The store-in-store restaurant concept isn’t exactly new, as fast food and fast casual chains have staked out the fourth wall of just about every local superstore, but it remains fairly fertile ground for casual and family dining eateries and represents what could be their next big expansion opportunity.
We’re probably all familiar with the Subway shops and McDonald’s inside Wal-Mart, and the Starbucks stores that have taken over Target counters, but we really haven’t seen the broader dining concepts in the space, because their menus and style may not be able to meet the needs of the customer on the go.
That might be changing though. The lines between restaurant, grocery store, and retail outlet are blurring as companies seek meaningful ways to capture greater amounts of the strained consumer’s spending.