Last year QuickChek sold about 17 million cups of coffee—a high number for a relatively small store footprint of about 160 stores, Dan Haskell says. QuickChek, owned by El Dorado, Arkansas-based Murphy USA, has stores in New York and New Jersey.
Haskell, vice president and head of food and beverage for the company, says part of what keeps the coffee flowing strong is the chain’s coffee hosts. These integral team members are responsible for keeping the coffee area clean and stocked, and for greeting coffee customers, often by name, he says.
“We take a lot of pride in it,” Haskell says about the chain’s coffee. “It’s a long legacy part of our business. It’s a key driver for us.”
In the 2023 CSP Intouch Insight Mystery Shop, QuickChek tied for first with Rutter’s for its coffee performance. Both chains scored 98.2%. QuickChek was the only participating c-store chain that scored a 100% for having milk alternatives as part of its coffee bar. Part of the total coffee score also included coffee equipment being operational, the coffee area being clean and fully stocked, and all types of coffee that were displayed being available for purchase.
- Murphy USA is No. 4 on CSP’s 2023 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by total number of retail outlets.
QuickChek makes fresh drip coffee every two hours, Haskell says. It’s also starting to pilot bean-to-cup, nitro and cold-brew coffee programs. Everything is freshly brewed and locally roasted, he says. And having options for customers is key.
The chain offers core flavors original and decaf, but has also added flavors such as vanilla hazelnut, cinnamon twist and limited time offers (LTOs) like Kris Kringle. The LTO was so popular when it launched in December that QuickChek brought it back for a “Christmas in July” promotion, Haskell says.
They also offer a variety of creamers, including oat milk, 2% and half and half, along with other toppings like whipped cream, he says. Customers who don’t want to serve themselves can also order coffee or espresso-based beverages from QuickChek’s made-to-order program.
Haskell’s goal for next year is to keep doing what they do best, while also expanding their offers.
“First and foremost is to make sure we still continue with high-quality [coffee] and value for the customer,’ he says. “And then continue to expand and be aware of flavors and customized offerings that they want.”
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