Stop & Shop expands hot bar

Stop & Shop issued the announcement via a GlobeNewswire press release dated March 24, 2026 from its Quincy, Massachusetts headquarters. (Markets Insider / GlobeNewswire (markets.businessinsider.com)) The chain is cutting hot‑bar pricing by $1 per pound, lowering the price point from $10.99 to $9.99 per pound as part of the refresh. (Grocery Dive (grocerydive.com)) Stop & Shop said the updated dinner assortment will be rolled out at more than 250 stores that currently operate hot bars. (Progressive Grocer (progressivegrocer.com)) New protein entrees named in the company release include black pepper steak, Thai coconut chicken thighs, white wine mushroom chicken thighs, bone‑in ribs and pork burnt ends — and the chain said those proteins are prepared sous‑vide. (Markets Insider / GlobeNewswire (markets.businessinsider.com)) Side dishes added to the lineup include mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, collard greens, buttered corn and baked beans to create “complete meal” pairings, Stop & Shop said. (NJBIZ (njbiz.com)) The retailer established a dedicated dinner window for the new assortment — available daily from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. — with selections varying by location. (Progressive Grocer (progressivegrocer.com)) Stop & Shop framed the move as part of a multi‑year customer-experience initiative launched in 2024, and the company operates more than 350 supermarkets across the Northeast. (NJBIZ (njbiz.com)) The company cited industry data showing growth in supermarket deli‑prepared purchases — noting more than a quarter of recent consumers report buying deli‑prepared foods instead of dining out, up from roughly 12% in 2017 — to justify the hot‑bar investment. (NJBIZ (njbiz.com))