“Wegmaniacs” Rejoice as Wegmans Opens Restaurants
Industry crossovers are nothing new. Tommy Bahama has restaurants, a retail operation, and now a hotel. Fitness retailers like Athleta offer in-store workout classes. And now Wegmans , an iconic grocery store with more than 110 locations , is opening a restaurant to appeal to its Wegmaniacs fan base! Tastings is opening in Rochester, New York, the chain’s hometown.
Having sit-down spaces within grocery stores is not a unique concept. Like many specialty groceries, Whole Foods has tables, chairs, plastic forks, and napkins.
However, the Wegmans concept is unique in bringing many of the products known for by their fan base (“Wegmaniacs”) into the new restaurant to create a high-end dining experience.
Oliver Lange, a German chef, and other restaurant industry specialists are developing the store concept. Wegmans is known for its seasonal ingredients and fresh seafood/sushi, which will also be served in the restaurant. The restaurant will also serve as a space for research and development. In other words, if an ingredient or dish is popular, it may move into the grocery store.
Wegmans also has a sushi restaurant concept in both Rochester and New York. Called Next Door, it leverages the brand’s reputation for fresh seafood.
Natural brand extensions are the key to MULO (multi-location) ecosystem expansion, where lines between retail, restaurant, service businesses, and sports/entertainment are rapidly being erased.
The brands with the best chance of success are recruiting experts from the crossover industry (or forging partnerships) to avoid errors and to bring best practices into their businesses.
To learn more about crossover trends and the future of the MULO world (as well as the technologies, people, and marketing that support it), please join us at Street Fight LIVE 2025. Speaker and sponsor spots are available, so please reach out!
