Hy-Vee, a Midwestern grocery chain, recently announced plans to transition all its in-store restaurants to a revamped Market Grille concept, effectively ending Wahlburgers’ presence in the grocer’s locations. This transition will take place throughout February and will involve the closure of all 79 Wahlburgers locations. Post-transition, Hy-Vee will operate 221 Market Grille and Market Grille Express locations across its grocery stores.

This move by Hy-Vee is not the first time the grocer has refreshed its in-store restaurant concepts. In 2020, Hy-Vee switched over 21 Market Grille locations to Wahlburgers restaurants and operated both concepts across its store fleet for nearly five years. The decision to transition to the Market Grille concept is aimed at introducing new menus, bringing back customer favorites from the original Market Grille menu, and offering lower prices than Wahlburgers.

The new Market Grille menus will include breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, with popular items like Market Grille burgers and hash browns making a return. The menus will also feature more affordable price points, ranging between $5 and $14. The rollout of the new menus will begin with the breakfast menu by February 4, followed by the updated lunch and dinner menus in mid-February.

Hy-Vee has assured that there will be no layoffs as part of this transition process, with employees currently undergoing training on the new menu offerings. The grocer also plans to keep all stores open during the transition period, implementing new signage and decor during off hours to minimize disruption to customers.

Overall, the decision to transition from Wahlburgers to the Market Grille concept reflects Hy-Vee’s commitment to meeting customer preferences and offering a diverse range of dining options within its stores. By introducing new menus, lowering prices, and retaining existing staff, Hy-Vee aims to enhance the in-store dining experience for its customers while maintaining a seamless transition process.