There’s always more to know about even the most innocuous places. From fun little tidbits to genuinely helpful information, there’s probably something to learn about just about anything.
In a world full of delis and delicacies, there’s definitely a lot to know about delis, their menus, their prices, and who knows what else. Or maybe you’ve just come here because you have a specific question and Google said this article has the answer.
Whatever’s brought you here aside, here are 13 Crazy Facts About The Walmart Deli that you absolutely must see.
1. What Is Walmart Deli
The Walmart Deli is exactly what you think it is; it’s a deli in Walmart. There, you can find a variety of freshly prepared foods from soups and salads to sandwiches and full ready-made meals. Of course, you can expect the Walmart Deli to carry everything you’d expect of a regular deli too, such as specialty meats and cheeses.
The deli counter has been a longtime resident of Walmart stores, but in 2020, as a part of Walmart’s remodeling efforts for their stores across the country, the deli departments were given special attention. Employing a mix of customer feedback, industry insights, and supplier research, Walmart remodeled countless in-store deli departments to improve the overall customer experience and to the time and money conscious consumer of today.
At the majority of Walmart locations, the deli runs from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM everyday. That gives customers a good 12 hours a day to swoop in and grab any of the freshly made delicacies.
The new and improved delis also offer a wider range of fresh foods than they used to, with sandwiches and wraps replenished daily and soups and other such delights restocked on demand. You can also find a good selection of ready-to-eat meals stored in coolers stationed by the deli counters.
Generally speaking, the food at the Walmart Deli wont run you dry and the portion sizes are commendable, and eating at a deli can be very healthy, so if you’re looking for a quick grab-and-go lunch on a busy day, you know where to go.
2. What Time Does Walmart Deli Close?
The majority of Walmart stores close at 11:00 PM, which would give you more than enough time to do your shopping after a hard day’s work. However, the Walmart Deli closes at 8:00 PM, a full three hours prior.
So while Walmart itself has the average high-schooler’s weekend curfew, unfortunately, if your shopping list includes specialty meats or a ready made cheese platter, you’re going to have to get your grocery run done before 8:00 PM.
It should be noted that this isn’t done for the sole purpose of inconveniencing the late night deli market, there is actually a good reason. The deli counter deals with perishable foods and a lot of equipment that comes into contact with said food. It’s incredibly important to have enough time to clean up and properly put away food before the store closes.
I promise, the Walmart Deli employees are not out to get you, they just shut their doors a little earlier.
3. What Time Does Walmart Deli Open?
You can get into most Walmart stores bright and early at 6:00 AM, but the Walmart Deli opens at 8:00 AM. So if you’re looking to make a quick stop before your 9-to-5, you should be good.
However, if you’re craving a hot snack early in the morning, or a warm breakfast for the drive to work, you should know that the Walmart Deli usually starts serving hot food after 10:00 AM. Deli workers need enough time to set up shop and get things going before preparing hot food, so you should be prepared for pre-packaged and cold selections at opening time.
They do have a wide variety of offerings beyond their hot food, however, so you’re not going to be devoid of choice regardless of the time.
4. How Much Are Walmart Deli Platters?
The Walmart Deli offers a wide array of party trays and platters to pick from, and it’s gonna run you anywhere from $15 dollars for a small tray to upwards of $40 dollars for a large. On average, a small tray costs $15-20, a medium about $25-38, and a large tray averages about $40-$48 dollars.
You can get just about anything your heart desires on a platter, from meat and cheese, to sandwiches, to chicken wings. All of those selections will however be prepared exclusively with Prima Della products, which is Walmart’s signature deli brand.
Most of the trays also come with complimentary garnishes; stuff like lettuce, onions and tomatoes on the sandwich platter, for instance. This way everyone enjoying a Walmart Deli platter has the chance to mix and match and customize their own serving a little bit.
