Waitrose will permanently extend its quick-commerce delivery hours at 35 stores across the UK after a successful trial during the World Cup.
The retailer trialled the delivery window in more than 50 shops last month to meet customer demand for late-night snacks and last-minute meals following late-night and early morning matches.
Customers in the vast majority of those locations have kept ordering long after the final whistle blew, but now Waitrose is making those extra hours permanent.
Most participating shops will now fulfill orders until midnight, with orders directly to customers’ doorsteps in as little as 20 minutes via Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat.
Laura Burbedge, Director of Online said: “The World Cup proved that our food-loving customers value the flexibility of shopping at Waitrose whenever they need us.
“By extending our delivery windows, we’re making it even more convenient to access the delicious, high-quality food our customers love.”
Waitrose first introduced its rapid delivery hours, following a successful trial period introduced to accommodate late-night and early-morning football matches.
More than 50 stores across England and Scotland initially participated in the scheme, which began on 23 June.
The supermarket reported a significant surge in demand during the trial, with orders increasing by 17 per cent around England’s match against Croatia and just before Scotland’s game against Morocco. Notably, high order volumes persisted even after the matches concluded, indicating a broader appetite for the service.
Customers can verify which branches are included by searching for Waitrose on these platforms. The service offers thousands of products, including fresh produce, ready meals, meat, dairy, toiletries, and cleaning supplies, with orders potentially arriving in as little as 20 minutes, depending on location and platform.
Alcohol will not be delivered outside each store’s usual licensed trading times, and the extended hours do not affect in-store shopping times. Customers wishing to shop in person must still follow regular opening hours.
Waitrose, which operates approximately 320 shops across the UK, is actively expanding its presence on third-party delivery apps to meet the growing demand for fast grocery services.
