Several c-store chains are winning in the craveability space with a core signature item that draws people in.

“If I'm a retailer thinking about how do I maybe snag a couple of those QSR occasions, I want to be offering something that’s craveable and you can only get it here, and it’s delicious and consistent,” Byrne said.

Wawa has made its name synonymous with the hoagie by hosting an annual Hoagiefest and embracing hoagie culture.