Hello OmniTalk Fans!
This week, I’m coming to you live from Las Vegas at Groceryshop 2026, where I managed to squeeze OmniTalk contributor and GrocerTalk host Ben Miller into the Vusion podcast studio for another round of OmniTalk Retail Fast Five fun.
And this week’s episode can best be summed up as: more gas savings, more Costco delivery, more AI, more Toys R Us, and a whole lot more debate over smart glasses.
Ben and I dug into Walmart adding CITGO to Walmart+ Gas Savings, Costco expanding delivery through DoorDash and Uber Eats, Harps naming its first director of AI strategy and innovation, Toys R Us opening 120 new stand-alone stores, and Meta expanding its AI glasses retail footprint.
And, as tends to happen when Ben joins me, we did not agree on everything.
Here’s what Ben and I covered, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Quorso, Veloq, and R&S Logistics:
Walmart Fills Up
Walmart+ is adding CITGO to its Gas Savings benefit, expanding the program from 13,000 to more than 17,000 participating stations across the U.S. Members can save 10 cents per gallon at participating CITGO locations, and the annual Walmart+ membership price remains $98. Walmart says the addition increases the number of participating stations by roughly 30% nationwide.
Ben and I spent some time on the math here, because gas is one of those expenses that consumers simply cannot avoid. His argument is that Walmart is doing a good job of extending the “Save Money, Live Better” proposition beyond the store and giving Walmart+ members another tangible reason to keep paying for the membership. I agree. Whether it’s gas, restaurant delivery, travel, or other everyday benefits, Walmart is increasingly building Walmart+ into something that reaches well beyond the traditional retail transaction. (Source)
Costco Delivers
Costco is expanding its delivery reach through both DoorDash and Uber Eats nationwide. DoorDash will offer delivery from Costco’s U.S. warehouse stores, while Uber Eats is expanding its existing Costco delivery partnership nationwide after previously operating in 17 states. Costco members can order groceries, household items, electronics, and more through the delivery platforms.
I think this is an interesting move because Costco is essentially giving multiple delivery platforms a chance to compete for its members’ business. Ben and I talked about how that competition could ultimately benefit Costco and the consumer, particularly as DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart continue investing heavily in grocery delivery. Costco already has the membership relationship and the merchandise. Now it has even more ways to put those products in front of members wherever they happen to be shopping.
And if DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart all want a piece of the Costco business, I’m perfectly happy to let them fight it out.
Harps Gets AI
Harps Food Stores has promoted longtime employee Will McDoniel to the newly created role of director of AI strategy and innovation. McDoniel previously served as Harps’ meat and seafood category manager and will now focus on identifying ways the company can use AI to improve processes and increase efficiency while helping the grocer adopt new AI capabilities more quickly.
Ben and I got into a bigger conversation here about whether retailers need dedicated AI leadership or whether AI should simply become part of every executive’s job. I think there is something interesting about Harps putting someone who knows the business into the role. McDoniel isn’t coming from a traditional technology background. He has worked his way through Harps, from a part-time college employee to category management and now AI strategy.
That context matters. The challenge for retailers isn’t necessarily figuring out whether AI exists. It’s figuring out where AI can actually make the business better. Having someone who understands the operation, the people, and the problems that need solving could be a pretty useful place to start.
Toys R Us Gets Bigger
Toys R Us is opening 120 new stand-alone stores this holiday season in partnership with Go Retail Group, bringing its stand-alone footprint to approximately 160 locations. Some of the stores will feature Creator Studios, giving influencers and toy brands dedicated spaces to create content, while select locations will also include candy shops and cafes.
Ben and I both see room for more Toys R Us stores, although for very different reasons than the old Toys R Us model. I went back to the idea that toys are a seasonal business, much like Halloween, and pointed out that Spirit Halloween operates roughly 1,500 seasonal locations across the U.S. and Canada.
But the bigger question is why Toys R Us disappeared in the first place. People didn’t stop buying toys, and they didn’t necessarily stop loving the Toys R Us brand. The old business model had massive stores, significant debt, and limited ability to keep investing in the real estate and customer experience. This new version is much smaller, more curated, and more flexible.
So while I don’t think we’re getting 1,500 Toys R Us stores anytime soon, I do think there is a lot more room for the brand to experiment with the model and find the right number.
Meta Gets Its Glasses On
Meta Lab, the retail concept behind Meta’s AI glasses, is nearly doubling its standalone store footprint with six new locations planned over the coming months. The expansion includes Houston, Atlanta, San Diego, Chicago, Scottsdale, Arizona, and Moynihan Station in New York City, while Meta is also expanding its presence inside Best Buy.
Ben is not buying it.
He thinks Meta is scrambling to get the glasses into consumers’ hands before the holidays and questions whether the product can overcome what he sees as a growing “creep factor” around smart glasses. He also argues that consumers already have many of the core functions these glasses provide sitting in their pockets.
I’m a little more bullish on the category, especially after seeing the glasses up close at Best Buy. What surprised me most was how much closer they are getting to looking like actual glasses. As someone who wears glasses every day, I can see the appeal of having a stylish pair that can translate a menu, help communicate with someone speaking another language, take photos, or provide information without requiring me to pull out my phone.
That doesn’t mean the category is without friction. Prescription support is a real issue, and the 233% smart-glasses revenue growth number Ben and I discussed sounds a lot less impressive when you remember it is coming off a relatively small base.
Still, I think we’re going to see more Meta stores and more Meta shop-in-shops inside Best Buy in the coming years.
Five Insightful Minutes With Chad Lusk
Plus, everyone’s favorite A&Mer, Chad Lusk, joins us for 5 Insightful Minutes to talk about wellness, GLP-1s, private label, value, and the future of premiumization.
Chad’s big point is that many of the consumer trends we’re seeing around health, wellness, functional ingredients, smaller meals, and more intentional eating aren’t necessarily new. GLP-1s have simply accelerated many of those existing behaviors and pushed them further into the mainstream.
He also made an important distinction around value. Consumers are still willing to spend more, but they want a reason to do it. That could mean better ingredients, a distinctive taste profile, a unique experience, or something that feels worth the splurge. At the same time, private label continues to raise the bar on quality and increasingly competes with national brands on attributes beyond price.
The takeaway? Premiumization isn’t dead. Consumers are just becoming much more intentional about where they choose to spend up.
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Be careful out there,
Chris and the OmniTalk team
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Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.