Meal deals are a key anchor of Alimentation Couche-Tard’s food performance, President and CEO Alex Miller said Wednesday on the convenience-store retailer’s third-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings call. The quarter was marked by strong same-store sales in the United States, driven by food, energy drinks and nicotine.
The Circle K owner sold 13.3 million meal-deal bundles in the quarter, with the $3 price point representing more than half of transactions, Miller said. Roller grill and breakfast sandwiches led the mix, he said.
- Alimentation Couche-Tard is No. 2 on CSP’s 2025 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by store count.
Circle K launched its meal deals in U.S. c-stores in October 2024. The $3 meal deal includes a hot dog or a taquito, a 1- to 2-ounce bag of Frito Lays chips and any size Polar Pop (up to 44 ounces), according to Circle K's website. It also has $4 and $6 meal deals.
Other convenience-store chains like Bainbridge, Georgia-based SunStop, which is owned by Southwest Georgia Oil Co. Inc., and Westborough, Massachusetts-based EG America have also added meal deals to their foodservice offerings.
“Food continues to be one of the most important growth levers within Core + More, and we are seeing strong momentum as execution improves across the network,” Miller said. “In the U.S., food same-store sales grew in the mid-to high-single digits, as our hot food offer and value proposition continues to gain traction with customers. The results also reflect the investments we have been making in the category and the strength of our scale and procurement capabilities, which allow us to deliver compelling food offers at price points very few others can match.”
Couche-Tard’s Core + More strategy is the company’s plan to drive traffic and profitability and amplify its core—which includes fuel, nicotine and thirst.
In beverages, energy drinks were the star.
“Energy remained the primary growth driver, with both leading brands and emerging players contributing and helping us gain share versus the broader convenience channel,” Miller said.
Nicotine was also an area of strength in the United States, he said.
“Same-store sales grew in the mid- to high-single digits,” he said. “Modern oral nicotine was again a standout category, substantially outperforming the broader market. Cigarettes also returned to growth during the quarter, supported by continued share gains and disciplined pricing.”
Laval, Quebec-based Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. owns the Circle K brand. Its network includes more than 7,100 stores in the United States, primarily under the Circle K banner, and approximately 2,100 in Canada under the Circle K and Couche-Tard banners.
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