Groceries Are Here

Amazon rolls out another hot delivery service to San Antonio shoppers

Knock knock, your groceries are here.

happeninsintheham.com

Less than a week after announcing free alcohol delivery in Alamo City, Amazon is rolling out another delivery service. Beginning June 26, Amazon Prime will offer home delivery to Whole Foods Market shoppers in San Antonio.

“We’ve been delighted with the customer response to delivery in as little as an hour through Prime Now, and we’re excited to bring the service to our customers in Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and San Antonio,” said Christina Minardi, Whole Foods Market executive VP of operations, in a release. Grocery delivery has been available in Austin and Dallas since the service launched in February.

The service is available to Amazon Prime members and can be accessed via Amazon's www.primenow.com site, or by using the Prime Now app available on Android and iOS devices. In most but not all neighborhoods, customers can get delivery of Whole Foods' produce, meat, seafood, everyday staples, and select alcohol products.

Whole Foods joins a number of supermarkets who have formed similar delivery partnerships with Amazon, including Walmart, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Kroger. Companies such as Uber, Google Express, Instacart, Shipt, and Texas-based Favor also offer grocery delivery.

But Whole Foods is the only market that's owned by Amazon.

"We're happy to bring our customers the convenience of free two-hour delivery through Prime Now and access to thousands of natural and organic groceries and locally sourced favorites," said Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey in a release. "Together, we have already lowered prices on many items, and this offering makes Prime customers' lives even easier."

Amazon acquired Whole Foods Market in 2017, then made a splashy announcement that it would be lowering prices. Whole Foods' private-label products — including 365 Everyday Value, Whole Foods Market, Whole Paws, and Whole Catch — are already sold through Amazon.com, AmazonFresh, Prime Pantry, and Prime Now.

Prime members receive two-hour delivery for free, or ultra-fast delivery — within one hour — for $7.99 on orders of $35 or more.

Once an order is placed, personnel who are not necessarily store employees will collect the items from Whole Foods. The orders will then be given to Amazon drivers who make the delivery.

Delivery from Whole Foods Market through Prime Now is available 8 am-10 pm. Customers must enter their ZIP code to see if they are in the delivery area.

supermarkets technology dinner

IN MEMORIAM

Beloved San Antonio Tex-Mex joint fries its last gordita

Photo courtesy of Lala's Gorditas

Lala's Gorditas will shutter December 24.

When Steven Pizzini opened Lala's Gorditas, it seemed like his birthright. Not only was the tiny Southside joint named after his maternal grandmother, but it was built on generational restaurant know-how that dates back to the 30s. After five turbulent years, that legacy is being cut short.

Via Facebook, Pizzini announced he would shutter Lala's after service on December 24. Although the post does not fully explain the reasoning behind the closure, it capped one of the restaurant's most turbulent years.

"We hope everyone will come by and share a laugh or tear and send Lala's off in grand style," Pizzini writes. "On behalf of my staff and myself, it's been an honor and a pleasure to serve you these last five years. You'll see my staff in other great dining places, no doubt, and I plan to enjoy my retirement."

Opened in March 2019, Lala's continued his family's long history in the San Antonio hospitality community. His aunt Ernestine Pizzini Chapa founded Teka Molino in 1938. His father and uncle, Herman and Eddie Pizzini, established Taco Hut in 1958.

The simple menu was aptly time-honored, offering San Antonio favorites like guacamole cups, bean rolls, puffy tacos, and signature gorditas. Pizzini didn't take shortcuts, nixtamalizing corn on site. It was, at first, a formula for success.

Unfortunately, Pizzini faced challenges from the get-go, including a lack of parking and an outdoor dining space. The COVID-19 pandemic hit before he could celebrate his first year. In 2022, he told the San Antonio Current that supply availability and costs were wreaking havoc on his business.

In the past year, the restaurant has twice appealed to the local community for support. The most recent plea, on June 11, admitted many of the restaurant's shortcomings. Despite the struggles, Pizzini expressed no sour grapes.

"On a personal note, I will miss the wonderful community Lala's has created with our authentic food and friendly service," wrote the longtime San Antonio chef. "It's been an extraordinary experience getting to know so many of you and sharing my family's legacy through our traditional Tex-Mex recipes."

tex-mex southside closings