Indiana Packers - Vertical Integration - skyscraper - both - 07.21

Ambrosia Chocolate - skyscraper - both - 03.23

Performance Plus Food Safety - skyscraper - both - 09.21

Nestle White Cheddar Mac - Mac Pizza - skyscraper - both - 04.19

Hormel - Bacon 1 - You've Never Seen Bacon Like This - banner - both - 02.20

Knorr's Cook with More Possibilities - skyscraper - both - 09.24

Cargill - Truvia Serve America's Best-Selling Stevia Sweetener - skyscraper - both - 03.19

General Mills - Gluten Free Options - banner - both - 03.18

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt banner - both - 04.23

Butterball - Quality, Versatility, and Consistency - banner - both - 07.19

Campbells Brands Make Irresistible Flavor a Menu Staple - banner - both - 05.14 - 07.31.25

Nestle Minors Slow-Simmered Stock - Free Sample - banner - both - 02.20

Sugar Foods Barista Blend - skyscraper - both - 04.17

Skyscraper Ad - MM -  Beat - Operator

Global Fusion Operator Promo - OE - skyscraper - 05.26 - 08.24.25

Wild Alaska Burgers - banner - both - 04.25

Simply Potatoes Low Sodium Mashed Potatoes - skyscraper - both - 09.23

Campbells Snacks Spice Up Your Shelves - skyscraper - both - 05.14 - 07.31.25

Simplot Conquest Crispy Potato Strips - banner - both - 01.20

Sugar Foods Deliver It Better - banner - both - 04.20

Reel in Greater Appeal - both - banner - 10.22

Catch of the Season - banner - both - 07.22

Indiana Packers - All-in-One Pork Supplier - skyscraper - both - 07.21

Sugar Foods Deliver It Better - skyscraper - both - 04.20

Nestle Vitality - Build a Refreshing Beverage Program - both - skyscraper - 04.20

Performance Dairy Craveable Flavor and Time Savings - banner - both - 04.24

Rich's Plant-Based - Good Things Grow - banner - both - 11.20

Simplot - Delivery Solved - Conquest Fries - skyscraper - both - 08.20

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Beautiful Inside and Out - banner - both - 04.18

Hormel - Fire-Braised Chicken - Don't Labor Over Great Chicken - banner - both - 02.20

Chef-mate We Can Better - skyscraper - both - 06.23

Wild Alaska Salmon Burgers - banner - both - 04.25

Nestle White Cheddar Mac - Customize Creamy Comfort - banner - both - 04.19

Rich's Plant Based Cooking Creme - banner - both - 02.18

McCain - Takeout and Delivery Menu Ideas - banner - both - 05.20

Check Out the Major Products Product Guide - skyscraper - OE - 03.22

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Dress Your Table for Success - skyscraper - both - 04.18

Global Fusion Operator Promo - OE - banner - 05.26 - 08.24.25

Empress 5-Compartment School Food Tray - 05.22

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Dress Your Table for Success - banner - both - 04.18

Mini Cinnamon Swirl French Toast - banner - both - 09.23

Golden Tiger Vegetable Spring Roll - Elevate Dishes with Vibrant Flavor - OE - banner

Simplot - Pineapple Perfected - RoastWorks - skyscraper - both - 08.20

Simplot RoastWorks - banner - both - 01.20

Basic American Crispy Craveable Operator banner ad - 12.17

Banner Ad - 3 - OE - Operator - supersized

Banner Ad - 4 - PICs - Operator - supersized

Campbells Snacks - Perfect in a Crunch - skyscraper - both - 05.14 - 07.31.25

Tyson - Wright Brand Bacon - skyscraper - both - 04.21

Shrimp that Brings the Big Picture - skyscraper - both - 11.22

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Beautiful Inside and Out - skyscraper - both - 04.18

Hormel - Fontanini - Handcrafted Meats - Unparalleled Flavor - banner - both - 02.20

