Wonder plans Texas entry and targets 100 locations by end of 2027
Wonder plans to enter Texas next year as Marc Lore weighs an IPO and expands its food-delivery model with automation.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
Wonder Texas expansion 2027 plans call for the food company to enter the state next year and open at least 100 locations there by the end of 2027, CNBC reported. The push would extend a chain that has opened 170 storefronts from Virginia to Massachusetts over the past three years, while founder Marc Lore considers a potential initial public offering.
Wonder’s growth plan combines an established operating model with longer-term targets that are not yet in place. CNBC reported that the company prepares food in commissary kitchens, moves it to individual storefronts, and has workers unseal, cook and finish orders there.
How will Wonder expand in Texas?
Its stores are all-electric and do not require gas or venting, CNBC reported. Wonder says that format can let it move into new locations more quickly while reducing renovation and permitting work.
The company offers takeout and delivery from sites that carry food from more than two dozen restaurant concepts, according to CNBC. Customers can order through Wonder’s app or third-party services, including Grubhub, which Wonder owns. The concepts include Dabba Indian Kitchen, Tejas Barbecue and Pop Salad, the report said.
Wonder is also automating selected kitchen tasks. Assembly of salads and bowls is being automated, while sauces and beverages are identified as the next functions, CNBC reported. Lore told the network that Wonder’s goal is fully autonomous food preparation and delivery by 2040; that is a target rather than a current capability.
What has Wonder said about an IPO?
Lore declined to discuss an IPO timetable with CNBC. He said a public listing could provide capital for building the business and publicly traded shares to support further acquisitions. CNBC said Lore had previously indicated that Wonder would be ready to go public early the following year.
CNBC reported that Wonder has raised $3.3 billion to date and that its Series D round earlier this year put its pre-money valuation at $9 billion. The company has spent more than $1 billion on acquisitions where deal values were disclosed, including Grubhub, Relay and Blue Apron, according to the report.
Wonder also has ambitions for a subscription service that would allow diners to operate their own restaurant concepts, CNBC reported. The report did not provide details on how such a program would work, when it might launch or whether it is available.
The company still faces the task of persuading customers that its combination of choice and lower costs is compelling in a competitive food market, CNBC reported. Its Texas target, automation plans and possible IPO remain separate parts of that broader strategy.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.