Big Y Launches Kiosk and Online Ordering for Prepared Foods

Big Y has installed in-store ordering kiosks and launched an online platform for prepared foods, using technology from Instacart's FoodStorm business, according to a Tuesday announcement from Instacart.

The kiosks let shoppers customize foodservice orders inside the store. The online platform handles catering orders and prepared foods for pickup or delivery through Instacart's marketplace.

The move signals how grocers are streamlining omnichannel foodservice ordering as they compete with restaurants and convenience stores for meal occasions.

What does Big Y promote on the front page?

Big Y leads its website with the message "your favorite meals are now a click away." The chain is drawing attention to a menu that includes its 'Wich Way store-made sandwiches, wraps and bowls; pizzas; "super subs"; fried seafood meals; and stromboli in flavors like Hawaiian and chicken bacon ranch.

The catering menu requires 48 hours lead time. It offers deli platters, birthday cakes, fruit and veggie trays, and party supplies such as balloons and flowers.

John Fraro, vice president of fresh foods at Big Y, said in a statement: "Prepared foods are an important part of what we offer, and FoodStorm helps us better manage that business behind the scenes while creating a simpler, more seamless ordering experience for our shoppers."

Who is FoodStorm and where else does it run?

FoodStorm supplies a range of food ordering tools and services. The offering includes kiosks, a kitchen display system, data insights and production reporting.

Instacart acquired FoodStorm in 2021. The company runs integrations with chains including Sprouts Farmers Market, Food Lion and The Giant Company.

Why grocers are connecting online and in-store ordering

A recent report from FMI – The Food Industry Association recommended that grocers remove friction from their foodservice departments by connecting online and in-store touchpoints. Nearly two-thirds of consumers surveyed for the report said the ability to order food in advance could persuade them to buy meals from grocery stores instead of restaurants.

For Big Y, the stakes extend beyond convenience. The kiosks push customization to the shelf edge, while the online platform captures catering demand that previously required phone calls or in-person visits. FoodStorm's production reporting and kitchen display system give staff a way to manage that volume behind the scenes, which Fraro's statement makes clear the grocer values as much as the shopper-facing experience.

The FMI data suggests the payoff: if advance ordering shifts even a fraction of restaurant occasions to supermarkets, chains that already run extensive prepared foods programs — as Big Y does — stand to gain the most. Expect more grocers to follow this template of kiosk-plus-online ordering as the fight for meal occasions intensifies.