Seafood is Better - skyscraper - both - 05.21

Rich's Plant-Based - Good Things Grow - skyscraper - both - 11.20

Indiana Packers - Vertical Integration - banner - both - 07.21

A Family of Fine Cheeses - skyscraper - both - 08.22

Essity - Clean Dry Hands - banner - OE - 03.17

Tyson - Hillshire Farm - Legendary Brand - skyscraper - both - 04.21

Campbells Snacks - Stack Shelves with Craveable Flavors - banner - both - 05.14 - 07.31.25

Dixie Ultra Surface Systems - banner - both - 02.23

Dan's Prize Pot Roast, Prime Rib, Short Ribs Time-Intensive Proteins Made Easy - banner - both - 04.20

Tork Compact Foodservice Cloths - banner - both - 07.17

Nestle Stouffer's Comfort Foods Beyond Compare - video - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Hormel - Fontanini - Handcrafted Family Recipes - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Skyscraper Ad - MM - Cook - Operator

Cargill - Truvia Sweet Customer Satisfaction Naturally - banner - both - 03.19

Rich's Plant Based and Gluten Free Crusts - skyscraper - both - 07.18

Award Winning Flavor is Here - 2025 Food & Beverage Awards - banner - OE - 06.03 - 12.31.25

Simplot Sidewinders - Make Waves - banner - both - 01.20

Simplot Conquest Crispy Potato Strips - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Nestle - Hot Cocoa Single-Serve Packets - banner - both - 09.21

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Style and Substance - skyscraper - both - 04.18

Fabri-Kal - Packaging solutions for environmental and off-premise needs - banner - both - 11.19

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt banner with chef - both - 04.23

Grab 'n Go! Anytime. Every Time - banner - both - 07.23

Campbells Snacks Fulfill All  Needs with Ease - skyscraper - both - 05-14 - 07.31.25

Sugar Foods - Turn Up the Beets Crispy Beets - skyscraper - both - 05.18

Sugar Foods - Add Savory Beet Notes Crispy Beets banner - both - 05.18

Dan's Prize Pulled Meats Simplify the Kitchen - banner - both - 04.20

Certified Cage-Free Egg Bites - Portable, Protein-Packed Breakfast - banner - both - 09.23

Indiana Packers - All-in-One Pork Supplier - banner - both - 07.21

Potato Perks App - banner - both - 05.22

Sunny Fresh Egg Patty and French Toast - skyscraper - both - 03.23

Jennie-O Premium Turkey Breast Turkey that Turns Up the Quality - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Sunny Fresh Egg Bake Bites - banner - both - 03.23

Sugar Foods ecoStick Dispensers Beverage Station - skyscraper - both -10.16

Sunny Fresh Bacon and Cheese EggStravaganza - banner - both - 03.23

Honest Earth - Better Potatoes for a Better World - skyscraper - both - 05.23

Catch of the Season - skyscraper - both - 07.22

Nestle Stouffer White Mac and Cheese - banner - both - 08.18

Hormel - Bacon 1 - Great Bacon in Half the Time - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Wave of Inspiration - skyscraper - both - 05.22

Nestle White Cheddar Mac - Mac Pizza - banner - both - 04.19

Tyson Cortona Pepperoni - skyscraper OE 1.23

Sunny Fresh Egg Patty and French Toast - banner - both - 03.23

Rich's Plant Based and Gluten Free Crusts - banner - both - 07.18

La Ranchera Birria Base - both - 09.24

Tork Compact Foodservice Cloths - skyscraper - both - 07.17

Simplot Harvest Fresh Avocados - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Essity - Impress Your Guests - banner - OE - 03.17

