Now Polymarket is Launching a Free Grocery Store

Shots fired at Kalshi

Polymarket Free Grocery Store NYC Kalshi

News

By RC Staff

03 February 2026

Key Points

Polymarket’s free grocery store “The Polymarket” opens February 12
Everything in the store is completely free with no purchase required, no sign-ups, and open to all New Yorkers
Kalshi was attempting to frontrun Polymarket with their own promotional stunt

Something weird must be in New York’s water. Kalshi and Polymarket, two NYC-founded and headquartered prediction markets, have recently announced free grocery giveaways to New Yorkers this month. While Kalshi’s stunt took place earlier today and is already over, Polymarket plans to open their own “fully stocked” and presumably fully branded grocery store that they’re calling “The Polymarket.” Everything in the store is free, apparently, and they plan to run the pop-up for four days.

NYC Prediction Markets Fight Grocery Wars

Today, Kalshi ran a free grocery giveaway at Westside Market on Third Avenue where anyone could walk out with up to $50 worth of groceries. Long lines formed outside the East Village location as people lined up for the no-strings-attached offer. That promotion ran from noon until supplies lasted, with Kalshi keeping the end time intentionally vague.

Polymarket clearly decided $50 gift cards weren’t enough. Around the same time as Kalshi’s event started, they announced an entire dedicated grocery store that’ll be open for four days straight. The company says they’ve been planning this since November, broke ground on construction last month, and already signed a lease for a physical retail space at 7 Madison Avenue.

The store will be stocked by Food Bank For NYC, which Polymarket brought on as an operating partner. This separates the $1 million donation to the food bank from the actual store operations, meaning they’re funding two different initiatives at once. According to their announcement, shelves will be fully stocked with real groceries and there’s no purchase requirement or limit on what you can take.

Both companies are prediction market platforms where users bet on real-world events, and both are currently dealing with potential regulatory pressure in New York. State lawmakers are advancing proposals like the ORACLE Act that could restrict prediction contracts and require state licenses for market operators.

The free grocery stunts tie directly into NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s proposal for city-run, non-profit grocery stores to combat food insecurity. While the mayor has no direct regulatory authority over prediction markets, his affordability messaging has become a political focal point. Both Polymarket and Kalshi are essentially buying goodwill and attention while the regulatory environment is uncertain.

What to Expect

Polymarket’s VP of global growth William LeGate confirmed that this has been in the works since November, and it seems like Kalshi got wind of their plans and attempted to frontrun “The Polymarket” with a similar but slapped-together promotional stunt.

The store opens February 12 at noon ET. Polymarket hasn’t announced closing times for each day or exactly what products will be available, but they’ve emphasized the store is “fully stocked” and open to all New Yorkers. Food Bank For NYC’s involvement as operating partner suggests they’re focusing on actual grocery staples rather than promotional items.

One source reports the location as 7 Madison Avenue, though Polymarket’s official announcements haven’t confirmed the specific address yet. They’ve said more details are coming before the February 12 opening.

This is uncharted territory. A prediction platform opening a physical grocery store sounds bizarre because it is bizarre. There’s no precedent for how this will actually operate, what kind of crowd control they’ll implement, or whether there are hidden restrictions despite the “no purchase required” messaging.

The political angle complicates things. If this is primarily a PR play to influence regulatory discussions, the actual grocery component might be secondary. That could mean limited inventory, short operating hours, or other constraints that make it less valuable than it sounds.

Also, with 1.6 million New Yorkers facing food insecurity according to recent estimates, expect serious crowds. If you’re planning to visit, factor in significant wait times and the possibility they run out of desirable items quickly.

Bottom Line

Polymarket escalated the prediction market grocery wars from a one-day $50 giveaway to a four-day free grocery store. If you’re in NYC and can get to 7 Madison Avenue on February 12-15, this might be worth checking out. The lack of purchase limits and multi-day operation suggests there could be real opportunity here.

But keep expectations realistic. This is a tech company’s first attempt at running a grocery store, and the primary goal is generating publicity during regulatory uncertainty. The actual inventory and operational details will determine whether this is a legitimate opportunity or just an elaborate photo op.