What began as a pilot program in May 2012 at Chicago’s State & Lake Station Tunnel has expanded to 16 CTA and Metra stations throughout Chicagoland. The virtual store boards feature Peapod’s exclusive line of Chicago’s Best products, which include ready-to-serve and ready-to-cook mains, starters, sides, desserts and beverages from  nearly 30 of Chicago’s best-loved restaurants and hometown brands. Peapod.com offers more than 150 selections from restaurants including Wildfire, Big Bowl, Eli’s Cheesecake and Chicago Butter Cookies.

Once on the Peapod Mobile app, customers have access to more than 12,000 popular and store-brand products.

Further, Peapod is piloting a convenient alternative to its delivery service in the Chicago area with its new Peapod Pick-Up service. Peapod Pick-Up sites opened in Palatine on Oct. 2 and will open in Deerfield by the end of the year. Shoppers can order groceries online for easy pick-up any day of the week. Customers can schedule the one-hour time slots that are best for them between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

On average, commuters in Peapod markets spend an hour in transit to and from work each day. With the Peapod virtual grocery stores in Chicago and Philadelphia, they can get orders started, make selections from Peapod’s entire online store, and schedule home deliveries.

“Getting your groceries on the way home from work just got a whole new meaning,” says Mike Brennan, chief operating officer of Peapod. “Our hope is that consumers will take advantage of our virtual stores and mobile app while they’re on the go and enjoy the time saved when they’re at home.”

Peapod, the nation's leading Internet grocer, placed a virtual grocery store in Chicago's highly traveled State & Lake Station Tunnel. Not only is Peapod the first in the nation to pilot this on-the-go, virtual store concept, but it's also the first company to mount a “tunnel takeover” ad campaign of this magnitude in Chicago. The campaign features wrapped tunnel walls with larger-than-life ads of grocery shelves.

iPhone and Android users simply scan a QR code to download a free PeapodMobile app on the spot and start shopping by scanning the bar codes of the products featured in the ads. Commuters get orders started on the platform, manage shopping lists and schedule deliveries — for next day or later — during their train rides to or from the office.

In addition to cost savings, Peapod earlier expanded new bakery offerings to add to its Chicago's Best department. The Chicago's Best department features a group of leading brand-name products not available in the typical supermarket.