Kalshi struck first. On Feb. 3, the event-contracts exchange hosted a three-hour giveaway at Westside Market in Manhattan’s East Village, offering up to $50 in free groceries per person with no purchase, sign-up, or strings attached.

The company teased the stunt a day earlier with the blunt tagline, “F it. Free groceries for everyone,” and framed it as a nod to “free markets.” The result was predictable chaos in the best possible way: long lines, packed aisles, and thousands of New Yorkers walking out with full bags and lighter moods. According to Kalshi’s RSVP data, 1,795 people signed up in advance, though turnout appeared far larger based on video and media coverage.

The giveaway was tightly scoped — three hours, one store, one neighborhood — but highly effective as a brand-awareness play. At a time when grocery prices remain a sore spot for city residents, Kalshi positioned itself as the exchange that quite literally showed up with food. The company leaned hard into accessibility, promoting the event across Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, and emphasizing that anyone could participate simply by showing up.

Polymarket responded almost immediately — and then turned the volume knob several clicks higher. Announced the same day Kalshi’s event unfolded, Polymarket’s answer is “The Polymarket,” a five-day free grocery store pop-up set to open Feb. 12. Billed as New York City’s first fully free grocery store, the pop-up will offer groceries at no cost, with no income checks, sign-ups, or limits specified. Polymarket partnered with Food Bank For New York City, pledging a $1 million donation to support food security across all five boroughs and framing the project as a tangible community investment rather than a one-off stunt.

Unlike Kalshi’s tightly timed giveaway, Polymarket emphasized planning and permanence — at least temporarily (five days to be exact). The company said it signed a lease, broke ground on construction, and spent months preparing the pop-up, which will run for five days starting at noon on opening day on Feb 12. The messaging was clear: this was not just about groceries, but about presence and competition with Kalshi. The announcement went viral, pulling in more than 42 million views and nearly 18,000 likes, and inviting the public to contribute additional donations to the Food Bank.

The timing of both campaigns is not accidental. New York City politics have increasingly focused on food affordability, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani campaigning on a proposal to establish city-run grocery stores in each borough. At the same time, prediction markets face intensifying scrutiny from state regulators, including warnings from New York Attorney General Letitia James and proposed legislation that could impose steep daily fines on platforms operating in the state. Against that backdrop, free groceries double as goodwill gestures — and as carefully staged reminders that these companies see themselves as serving the public, not just traders.

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Side by side, the contrast is sharp. Kalshi delivered a fast, viral, three-hour giveaway designed to grab attention and reward foot traffic. Polymarket countered with scale, duration, and philanthropy, backing its pop-up with a seven-figure donation and language about long-term community impact. Both strategies worked in their own way, drawing enthusiastic crowds and widespread media coverage, while also inviting skepticism from critics who view the moves as savvy marketing dressed up as altruism.

In the end, the grocery aisle became the latest arena in a fast-heating rivalry between prediction market platforms. Whether these initiatives meaningfully shift public perception or simply add another chapter to the platforms’ competitive theater remains to be seen. For New Yorkers who walked away with free groceries, however, the verdict was immediate — and deliciously practical.

• Why did Kalshi give away free groceries in New York City?
  Kalshi staged the giveaway as a brand-awareness move tied to food affordability, offering up to $50 in free groceries with no sign-up required.
• What is Polymarket’s “The Polymarket” grocery store pop-up?
  It is a five-day free grocery store opening Feb. 12 in New York City, backed by a $1 million donation to Food Bank For New York City.
• Are these grocery giveaways connected to regulation?
  They come as prediction markets face growing regulatory pressure in New York, making public goodwill especially valuable.
• Do participants need to trade or sign up to get free groceries?
  No, both Kalshi’s giveaway and Polymarket’s pop-up are open to the public with no trading or registration required.

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