Seventy-nine percent of respondents in a survey said they worry about food contamination or spoilage at convenience stores, according to Logile’s 2025 Convenience Store Food Quality and Safety Report.
The survey reveals which c-store foods shoppers trust, what they avoid and how c-stores can close the fresh food quality and safety gap, said Southlake, Texas-based Logile, a provider of AI-powered connected workforce solutions.
“In a rapidly evolving industry, convenience stores are pouring resources into fresh food programs,” Logile said. “What was once a quick stop for snacks and fuel is now becoming a direct competitor to fast-food chains, offering fresh meals, premium coffee and budget-friendly bundles. But one challenge remains: earning the trust of everyday consumers.”
In the survey, 74% said they trust gas station or c-store food safety less than restaurant food safety, and only 9% feel highly confident eating food from a gas station or convenience store.
Some food items raised concerns for many respondents, Logile said. Sushi led the “think twice” list by a wide margin: 85% of respondents said they would never purchase it from a gas station or convenience store. Respondents were also skeptical about pre-made packaged salads (41%) and pre-cut fresh fruit (40%). Hot-case burritos and taquitos (39%), roller-grill hot dogs (36%) and nachos (35%) rounded out the top six most-avoided items.
“The top reasons for opting out paint a clear picture of consumer mindset,” Logile said. Two-thirds, 66%, cited fear of spoiled food, 59% were concerned about cleanliness and nearly half, 48%, were worried about food poisoning.
“Comments from respondents suggest that visual cues, like how clean the prep station looks or how long an item appears to have been sitting, play a major role in their decision making,” Logile said. “Foods that are cold but not sealed, warm but not freshly made or served from machines that look poorly maintained tend to trigger the most doubt.”
Seventy-seven percent say food that’s been sitting out too long is a dealbreaker, and 59% won’t touch anything if the prep area looks dirty, Logile said. More than half, 56%, have walked away from a purchase after seeing an unclean machine or service station.
To make a purchase:
- 67% want to see signs that food is freshly made
- 62% look for overall cleanliness
- 54% check packaging for freshness or prep-time labels
Meanwhile, 53% think gas station food has gotten better over time, and 18% say the quality has noticeably improved. But just 10% have had consistently positive experiences.
“Forty percent are more likely to buy food from major chains, 37% say they trust co-branded items more and 53% are swayed by a modern, well-lit store,” according to the report.
In addition, 33% say they’d be more likely to buy if cleaning or food rotation schedules were visible in the store, while another 40% say tech-enabled safety systems would boost their trust—but only if they see clear signs the store is following procedure, Logile said.
C-store food items consumers trust
“On the flip side, some items are seen as safe bets, especially when they’re sealed, simple or familiar,” Logile said.
Topping the list are bottled drinks, with 85% of consumers saying they’d buy them without hesitation, Logile said. Fountain drinks, 64%, and self-serve coffee, 56%, “also inspire relatively strong confidence,” the report said.
Pizza, 32%, and items prepared on site like sandwiches and bowls, 30%, are among the options people feel good about grabbing, especially when they look freshly prepared.
“Even pre-packaged sandwiches, while not universally loved, are trusted by a quarter of shoppers (26%),” Logile said.
For the survey, Logile partnered with the third-party survey platform Pollfish, New York, to survey 1,000 U.S. adults in April 2025 about their perceptions and experiences with food from convenience-store-with-fuel operations.
Logile is a retail operations platform provider, delivering intelligent, AI-powered solutions for forecasting, labor planning, workforce management, inventory, food safety and store execution.
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.