Employees in at least some stores are wearing pins that say the same thing. Quick Chek officials would not comment to CSP Daily News on the promotion, but the allusion to Dunkin Donuts is less than subtle. And the buttons were seen on employees in stores [image-nocss] near where a new Dunkin site recently opened.
The promotion harkens back to the recent lawsuit between Sheetz and Subway, in which Subway claimed Sheetz's "$4 footlong" promotion was just a little too similar to its own "$5 footlong" sales pitch.
In that case, a Virginia federal judge in February denied Subway's request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to stop Sheetz Inc. from promoting its $4-footlong campaign. Subway officials had sent a letter to Sheetz requesting that the retailer cease and desist its campaign, alleging that the advertising was in violation of the Subway trademark and copyright laws and the Sheetz campaign was confusing to Subway customers.
In January, Quick Chek announced that its first-quarter same-store sales in the coffee and hot breakfast categories were up and gaining a steady increase. Quick Chek's coffee same-store sales rose by 10% over 11 weeks, while hot breakfast same-store sales also went up by 13.8%. In addition, Quick Chek's morning drive time (5:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) customer counts increased by 2.2%.
At the time, the retailer was touting its coffee as a lower-cost alternative to Starbucks and other up-market brews.
"Consumers are demanding quality coffee for less money, and this is what we deliver," John Schaninger, vice president of sales and merchandising for Quick Chek, said in January. "Quick Chek is dedicated to providing the high-quality, low-cost options customers desire."
Known for its 20-minute freshness guarantee, Quick Chek's proprietary coffee blend originates from a measured process where after 20 minutes on the burner a pot of coffee is discarded and a fresh one is brewed. This process ensures that customers can enjoy a fresh cup of coffee in every location any time of day, the company said.
Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based Quick Chek operates 118 retail locations in New Jersey and southern New York, including 12 pharmacy stores and 20 locations with fuel.
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