Welcoming our robot overlords: Seven-Eleven Japan earlier this month added some new employees to its workforce. They don’t need meal breaks or even a paycheck and can keep working after just a quick recharge. The c-store retailer began testing several types of in-store robots, according to a report by The Japan News, saying it expects the bots to reduce employee workload by about 30%. During the three-month test, several types of robots will take over tasks such as restocking shelves and cleaning windows and floors. “We aim to increase productivity and create an environment where we can challenge ourselves to create new product assortments and services,” the company’s operation’s chief told the publication. Semi-human hospitality isn’t dead at the stores: There’s a monitor by the self-checkout kiosks that connects remote customer service staff with in-store shoppers in need of assistance. —Heather Lalley
Top dogs: A poll of 3,006 drivers reveals that a Fast Stop in Dothan, Alabama, is the top hot dog spot in that state, while a Maverik in Cheyenne, Wyoming, sells that state’s best wiener. There are 48 other locations in the poll, conducted online in July by Gunther Volvo Cars Daytona Beach in Florida. There are several big convenience-store names in addition to some smaller ones. See the complete list here. —Chuck Ulie
Buc-ee’s leans into spooky season: Buc-ee’s is ready for Halloween. The convenience retailer had dropped seasonal merch for the start of spooky season, according to mysanantonio.com. The merch includes witchy Buc-ee’s beaver plushies, seasonal T-shirts (including a glow-in-the-dark shirt), Halloween tumblers and more, according to the news site. Of course, the c-store that has it all even has Halloween home decor, too. So whether you need a Beaver in a pointy purple witch’s hat or a skeleton figurine for your table, Buc-ee’s has got you covered. —Hannah Hammond
Ready for an earful?: Nearly 75% of retail clerks feel some degree of stress when having to deal with customers wearing earphones, according to a report by SoraNews24, citing a recent survey of 1,000 retail workers aged 15 to 69 by Japanese telecom giant SoftBank. The main reason behind this feeling is that they can’t easily tell whether the customer can hear what they are saying. When asked if customers should remove their earphones before dealing with clerks, however, only about 53% of respondents said yes, because it is good manners. The biggest problem, according to respondents, is when the customer doesn’t respond to questions about wanting a bag or having a rewards card, and then complaining when they don’t get a bag or have their rewards card scanned. Softbank released a video illustrating the problem. —Greg Lindenberg
Bare basics or fancy finds?: C-store shoppers are sticking to essentials, but they’re still splurging when it counts. Retail food and beverage sales dipped 0.3% in the last four weeks, with modest price growth, up 3.2%, tied to unpredictable changes in the prices of raw materials and reformulation, according to Circana’s CPG Consumer Spend Tracker report. Non-food consumer packaged goods stayed soft, down 0.7%, especially in home and health, according to Circana. But beauty, personal care and premium picks are still turning heads. Price increases are up 2.6%, mostly from product mix shifts in stores, with more premium products on shelves. The takeaway? Keep value front and center, but don’t ditch the fancy stuff. —Rachel Gignac
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