If not for the occasional booth hawking car wash equipment, tobacco products or gas pumps at the NACS Show (the convenience-store industry&rsquo;s biggest annual trade show), one might be excused for occasionally believing they were instead strolling the aisles of the National Restaurant Association Show.
Chefs dotting the 430,000 square feet of exhibit space at the Las Vegas Convention Center served birria steak fajita street tacos, fresh-baked French pastries, customizable pizzas, crispy fried chicken and so much more. NACS Show attendees washed the fare down with dirty sodas, nitro cold brew, &ldquo;functional&rdquo; juices and other beverages that would be at home in any coffee shop or fast-casual restaurant chain.
As cash-strapped diners pull back on restaurant visits, convenience stores see nothing but opportunity in foodservice. And many c-store suppliers and distributors are meeting the moment, creating what are essentially plug-and-play restaurant concepts that can be dropped in the middle of a gas station.
Westlake, Texas-based foodservice distributor Core-Mark, which is owned by Performance Food Group, for example, offers five turnkey programs for convenience stores: Contigo Taqueria, Perfectly Southern Fresh Fried Chicken, The Red Seal Pizzeria, Tru-Q BBQ and Deli 55. The foodservice operations vary by complexity, depending on the needs (and labor challenges) of c-store operators, said Sandra D&rsquo;Asaro, Core-Mark&rsquo;s senior vice president of strategy and excellence.
The company is testing an Asian concept, too, D&rsquo;Asaro added.
&ldquo;Customers today, they do want bold profiles, they want unique flavors,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;We think the biggest thing that can help drive trips is going to be food and we want to capture that trip.&rdquo;
Plus, with cigarette sales down and consumer perceptions around the health detriments of alcohol on the rise, food is the main source of opportunity in c-stores today, speakers said during NACS Show education sessions.
&ldquo;Foodservice is the movement for convenience now in the absence of nicotine sales,&rdquo; Jim Dodge, VP of convenience for Mars Wrigley, said.
Convenience stores have an edge over restaurants when it comes to variety, said Sandie Ray, VP of foodservice sales and marketing for Frisco, Texas-based supplier Ruiz Foods. If the kids in a family want hot dogs, mom wants a sandwich and dad wants a cheeseburger, they can likely find it at a c-store, Ray said. Plus, most convenience stores have something for all dayparts, from early morning to late at night.
&ldquo;We would win on price and speed and convenience,&rdquo; Ray said. &ldquo;And value meals. A lot of convenience stores are saying, &lsquo;OK, QSRs, we&rsquo;re going to compete where you&rsquo;re winning by showing we have value.&rsquo;&rdquo;
In recent weeks, for example, <a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/food/convenience-stores-counter-fast-food-deals-head-turning-bargains-their-own" target="_blank">we&rsquo;ve seen Circle K</a>, the country&rsquo;s second-largest c-store chain, launch a line of value meals starting at as low as $3. In July, c-store restaurant brand Krispy Krunchy Chicken added a $4 value meal that includes two pieces of chicken or two tenders, plus potato wedges.
The growth of Crumbl Cookies is fueling interest in Otis Spunkmeyer&rsquo;s new line of pre-packaged cookies for convenience stores. Beverage concepts like Swig are paving the way for dirty sodas from companies like Houston-based Sunny Sky Products, whose setups, among other things, allow c-store customers to DIY a variety of customizable beverages.
&ldquo;This is the future,&rdquo; D&rsquo;Asaro said. &ldquo;A unique program you can execute throughout the day. You&rsquo;ve got to have something that&rsquo;s going to drive the trips.&rdquo;
Source: Heather Lalley, <a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/food/here-are-newest-ways-convenience-stores-are-trying-out-restaurant-restaurants" target="_blank">Restaurant Business</a>

C-stores are adding global flavors, dirty sodas, value bundles, and more to try to steal more dollars from restaurants.

