LAKE GROVE, N.Y. -- Convenience store retailer QuickChek Corp. has expanded to Long Island. After a soft opening, the Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based company officially opened an "expansive, state-of-the-industry" c-store and training center in Lake Grove, N.Y., on October 27.
The new store provides one-stop shopping, offering a wide variety of grocery and market items including fresh baked goods from an in-store bakery and an expansive craft beer selection.
All QuickChek stores offer no-fee ATMs for additional added value to consumers. The c-stores are modern by industry standards, the company said, with bright, clean stores, well-lighted fuel stations and parking lots with wide, easy-to-use entrances and exits.
The new Lake Grove store will be open 24 hours a day and feature a Q café, which offers handcrafted smoothies, lattes, espresso-based drinks and more; indoor seating for 14 people and outdoor seating for eight; eight fueling stations and 69 parking spaces.
QuickChek's fresh food and beverage program features touch-screen technology that allows consumers to create custom-made, oven-toasted subs, sandwiches, wraps and salads. The company prides itself on its fresh-brewed coffee.
"We are thrilled to mark our expansion to Long Island and becoming the new neighborhood shopping destination in the area," said QuickChek CEO Dean Durling. "We are committed to total customer dedication and look forward to providing the people who live and work here the same high quality and value we have been providing in the region for the past 47 years."
The c-store created 35 new jobs, with most of the people hired living locally, said the company.
The family-owned-and-operated company operates 139 retail locations throughout New Jersey and New York State, including 11 pharmacy stores and 47 locations with fuel.
As part of its entry into Long Island, QuickChek will partner with Long Island Cares, one of the region's most comprehensive hunger assistance organizations, to aid thousands of area individuals and families in need.
QuickChek will also donate 25 cents for every sub, sandwich and wrap sold in the store from October 27 to November 26 to the Middle Country Youth Association baseball league.
Grand-opening promotions for the Lake Grove store include free large coffee and free 20-ounce iced coffee offered to all patrons and free 20-ounce fountain drinks for children five-feet-tall and under from October 27 to November 9.
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Meanwhile, in a survey of retail foodservice companies, the convenience store chain came in first in overall satisfaction, recommendation and price value for coffee in third-quarter 2014, according to a report by The Hunterdon County Democrat. QuickChek outsold Starbucks in hot brewed units during the quarter despite having 40% fewer locations (124 stores to 208 measured in the survey).
Market research firm StudyLogic asked 19,502 respondents in New Jersey to rank vendors including QuickChek, Wawa, Starbucks, Subway, McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts and 7-Eleven in a variety of food and beverage categories.
QuickChek came in first in overall satisfaction for coffee with a 4.65 rating on a scale of 1 to 5 with a score of 5 being very satisfied. Dunkin Donuts was second (4.50) while Starbucks and Wawa tied for third (4.49 each), followed by McDonald's (4.24), 7-Eleven (3.65) and remaining vendors. QuickChek was also first in recommendation (8.45 out of 10.0), ahead of Starbucks (8.40), Dunkin Donuts (8.22), Wawa (8.17), McDonald's (7.71) and 7-Eleven (6.76). QuickChek also came in first in price value (9.39 out of 10.0), ahead of Wawa (8.98), Dunkin Donuts (8.92), McDonald's (8.57), Starbucks (8.01) and 7-Eleven (6.86).
A recent Technomic survey also named QuickChek as No. 1 in overall coffee and food quality.
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