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Target rivals Costco’s food court with new snack bar — but some shoppers say they missed the mark
Target has opened a small, bodega-style snack bar at its renovated SoHo store in New York, offering quick bites and drinks from brands including Wilde and Cadootz. The move aims to make shopping more of a destination, but it is not a full food court like Costco’s: there are no seats or kitchen for hot meals.
The snack bar is exclusive to the SoHo location and includes a seasonal display of sweet and savoury products from Target’s Favorite Day brand. The renovation also added a food and drink area designed to resemble a modern city market and a homewares section called the Bullseye Loft. Some shoppers criticised the store’s bright red design, describing it as sterile and likening the experience to moving through an artery.
In short
- Target has added a grab-and-go snack bar to its SoHo store.
- The space has no seating or freshly cooked food.
- Some shoppers have criticised the renovation’s design.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The snack bar gives shoppers a convenient way to pick up a quick bite while making the SoHo store feel more distinctive and enjoyable as a destination. Its curated local-market style and seasonal Target products may suit an urban shop where space is limited, even without seating or hot meals.
The case against
The concept may disappoint shoppers who see the Costco food court as its point of comparison: without seats or hot meals, it offers a more limited break during a visit. The bright red design and market-style presentation may also feel sterile or overly branded to customers who value a calmer, more practical shopping environment.