A popular choice of platter is the Chicken Wing Tray, which, alongside a creamy dip and some crunchy veggies, comes with your choice of regular or boneless wings. If wings aren’t enough for you, you could opt for the Chicken Trio Tray instead, which will supply you with chicken tenders, buffalo wings, and some crispy popcorn chicken.
If you do manage to narrow down your choices enough to actually order, you should know what the average portion size is going to get you. Fret not, there are options for just about any serving size that won’t break the bank.
Here’s a rough breakdown of the portion sizes:
A small tray will serve about 8 to 10 people, and will only run you about $20 on average. A medium will comfortably feed 15 to 20 people, and cost up to $38.
Finally, a large platter is going to keep an average of 25 to 30 people well satisfied for up to $48, so if you’re planning a watch party for Team USA’s next World Cup match, you know what to order.
While most products sold at the Walmart Deli can be ordered online for your choice of pickup or delivery, the trays and platters are in person or over the phone orders only. So if you’re looking to score a 100-piece fried chicken platter for $75 and no human contact, you’re out of luck – you’ll probably have to talk to a real person.
You can find some of the Walmart Deli numbers at their online store directory, but it would work just as well to just call your local Walmart and have them transfer you to the deli department.
5. What Time Does Walmart Deli Start Serving Food?
If you’re heading in for an early morning meeting, or just getting off a graveyard shift, you might be eager for a quick bite. Thankfully, the Walmart Deli has food available as soon as it opens at 8:00 AM. However, hot food is usually only served after 10:00 AM.
Unfortunately, the hot food actually needs to be prepared by a deli worker, so you’re probably going to strike out if you swing by at 8 in the morning in search of a steaming rotisserie chicken, but you absolutely can grab a pre-packaged meal or any combination of snacks and sides to make your own little tasting platter of a breakfast.
6. How Much Is Walmart Deli Fried Chicken?
Depending on just how much chicken you’re looking for, the price varies. An average eight-piece meal might cost you as little as $7, but if you’re going for a 100-piece fried chicken tray, you’re going to be shilling out about $75 instead.
Going off the Walmart Deli brochure, there’s quite a few prices and packages to choose from, and you’re bound to find one that satisfies your needs. Here’s some of the prices for fried chicken options for the party trays:
| Item | Price |
| Chicken Wing Tray (small) | $17 |
| Chicken Wing Tray (medium) | $28 |
| Chicken Wing Tray (large) | $35 |
| Chicken Trio Tray (medium) | $32 |
| Chicken Trio Tray (large) | $39 |
| 50-piece Fried Chicken | $40 |
| 100-piece Fried Chicken | $75 |
It should be noted that these prices may vary from location to location depending on the availability of ingredients and other conditions. For the most accurate prices, be sure to check the official Walmart website.
7. How Long Is Walmart Deli Meat Good For?
The general rule of thumb when it comes to deli meats is to consume it within a week. According to Walmart’s own food safety guidelines, your freshly cut deli meats will stay fresh for roughly 6 days. After which, if you haven’t already eaten it, it’s best to toss it in the compost bin.
It doesn’t really matter if that sliced ham from two weeks ago still looks alright, or even if it smells fine. If the sealed package has been opened, harmful bacteria like listeria can begin growing on it. Yes, even in the fridge.
Pre-packaged meats in sealed containers generally have a longer shelf life, but once you’ve torn open its packaging, be prepared to eat it all within 6 days too.
If you’ve opted for the freshly sliced variety, you might find a date on its wrapping. That date signifies when your meat was sliced, not its expiration date. Again, be sure not to have any of it after the six-day mark – it would be a shame for you to associate ham with the emergency room instead of a good sandwich.
8. What Brand Is Walmart Deli Popcorn Chicken?
If you’re planning a trip to a land devoid of Walmarts and by extension the Walmart Deli, and you absolutely cannot be separated from the deli’s popcorn chicken, you might want to know what brand of popcorn chicken they use. Well, your prayers have been answered: the Walmart Deli uses Tyson brand popcorn chicken.
