Walmart makes deal to open popular food chain in stores
A fan-favorite food chain is opening in select Walmart restaurants.
Hot dog chain Wienerschnitzel will open restaurants locations in Walmart locations this fall. Food & Wine reported the chain will be opening in six states: Alamogordo, New Mexico; Bakersfield, California; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Reno, Nevada; Tempe, Arizona; and Puyallup, Washington.
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“Wienerschnitzel has spent decades building a strong reputation, especially on the West Coast, and this expansion into Walmart stores signifies a new era of growth for the brand,” Shak Turner, the brand’s newest Director of Franchise Expansion said. “It’s clear Wienerschnitzel’s unique concept fills a specific void for multi-brand franchisees looking to grow their portfolios, which is one of the elements that attracted me to the brand initially. I’m thrilled to join this amazing team and play a part in spearheading initiatives and new partnerships, which will no doubt catapult the brand to new markets.”
The Walmart restaurants will feature the brand’s full menu, including items like the Chili Cheese Dog, Junkyard Dog, chili cheese fries, jalapeño poppers, and Tastee Freez soft serve desserts.
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The Walmart move is the latest by Wienerschnitzel to expand its business model, the chain said, experimenting with unconventional locations such as airports, military bases, theme parks, food courts and convenience stores.
Founded in 1961 by John Galardi with a single location in southern California, Wienerschnitzel has grown to be the world’s largest hotdog chain serving more than 120 hot dogs a year. It now has 340 franchised Wienerschnitzel locations in operation throughout 13 states and more than 50 units in various stages of development across the United States.
Walmart has previously experimented with new in-store restaurant concepts. In 2024, Walmart teamed up with Uncle Sharkii Poke Bar at stores across the country. Poke is a Hawaiian dish that refers to slices or cubes of raw fish served atop rice, dressing, vegetables and seasonings.