This year’s Convenience Foodservice Exchange was one for the books! It was jam packed with presenters from all across the industry who provided tons of educational content for all in attendance. From delivery programs and Limited Time Offers, to food trends and menu execution, this event covered it all!
Now that we have had a bit of time to digest everything we experienced, we wanted to share our Top Three Takeaways. Check them out below!
Focusing on Food Over Fuel
For a long time, food has been secondary to fuel when it comes to C-Store profits. These days, the conversation of food vs fuel has shifted, and more and more revenue is being brought in by foodservice programs. Ben Lucky with Dash In referred to convenience stores as Restaurants that serves gas. While Jac Moskalik with Kum & Go stated companies Can’t rely on fuel. Now is the time to build a strong and reliable foodservice program that will not only attract guests, but will keep them coming back time and time again.
Menus That Stand Out
As more convenience stores initiate and expand their foodservice programs, it is important to recognize that guests basically have unlimited options when it comes to dining. This means that store menus HAVE to stand out amongst the rest. The food being served not only has to taste good, but it also has to look good too! It is equally important to ensure that food offerings are properly
promoted. Digital ads at the pump can help entice patrons to come inside for tasty food. Limited Time Offers are also great for driving foot traffic and are easy to create. By building off of existing items c-stores can construct a new option to be used as an LTO. For example, a store that offers hand-made pizzas can use those same toppings/ingredients in different applications, like paninis or wraps.
Dine-In Additions
It is no secret that the look of convenience stores has changed quite a bit over the years. C-Stores of decades past are very different from the ones that spread across the world today. In order to evolve, changes must be made to accommodate the needs of the guests. For some owners and operators this means introducing a dine-in concept. More people are looking to convenience stores for full meal options, and understandably, they would like somewhere to enjoy this meal other than their cramped vehicle. By adding dine-in seating businesses can open the door to a new range of guests, but they must be mindful of unavoidable obstacles, like providing ample parking, and/or hiring additional staff.
Well, that about wraps it up! A HUGE Thank you to the Convenience Store News team for hosting such a phenomenal event.
See you in October for the 2023 NACS Show in Atlanta, Georgia!