted that restaurants’ offerings can be customized according to the tastes of the communities they serve.
He said Quakertown’s location along major routes between Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley made it a good choice for the first Wonder store in Pennsylvania, which on opening day was already drawing curious foodies to its green-and-white corner space on the grocery section side of the Walmart.
Local residents may have one idea of what “fine dining” is, but Wonder’s “approachable” take on it is giving many people room to rethink their beliefs; particularly since the concept means that everyone in a family can now order what they want, without having to negotiate on a single destination eatery that may or may not be particularly family-friendly. That’s not a concern at Wonder, where families are well-served by menus that feature kid-friendly favorites like chicken tenders and mac and cheese.
“This is where we are starting,” Rusk emphasized.
The Quakertown Wonder has about 20 employees, and plans to hire several more, said General Manager Zach Hein.
It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. inside the Walmart at 195 N. West End Blvd.
To view menus and place an order, visit the store’s page on the Wonder website or download the Wonder app. Delivery is available to the following zip codes: 17462, 20157, 17672, 20035 and 18860.
On average, orders are prepared fresh and delivered in 35 minutes or less, according to Wonder.com.
Other current Wonder locations include Westfield and Hoboken in New Jersey, and Downtown Brooklyn, Park Slope and Upper East Side in New York City.
Wonder also offers a membership program, Wonder+, which costs $7.99 per month. Members receive fee-free delivery on all orders, Fast Pass expedited delivery and pickup and exclusive access to promotions and other perks.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Feb. 21 to officially open the new Wonder location inside the Quakertown Walmart. Pictured at center, holding a certificate, is the store’s general manager Zach Hein. (Contributed photo)
A sandwich board sign welcomes customers to Wonder, which represents a new concept for dining in the area.
Wonder.com.
Yasas’ Beef Souvlaki & Tzatziki sandwich features greens, beef, tzatziki sauce, “zhough,” chickpeas, pickles, tomato and cucumber, along with a lemon dressing.
Tejas Barbecue’s carrot souffle is a surprisingly sweet and creamy dessert option. According to Wonder.com, the souffle is the “sleeper hit of the Tejas menu,” with “a slightly sweet, flan-like side made from carrot and egg, and flavored with vanilla Bourbon paste.”
The view from inside Wonder in the Quakertown Walmart is of the superstore’s checkout lanes and vast number of aisles.
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