Convenience-store forecourts are a retailer’s first opportunity to gain a customer’s trust, according to many c-store leaders.
Editors at CSP Daily News asked top leaders in convenience about their priorities, updates and perspectives on electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Here are their responses.
- EG America is No. 5 on CSP's 2024 Top 202 ranking of convenience-store chains by size. GetGo is No. 29, Stinker Stores is No. 66 and Parker's Kitchen is No. 86.
These answers have been edited for length and clarity.
John Rudolfs, president and CFO, Parker’s Kitchen
“We are committed to delivering the best possible customer experience in and outside the store. We have recently redesigned the fuel pad to create a similar best-in-class experience that matches our in-store experience. Specifically, we have widened the lanes to optimize flow, increased the minimum number of pumps at each location, created a new streamlined and distinctive canopy, added larger and ergonomically designed trash, cleaning and services receptacle at each pump and instant notification of slow flow occurring at the pumps. We believe that EV will eventually become an important part of our business, which is why each Parker’s Kitchen store location has the ability to add or install chargers, if and when the demand is there from our customers. Currently, we have numerous EV charging locations, but do not feel that each location needs them unless the demand and numbers dictate their inclusion in our plans.”
Lisa N’Chonon, CFO and treasurer, EG America
“We have some EV plans [and are] working on our overall initiatives with EG Group, our parent company, around environmental, social and governance (ESG) and EV globally.”
Nate Brazier, CEO and president, Stinker Stores
“We’ve made a very conscious and strategic decision that we’re not going to focus on EV chargers. Is that wrong? People might tell us, 'Oh, that’s wrong,' but right now, and for the next year, we’re not going to focus on that. Really the change on the forecourt is making sure they’re absolutely clean and crisp because it’s the first impression for our customers when they pull up, and we are a foodservice establishment. In a lot of cases, they make a biased decision about food based on what they see when they first pull into a lot. That’s really going to be our focus on the forecourt.”
Terri Micklin, president, GetGo
“You've got that customer who really is like, 'I waited till the last minute, I've got about a gallon left and I need to fill up and get on my way as fast as possible.' Efficiency, cleanliness are always going to be top of marks. We still need to make sure we're located in the right places and our customers can get in and out and have a great experience and feel like the facility is really clean—that’s not going to stop. But you're also seeing more and more people that are taking more time, and the fuel court isn’t a rushed experience anymore. They’re coming in, they're pulling forward, they're going inside the store, and I think that's really [because of] services and amenities. We have to think differently about some areas of the business that we've taken for granted for years. You saw the trend where air became very popular and then everybody started having free air, which is great. Now, from GetGo’s perspective, if you visit any facility that has a WetGo car wash, our vacuums are free as well. We don't want to charge you for something that you deserve to have that would normally be free anyway. I think having those small services and making that experience even better is what folks are looking for on that forecourt.”