Okay so maybe you just want to make some in the comfort of your own home and aren’t going on some grand adventure. In either case, it might also be helpful to know how said popcorn chicken is prepared.
You can either pop it in the oven, for a healthier, not-so-greasy feel, or you can deep fry it with some Crisco frying oil for an oily, perfectly crispy bite.
You can thank me later.
9. How Much Are Walmart Deli Wings?
If you’re looking to fly and Red Bull isn’t quite your jam, you might be looking for some wings at the Walmart Deli. Wings are going to cost you anywhere from $17 to $35, depending on what size tray you get.
A small tray of wings, which can feed about 8 to 10 people, costs $17 at most Walmart Delis. A medium runs around $28 for a serving size fit for 15 to 20 people. A large tray will cost you approximately $35 dollars, and you’ll be able to feed up to 30 people.
Do note that since the chicken wing trays are technically party platters, you won’t be able to order them online. You’ll have to make a phone call or a trip down to your local Walmart, but by the end of it you’re going to have yourself some perfectly crispy wings.
10. Does Walmart Sell Buckets Of Chicken?
Considering Walmart is a national chain with stores located across the country, menu items might differ from location to location. Sometimes this means that certain locations will have items that others don’t. Such is the case with the Walmart Deli Chicken Bucket; some locations do sell buckets of chicken, while some don’t.
Unfortunately, finding out whether or not your local Walmart Deli has buckets of chicken on the menu is really up to you. You can either swing by the closest location and check it out yourself, or give them a shout on their Facebook page.
Do be warned that you’re not always going to find reliable information online for this kind of thing, as websites aren’t always up to date on menu changes due to ingredient availability and other factors. Your best bet is checking out the closest Walmart Deli in person.
11. Does The Walmart Deli Sell Breakfast?
If this is an early morning internet search to decide whether it’s worth stopping by your nearest Walmart for breakfast, allow me to assist you: yes, the Walmart Deli sells breakfast!
From around 7:00 AM to 10:30, you can grab some pancakes, sausages on sticks, or a chicken breakfast slider to go from your local Walmart Deli. Of course, this varies from location to location, and most Walmart Deli’s post-pandemic only open at 8:00 AM.
However, regardless of their opening times, most Walmart Delis do offer breakfast items. Plus, if you’re more of a cold breakfast person like myself, you can just grab any of their pre-packaged options anyway.
12. Does Walmart Deli Make Sandwich Trays?
The deli offers so many different types of trays that you could have a different one for each day of the week. Thankfully, sandwich trays are among the options offered by the Walmart Deli.
The sandwich trays aren’t offered in a small size, but you do still have the choice between a medium and a large, which will cost $32 and $42 respectively. You can expect the medium to feed around 15 to 20 people, while the large would be enough for up to 30.
Unfortunately for the anti-social sandwich enthusiasts, though, you’ll have to interact with a real person in order to make an order, as sandwich trays can’t be ordered online. You can opt for a phone call if face-to-face interactions are a bit too pre-pandemic for you, though.
13. Is Walmart Deli Meat Good?
Personal preference and taste have dedicated that no one may ever state that something is universally good or bad – there’s probably someone that likes just about anything. However, after combing through so, so many reviews on Walmart’s website, I can state with a good amount of certainty that yes, Walmart Deli meat is good.
You also have to keep in mind that the Walmart Deli offers a wide range of meats, from regular ham and turkey slices to more specialty selections for the most pretentious of palates. Odds are, you’ll find something that tickles your fancy.
To Conclude
The Walmart Deli has a frankly extensive menu. From hummus and salsa, to lunch meats and specialty cheeses, there’s something for everyone at the deli counter.
So if you’re throwing a watch party for the season finale of your latest show, or just craving a few slices of freshly sliced roast beef on your next sandwich, try swinging by the Walmart Deli.
