New York City's planned municipal grocery stores will not require shoppers to show identification or prove residency, officials confirmed Monday. The stores, which aim to offer a "core basket of goods" at 30% below retail prices, will be open to everyone, including non-New Yorkers.
The administration of Mayor Zohran Mamdani is earmarking $70 million for the construction of the five taxpayer-subsidized grocery stores, with a goal of opening one in each borough. A free, voluntary membership card program will be offered, but it will not include any residency checks, according to administration officials and request-for-proposal documents.
Jeanny Pak, interim president and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation, stated on July 27 that the program is designed to target New Yorkers while managing who is buying and ensuring the focus remains on "everyday New Yorkers." The savings card program is intended to help manage supply and prevent resale, functioning similarly to a standard supermarket loyalty card. The private operator of the stores will be responsible for designing the specifics of this program.
City Hall representatives confirmed that there will be no system to verify identity, residency, or income, and no one will be asked to show identification to shop. The first of the five planned stores, located in Hunts Point, The Bronx, is not expected to open until at least 2027. Currently, only two of the five stores have finalized locations.
