C-Store retailers of all sizes have debuted or beefed up their fresh food programs in 2024.
7-Eleven has added a number of new items, both permanent and limited-time, to its menus. But more than that, it recently rolled out a new, larger, food-focused design. The retailer expects to open hundreds of stores with this new design over the next few years.
Alimentation Couche-Tard believes its c-stores are a strong competitor to QSRs, and have some key ways to differentiate themselves, like the ability to include energy drinks — which as of May had grown unit sales by 7.5% year over year according to Circana — in value meals.
Speaking of value meals, they were all the rage in 2024, with companies like Circle K, EG America and GPM Investments all getting in on the action.
Below are some of the top foodservice stories from our 2024 coverage, including both proprietary and franchised restaurants.
New foodservice concepts
This year saw numerous c-stores add new QSR-style concepts, following the well-worn path of companies like Casey’s General Stores, Wawa or Sheetz.
East coast travel center operator Onvo made a splash in April when it announced its Food on the Fly offering had been added to a site in Dorrance, Pennsylvania, with plans to expand it to new builds and all 39 of its existing locations.
The menu includes Onvo’s new Craveritos, bowls and sides, and offers meals across all dayparts.
In May, Schmitz Sunoco opened its first Gastro High Octane Eats inside an A-Plus store in Ashburn. The menu includes breakfast and lunch sandwiches, pizzas, salads, sides and desserts.
Rebel Convenience Stores joined the fried chicken train with its first Hatch Chicken Co. earlier this year. Rebel expects the food program, which includes chicken tenders, sandwiches and sides like mac and cheese, biscuits and waffle fries, to expand to 20 of its over 100 locations next year.
EG America, meanwhile, is piloting not one but three new foodservice options at a Cumberland Farms in Massachusetts. The three concepts are Alanza Pizza, which sells pizza, pasta and breadsticks; Burger Baby, which offers a variety of burgers as well as cheesesteaks and fries; and Wing Trip, which includes four varieties of wings, fries and chicken sandwiches.
Expanding menus
Companies that have already developed a made-to-order food program can’t rest on their laurels. They need to innovate to keep interest high.
Twice Daily expanded its program, which debuted in 2023, by adding customizable wraps to the lineup.
BP, which operates stores under the Thorntons, Ampm and TravelCenters of America banners, announced plans in April to augment the food at two of those banners and introduce a private label brand at all three.
The menu updates included a fresh pizza program at Thorntons and a Tex-Mex menu at TravelCenters of America.
Pennsylvania-based regional chain Rutter’s has been leaning heavily on limited-time offers for innovation, with some of those short-term specials eventually joining the full-time menu. However, it’s also added some permanent options as well. In May, the company added a bit of Mexican flair with two burritos from Tres Picosos.
Rutter’s isn’t the only c-store retailer going for bolder flavors. Pilot rolled out several new items, including Nashville hot wings and a spicy Italian pizza, while 7-Eleven unveiled several menu items at its Raise the Roost and Laredo Taco Company.
New restaurant partnerships
Travel centers and convenience stores have long partnered with QSRs to bring established national names like Arby’s, McDonalds and Subway onto their sites. But a few retailers are making deals with more unique eateries, bringing something new to their customers.
Chicago-area retailer Gas N Wash opened the first of two planned co-located Mickey’s Greek-style restaurants. Mickey’s specializes in gyros, charbroiled burgers, grilled chicken and fried seafood. Gas N Wash regularly incorporates nontraditional, Chicago-area restaurants like Rosati’s Pizza, Do-Rite Donuts, Beggar’s Pizza and Te Canijo Taco Truck into its sites.
Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores agreed in May to expand its agreement with Naf Naf Middle Eastern Grill to three more sites, setting a target of 11 locations for the partnership, which began in 2021. Love’s said it received “enthusiastic feedback” from customers, who requested more locations, so the companies are obliging.
Naf Naf is in 14 states, according to its website, but remains a smaller operation with fewer than 50 restaurants.
Beyond QSRs, Temp-Stop made an agreement to bring full-service restaurant Huddle House to two c-stores in Missouri. Its full menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner items, including sandwiches, omelets, waffles and pancakes, and burgers, will be available at its sit-down, Temp-Stop-adjacent sites.
