LAS VEGAS -- Sunday marked the start of the NACS Show in Las Vegas. Between the jangle of the slots and the hubbub of the Strip, attendees also got down to some serious learnin’. Here’s are 10 things CSP Daily News’ editors learned, overheard and observed during the NACS Show today.
Build a Fantasy Lineup
While there was much buzz round the opening of the tradeshow, there was other excitement in the air, specifically, Sunday Night Football. Attendees checked games scores and fantasy football teams in their downtime. Loyalty and sports go hand in hand, and the same goes for convenience stores. So what “fantasy foods” can you create for your fan base?
Booze vs. Food
Conventional wisdom suggests alcohol is a strong driver for bundling, but Jeff Campbell of APT says foodservice is a better pull.
Sneaky Menu-Labeling Mandates
Wondering if buns should be included in your roller-grill calorie counts? The answer is yes, says Doug Kantor, partner of Steptoe & Johnson LLP and NACS speaker. If a guest doesn't take a bun for his or her hot dog, that'd be considered a "special order." And what about ice when calculating calories for the fountain? You must assume no ice is used, and that they're filling the cup to the brim. One more calorie count trap: Condiments need not be calculated, but toppings—items that are listed on the menu, that crew members add or that you charge for—must.
Playing the Gray
Foodservice quote of the day, from Joe Chiovera of XS Foodservice & Marketing Solutions: "Foodservice is not rocket science. Because if it were, we'd have answers. ... You've got to be able to play in the gray."
The Name Game
Do you sell “chicken sandwiches” or “Tuscan chicken sandwiches”? What about chocolate pudding vs. satin chocolate pudding? Evidence shows that descriptors, such as “Tuscan” or “satin,” increase taste expectations of food items. Adam Brumberg, deputy director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, said named items are selected 27% more often, and customers are willing to pay 10% more for them. But don’t go overboard. Brumberg suggests adding descriptors to only five or six of your menu items.
Adding It All Up
The average cost to a company after a data breach is $6.5 million, says Linda Toth of Conexxus. That doesn't include soft costs such as customer trust—and we all know that's priceless.
Airport Melodrama
Overheard frequently at the education sessions: "Hope you didn't get stuck because of Southwest." The airline's computer systems went down Sunday a.m., causing many folks to miss their flights. If you have red eyes today, we hope it's for a fun reason.
Beyond the Day-to-Day
Why is it often difficult to adopt a new strategic goal? Researcher and NACS Show general session speaker Chris McChesney says it’s that employees are too conscious of the current day-to-day tasks that they have to accomplish to focus on the new behaviors necessary to execute a new strategy. He recommends keeping the number of new goals to a minimum (two or three at a time) for the best return.
Space Oddity
For retailers that are considering installing electric-vehicle charging stations, be aware of the possible space requirements, warned Jay Ricker, chairman of Ricker Oil Co. Inc., Anderson, Ind., which installed several Level 3 chargers in 2015. Some EV-charging-station providers request three to four dedicated parking spaces, which can be tough for a space-challenged c-store to provide.
Ch-ch-ch-changes
With gasoline and diesel prices at multiyear lows, the price competitiveness of compressed natural gas (CNG) is taking a hit. For retailers who sell CNG, such as OnCue Express, Stillwater, Okla., it means promoting the price stability of the alternative fuel compared to gasoline and diesel. A camera fixed on the fuel price sign at one OnCue Express location captured hundreds of price changes for gasoline and diesel over a period of 18 months; the price of CNG, meanwhile, did not change once.
Bonus 11th: It’s a Living
Everyone’s got a story in Las Vegas: For one cab driver, it’s dealing blackjack for a dozen years, then working in one Vegas’ premier c-store chains for eight before opting to shuttle people around the city in a taxi. Keep up the very Vegas lifestyle, Marge!
Click here for more from the NACS Show.
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