Walmart’s Delivery Empire Just Got a Familiar New Player, and It’s Not Who You’d Guess

As major retailers and restaurant chains keep expanding same-day delivery, Walmart is pushing further into meal ordering alongside groceries and household essentials. The latest move adds Papa Johns to Walmart’s restaurant delivery lineup and gives the retailer its first national restaurant partner fulfilled entirely from locations outside Walmart stores. The announcement adds to a broader shift in how chains are trying to capture convenience-focused orders in a more crowded delivery market.

Walmart adds Papa Johns, with a national rollout planned

Walmart and Papa Johns announced on September 10 that customers in eligible areas will be able to order Papa Johns through Walmart Express Delivery, according to company statements released that day. The companies said the service will begin in select markets this fall and later expand to thousands of participating Papa Johns locations nationwide. Papa Johns said the partnership covers pizzas, wings, sandwiches, sides and desserts, and Walmart said those orders can be placed either on their own or bundled with a regular Walmart order.

The scale is significant because Walmart said Papa Johns will be the first national restaurant brand on Walmart Express Delivery that is fulfilled entirely from restaurant locations outside Walmart stores. That distinguishes the deal from Walmart’s earlier restaurant delivery efforts tied to in-store tenants. Nation’s Restaurant News reported that Walmart had already begun delivering from Subway outlets inside Walmart stores earlier this summer and had also announced delivery from Dunkin’ locations inside its stores, with plans to broaden that service later.

Walmart has framed the expansion as part of its convenience strategy. In a May 28 corporate update, the company said it had expanded 30-minute-or-less delivery to 33 U.S. markets and completed millions of deliveries in that time frame during the first quarter of 2026. Walmart also said 26% of its Express Deliveries were already arriving in 30 minutes or less, showing how much the company is leaning on speed as it adds more restaurant options.

What the rollout means in local markets

For shoppers, the immediate local impact is availability that will depend on address, participating restaurants and market-by-market rollout. Walmart and Papa Johns have confirmed that the service starts in select markets this fall, but neither company has released a full public list of cities, metro areas or states included in the first wave. Customers will instead see whether Papa Johns delivery is offered in their area through the Walmart app or website based on the delivery address tied to their account, according to Papa Johns.

That means there is no confirmed state-by-state map yet for readers trying to determine whether their local Papa Johns is participating. The companies also have not publicly identified how many restaurants will be active at launch in any specific state or city. What is confirmed is the broader footprint behind the effort: Walmart operates more than 4,000 U.S. stores, and Nation’s Restaurant News reported the retailer has said 90% of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart.

Papa Johns also brings national scale to the arrangement. Nation’s Restaurant News identified the chain as the fourth-largest U.S. pizza brand, with more than 3,000 locations nationwide, while Papa Johns’ own corporate materials describe the company as having about 6,000 restaurants globally. Until a market list is released, customers should expect a phased launch rather than a same-day nationwide switch.

Why Walmart and Papa Johns are making this move now

The timing reflects pressure and opportunity on both sides of the partnership. Walmart has said restaurant delivery gives shoppers another reason to use its digital platform, and the company has been building that pitch around fast fulfillment. Greg Cathey, Walmart’s senior vice president of eCommerce fulfillment innovation, said in the company announcement that adding Papa Johns gives customers more variety and convenience alongside the everyday items they already buy from Walmart.

For Papa Johns, the partnership comes during a more difficult stretch for chain pizza. Nation’s Restaurant News reported that the company’s same-store sales fell 8.3% in its most recent quarter, with executives pointing to a softer consumer environment and a promotion-heavy fast-food market. Restaurant Dive also reported that Papa Johns has been trying to improve the performance of third-party delivery channels as the broader delivery marketplace becomes more crowded and competitive.

The practical takeaway for customers is straightforward: in markets where the service is live, Papa Johns orders can become part of the same digital trip as groceries, household goods or a stand-alone express order. Walmart said the offering will be available through its Restaurants tab, and the companies said the expansion will continue to thousands of participating locations nationwide. For now, the pace and exact local reach of the rollout remain tied to the fall launch schedule the companies announced on September 10.