Made-to-order food, value offerings, loyalty programs.
Sounds like the hallmarks of any solid fast-food restaurant. Increasingly, however, they are becoming the hallmarks of convenience-store foodservice programs. And the tactics are quickly stealing customers from restaurants.
C-store foodservice grew 5% last year and is on pace to grow another 5.7% this year, according to the 2025 Convenience Store Trends Report released Tuesday by customer experience solutions and mystery shopping firm Intouch Insight.
In-store sales at convenience stores hit a record $335.5 billion in 2024 and are expected to top $3 trillion by 2028, the report said.
What’s more, 72% of consumers said they now see convenience stores as a “real alternative” to quick-service restaurants, up from 56% last year and 45% in 2022, Intouch Insight said.
Made-to-order food is now second only to gas as a driver of c-store visits.
“Somewhere between the roller grill and the espresso machine, convenience stores unlocked something big,” the report said. “C-stores are now crafting crave-worthy meals, building digital loyalty ecosystems, remodeling interiors and serving quality coffee that rivals the people with the green aprons. And customers are responding.”
In many areas, in fact, c-stores are winning out over restaurants when it comes to food, the report found.
Forty-three percent of consumers said c-store food is just as fresh as food from a grocery store or fast-food restaurant, and 11% of those surveyed said it’s even fresher.
C-store pizza narrowly beat out large chains (like Domino’s) and mid-sized chains (like Jet’s Pizza) in taste ratings, the report said.
When it comes to value, three-quarters of c-store consumers said made-to-order food at c-stores is a good value, up 13 points from last year.
Sandwiches, wraps and paninis are the fastest-growing category of made-to-order food from convenience stores, according to the report. But there has been significant growth in other areas too: Hot meal purchases rose from 29% last year to 35% this year and salads grew 20% to 25% during the same time period.
“It shows that more customers are shifting from simple snacks to full-on meals and better-for-you options in a space they once overlooked,” the report said.
Convenience (66%) drives the majority of foodservice sales at convenience stores, but promotions and discounts (11%), taste (7%) and price (6%) are also driving sales that might otherwise go to a fast-food restaurant.
Most c-store diners opt to eat in the car, either while parked or while driving. But as convenience stores remodel their locations, a growing number of consumers are choosing to dine in-store. Eleven percent say they usually eat inside the c-store, that’s up from just 3% in 2023 and 5% a year ago.
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