An $8 road trip “Fuel Kit” snack box from Pilot Co. EG America’s grab-and-go food options with the summer travel season in mind. Maverik’s 89-cent Fountain Frenzy. Yesway’s Summer Sips promotion.
These are some of the foodservice offers convenience stores have cooking this summer, a season of high travel upon which retailers aim to capitalize.
“Summer is one of the busiest travel times of the year, and we’ve always seen it as an opportunity to help drivers make the most of their journeys,” Sean Marrero, vice president of food and beverage at Pilot Co., told CSP. “Over the years, we’ve introduced seasonal promotions aimed at bringing more value to our guests, and they’ve been consistently well received.”
With Pilot’s Fuel Kit, available through Sept. 2, the options include:
- One small bag of Frito-Lay brand chips (up to 4.25 ounces)
- One standard-size candy (up to 2.25 ounces)
- One any-size fountain drink
- Three chicken tenders
Customers “love the mix-and-match possibilities, allowing them to combine salty, sweet and refreshing drink options alongside our signature chicken tenders,” Marrero said. “It’s a win-win for our guests, and we love hearing how it adds ease and enjoyment to their summer road trips.”
The Fuel Kit is Pilot’s way of addressing what matters most to its customers during the summer travel season: convenience, customization and value, he said.
“When developing a new offering for our stores, our priority is meeting guests’ needs with delicious, satisfying options to keep them fueled up, filled up and lifted up for the road ahead,” he said, adding that the kit ensures drivers “have an easy, delicious and practical option for all their summer road trips.”
The Fuel Kit was in response to a Pilot survey of 1,829 respondents conducted by Campspot in April that revealed nearly 60% of summer travelers crave a mix of sweet and salty snacks while also aiming to maximize their travel budget. Campspot is a booking platform for campgrounds, RV parks and glamping resorts based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“By using guest feedback and evaluating sales trends, we’re able to identify what resonates best with our guests,” Marrero said, adding that the kit includes items that are portable and satisfying. “From the crunchy chips and sweet treats to a refreshing Pilot beverage and hot chicken tenders, every item was chosen to complement the needs of travelers and help them stay energized for whatever comes next.”
Here’s a closer look at other offers:
EG America
At EG America, the Westborough, Massachusetts-based company in late spring introduced grab-and-go food options with summer travel in mind. Items include the limited-time Cheesy Chicken Fajita Tornado, available exclusively at EG America stores, which combines charbroiled chicken strips with a blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, plus green and red bell peppers, and onions. They’re priced at $2.29 or two for $4.
In addition, there are new snack wraps featuring homestyle or buffalo chicken wrapped in a flour tortilla with melted American cheese. Customers can get one for $2.49 or two for $4.
Maverik
The Salt Lake City-based chain through Sept. 30 is offering a rewards-exclusive 89-cent Fountain Frenzy, where customers can fill any cup, up to a large.
In addition, Maverik is offering its Adventure Club and Nitro members exclusive freebies during Freebie Fridays. Maverik also offers other freebies in the Maverik app every Friday.
Elsewhere, Maverik’s smoky meats are back through the summer. Items include Sweet Heat Pulled Pork Pizza topped with hardwood smoked pulled pork, sweet heat sauce and jalapenos or breakfast and lunch burritos packed with brisket.
Yesway, Allsup’s
In its Summer Sips campaign that ran through July 1, Fort Worth, Texas-based Yesway launched a new product, the Buffalo Chicken Burrito. Another offer was $1 off when buying the burrito with any Honcho beverage. There also was a buy-two-get-one-free deal on 16-ounce Rockstar Energy drinks, plus 15 cents off per gallon in fuel rewards. The campaign was at Yesway and Allsup’s convenience stores.
Snack specials until the end of June included two for $5 on all Hostess products and buy one Oreo Cookies and Cakesters (king size), get one for $1.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.