Here Are the Newest Ways Convenience Stores Are Trying to Out-Restaurant Restaurants

Foodservice in U.S. convenience stores continues to set brands apart by offering diverse and exciting menu options. It also drove in-store sales to record levels in 2024, according to newly released data from the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS).
Foodservice sales, which includes prepared food; commissary; and hot, cold, and frozen dispensed beverages, accounted for 28.7% of in-store sales and 39.6% of in-store gross margin dollars at convenience stores in 2024. Most foodservice sales are from prepared food, and that share has grown over the last five years. In 2024, prepared food accounted for 68.4% of foodservice sales.
Foodservice sales have seen remarkable growth over the past 20 years. In 2004, 11.9% of in-store sales came from foodservice. Food-forward strategies at convenience stores are driving trips and enhancing customer experience.
Despite sluggish convenience store sales over the first half of 2024, strong foodservice and merchandise sales over the second half pushed overall sales to a record $335.5 billion, a 2.4% increase over the year prior and the 22nd consecutive year of record in-store sales.
Convenience stores, which sell an estimated <a href="https://www.convenience.org/Topics/Fuels/Who-Sells-Americas-Fuel" target="_blank">80% of the fuel purchased in the U.S.</a>, saw total fuels revenues decrease 5.7% to $501.9 billion as a result of a 6.5% decrease in the average gas price ($3.31 in 2024 vs. $3.55 in 2023 ). Total gallons sold increased slightly by 0.8%. Total convenience store sales, including fuels and in-store items, were $837.4 billion in 2024.
Among the top ten in-store merchandise categories (excluding foodservice), all but one saw positive sales and gross profit growth in 2024: cigarettes. Although convenience stores are the preferred channel for nicotine consumers, more operators are increasingly focusing on categories such as foodservice and beverages.
For beverages, convenience stores are the go-to destination. Beverages are a c-store juggernaut and the ultimate grab-and-go product, with more than 80% of shoppers consuming their beverage of choice within an hour of purchasing.
Packaged beverages (which excludes beer, wine, and liquor) accounted for 17.9% of in-store sales and 21.2% of gross profit dollars in 2024. The synergies of key categories are significant as more than one third (37.4%) of customers who purchased packaged beverages also purchased prepared food in the same trip, according to the NACS Convenience Voices program. Foodservice plus packaged beverages accounted for 60.8% of in-store profit dollars in 2024.
Energy drinks lead packaged beverage sales, representing 27.8% of overall category dollars, followed by carbonated soft drinks (26%), sports drinks (15%) and bottled water (12.4%). Iced tea, juices, enhanced water and all other packaged beverages combined for of the remainder of category sales.
Expenses for convenience stores increased 5.2% in 2024; however, the rate of growth slowed for the second consecutive year. Credit and debit card swipe fees increased 0.2% in 2024 despite lower gas prices. Most c-store customers used cards for purchases&mdash;both inside the store and on the forecourt&mdash;with 80.8% of total sales in 2024 transacted with cards. This number has grown 7.3 points since 2020.
The <a href="https://www.convenience.org/Research/Convenience-Store-Fast-Facts-and-Stats/FactSheets/IndustryStoreCount" target="_blank">U.S. convenience store count</a> is 152,255 stores, a slight decrease of 141 stores (0.1%) compared to the 2024 store count, according to the 2025 NACS/NIQ TDLinx Convenience Industry Store Count. The number of convenience stores selling fuel increased 1.5% to 121,852 stores.
The convenience store industry&rsquo;s 2024 performance numbers were released during the <a href="https://www.convenience.org/events/SOI" target="_blank">NACS State of the Industry Summit</a>, the industry&rsquo;s premier event for analysis industry performance and trends that could impact the industry in 2025.
Source: <a href="https://www.convenience.org/Media/Press-Releases/2025-Press-Releases/C-Store-Foodservice-Delivered-Exceptional-Growth-i" target="_blank">NACS</a>

Prepared food powers the 22nd consecutive record year of in-store sales at U.S. convenience stores.

C-Store Foodservice Delivered Exceptional Growth in 2024

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The Convenience Issue

Here Are the Newest Ways Convenience Stores Are Trying to Out-Restaurant Restaurants

C-Store Foodservice Delivered Exceptional Growth in 2024