Will Trader Joe's Ever Have A Restaurant Inside Its Stores? (2024)

Oh, how we love Trader Joe's. From theirsnack foodsto staple canned goods, TJ's is the place to find all the newest flavors. But will the company ever provide a place to eat in its stores? On an episode of the "InsideTrader Joe's" podcast with CEOBryan Palbaum and vice-CEO Jon Basalone, the leaders quashed the idea of opening restaurants in its popular grocery stores. "False," Palbaum replied when asked about the possibility.

In-store dining has been a recent trend for grocery stores around the United States. Whole Foods has offered seating for customers purchasing from their prepared foods sections for some time and trendy Ehrwon operates a cafe where you can indulge in their splurge-worthy buffalo cauliflower and smoothies. Even grocery giants Kroger and Wegman's have entered the restaurant market within their stores, providing shoppers with a place to not only eat but to buy ready-to-eat meals to take home.

Read more: 16 Items That Deserve To Be In The Trader Joe's Hall Of Fame

Trader Joe's Won't Be Your Date Night Dinner Location

Will Trader Joe's Ever Have A Restaurant Inside Its Stores? (1)

Trader Joe's locations are quite a bit smaller than other grocery chains. Trader Joe's stores average 8,000 to 15,000 square feet,compared to a typical Safeway store, which boasts around 46,000 square feet. Trader Joe's packs its stores with so many affordable choices for their customers that it would be hard to imagine where they'd have the space needed for a restaurant or even a seating area.

What about a drive-through? On the same podcast episode, Palbaum and Basalone nixed the idea of drive-through service and self-serve checkouts. Trader Joe's is noted for not following large grocery chain trends; their focus is on knowing who the customers are as they shop in the store and providing friendly interactions with knowledgeable crew members -- and that's too important to sacrifice.

Don't expect to dine in your local Trader Joe's, but don't worry, if you don't enjoy what you brought home to eat, the store is happy to refund you. It's all part of keeping you coming back time after time.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

Will Trader Joe's Ever Have A Restaurant Inside Its Stores? (2024)

FAQs

Is Trader Joe's owned by Walmart? ›

Trader Joe's is owned by families that also own part of Aldi Nord. Trader Joe's and Aldi Nord operate independently.

What does Trader Joe's do with unsold food? ›

Through our Neighborhood Shares program it's been our long-running policy to donate 100% of products that go unsold but are safe for consumption to local food banks & other non-profit food recovery partners.

Is Trader Joe's doing well financially? ›

Trader Joe's, the American grocery store, brings in $16.5 billion in revenue each year.

Why are Trader Joe's eggs so cheap? ›

In a time when kitchen essentials like eggs and milk have skyrocketed in price, Trader Joe's stores have largely weathered the storm of inflation. Because of their direct relationship with suppliers and curated stock, the chain manages to keep prices low.

Is Trader Joe's owned by China or China? ›

Trader Joe's was purchased in 1979 by a German conglomerate, is entirely managed in the US, and has never been resold.

Is Aldi owned by the brother of Trader Joe's? ›

It's a popular question, and the answer is no. They do have a shared history, though.

What is a weakness of Trader Joe's? ›

Limited product variety: One weakness of Trader Joe's is its limited product variety compared to other grocery store chains. While the company is known for its curated selection of unique and innovative products, its offerings may only meet the needs of some customers.

How much do Trader Joe's employees get off groceries? ›

Trader Joe's is dedicated to making an investment in and for you. All Crew Members currently receive up to a 20% discount on all products in our stores. We offer exceptional medical, dental and vision plans to eligible Crew Members.

Why are the shelves empty at Trader Joe's? ›

An ongoing shortage of truckers continues to slow down the supply chain and the ability of grocery stores to replenish their shelves quickly. Empty shelves at a Trader Joe's on Spring Street in New York City on Saturday January 8, 2022. “The trucking industry has an aging workforce on top of a shortage,” Lempert said.

Who is Trader Joe's biggest competitor? ›

Top 10 Trader Joe's competitors
  • Walmart.
  • Bravo Supermarkets.
  • CJ Express.
  • DealsOfAmerica.com.
  • HEB Grocery.
  • Kroger.
  • Pete's Market.
  • Target.

Does Trader Joes treat their employees well? ›

Trader Joe's has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 9,192 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there.

How much does the average person spend at Trader Joe's? ›

The Average Trip to Trader Joe's

Now when it comes to average spending, Americans are dishing out about $66.00 every time they go to Trader Joe's. Arkansas residents spend the most at $80.50 per trip, and Utahns spend the least at just over $53.00 per visit.

Where does Trader Joe's food come from? ›

Well, the short answer is that Trader Joe's cuts out the middleman entirely by working directly with some of the biggest food manufacturers across the world, who then make products under Trader Joe's specifications (down to price, flavor, and size) for its store brand.

Is everything in Trader Joe's healthy? ›

As abundant as Trader Joe's nutritious options may be, the quaint supermarket is also home to battered frozen dinners, delectable desserts, and comfort foods with nutritional profiles that experts don't exactly love.

Why do they sell fertilized eggs at Trader Joe's? ›

Occasionally, a rooster will manage to find its way to the hens anyway, leading to some of them laying fertilized eggs. Since Trader Joe's knowingly sells fertilized eggs, this more than likely indicates that its eggs come from free-range chickens.

What company bought Trader Joe's? ›

The chain was sold to Aldi founder Theo Albrecht in 1979, who owned it until his death in 2010, when ownership passed to his heirs.

Who is behind Trader Joe's? ›

Joe Coulombe started Trader Joe's in 1967 as a grocer that offered affordable products not found in traditional convenience and grocery stores.

Who is the new owner of Trader Joe's? ›

Trader Joe's recently opened new locations in San Francisco and Boston as part of a 24-store expansion around the U.S. Founded in Pasadena in 1967, the popular chain was sold in 1979 to German grocery giant and founder of the Aldi supermarket chain, Theo Albrecht, Bloomberg reports.

Does Walmart own Aldi? ›

Aldi and Walmart are separate and independent retail companies, each with its own ownership, management, and business operations. Aldi is a German-based global discount supermarket chain. The company operates two main divisions: Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd. The Aldi stores in the United States are operated by Aldi Süd.

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