Which C-Stores Won the Q3 Foodservice Race?

CHICAGO — Premium foodservice is one of today’s hottest convenience-store trends. Consumers are increasingly seeking fresh, made-to-order options, and as competition with restaurants grows, so does the variety of these items on c-store menus. Chains are now offering fresh items from plant-based burgers and fried chicken to build-your-own smoothies and salads.

But which c-store chains are outpacing the competition? Consumer Brand Metrics (CBM), a brand tracking program by CSP’s sister research firm, Technomic, can answer that. CBM, which analyzes 140,000 consumer foodservice visits each year for restaurant, convenience-store and grocery brands, answers questions such as who visits top chains, why these consumers are visiting and what they think of the various brands. The program updates with new consumer data every quarter.

Here’s a look at which c-stores won the foodservice race in third-quarter 2019 …

Fifty-seven percent of consumers said they were extremely satisfied with the overall food quality at Wawa, Wawa., Pa., which ranked atop all chains, according to Technomic. Ricker’s (56%), a division of Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle; Family Express (48%), Valparaiso, Ind.; Casey’s General Stores (46%), Ankeny, Iowa; Rutter’s (46%), York, Pa.; and QuikTrip (45%), Tulsa, Okla., followed Wawa in overall food quality ratings.

Nearly three-fifths (59%) of consumers said they were extremely satisfied with the taste and flavor of Wawa’s food, which finished ahead of all chains, Technomic said. QuikTrip (51%); Ricker’s (50%); Stripes (49%), a division of Irving, Texas-based 7-Eleven; Rutter’s (49%); and Casey’s (48%) followed Wawa in taste and flavor ratings.

More than half (51%) of customers said they were extremely satisfied with the food portions and price at Wawa, more than at all other chains, according to Technomic. Wawa outpaced Cumberland Farms (49%), Westborough, Mass.; Ricker’s (49%); Rutter’s (48%); QuikTrip (47%); and Family Express (46%) when it came to portions and price.

Exactly half of consumers said they were extremely satisfied with the availability of healthy food options at Family Express, which outpaced all other chains, according to Technomic. Rounding out the top five for healthy options were Ricker’s (44%), Wawa (43%), QuikTrip (42%), and Altoona, Pa.-based Sheetz (37%).

More than half (51%) of customers were extremely satisfied with the quality of the kids menu at Ricker’s during the third quarter, higher than all other chains, according to Technomic. Family Express (40%); Fas Mart (40%), a division of GPM Investments, Richmond, Va.; QuikTrip (39%); Sheetz (36%); and Kum & Go (36%), Des Moines, Iowa, also gained praise for the quality of their kids menus.

Consumer satisfaction with limited-time-offers saw a three-way tie: Forty-six percent of customers said they were extremely satisfied with the LTOs and seasonal offers at QuikTrip, Wawa and Family Express, according to Technomic. Ricker’s (45%), Rutter’s (41%), Stripes (37%) and Inver Grove Heights, Minn.-based Cenex (36%) were among those behind QuikTrip, Wawa and Family Express in the LTO race.

More than half (53%) of customers said they were extremely satisfied with the “craveable” items at Rutter’s, which ranked atop all chains, according to Technomic. Wawa (46%), QuikTrip (45%), Family Express (45%), Stripes (45%) and Cenex (41%) finished behind Rutter’s in the craveability ratings, which are scored based on indulgent items consumers can find only at that brand, Technomic said.

Nearly three-fifths (59%) of consumers said they were extremely satisfied with the menu variety at Wawa, which finished ahead of all chains, according to Technomic. Ricker’s (51%), QuikTrip (48%), Family Express (46%) and Atlanta-based RaceTrac/RaceWay (46%) followed Wawa in the menu variety ratings.

Fifty-seven percent of consumers said they were extremely satisfied with the coffee quality at Wawa during the third quarter, higher than at all other chains, Technomic said. Wawa’s coffee outpaced the brew at QuikTrip (53%), Cumberland Farms (53%), Ricker’s (52%), Louisville, Ky.-based Thorntons (51%), Family Express (50%) and others.