Thanksgiving week ranks among the strongest periods for digital ordering from convenience stores, according to Lula Commerce, a digital commerce provider for c-store retailers.
Stores can expect a 15% to 25% increase in digital sales compared with a normal week, Lula found, with digital demand peaks on the Tuesday and Wednesday leading up to Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Day sees some moderate digital activity, too, Lula said, primarily for snacks, mixers and forgotten essentials.
The busiest digital ordering windows during Thanksgiving week occur between 4 and 7 p.m. and then again between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Lula said.
So what are convenience-store consumers buying this week?
Here are the five areas that consistently account for more than 85% of Thanksgiving week digital sales on Lula Commerce, according to the company's digital ordering data from 2021 through 2024:
- Beer and hard seltzers
- Ready-to-drink cocktails, with high-ABV single cans and cocktail mixes performing exceptionally well
- Party-size snacks, including brands like Takis, Cheetos and Doritos
- Nonalcohol beverages like carbonated soft drinks and energy drinks
- Affordable wine
“Thanksgiving shopping is highly basket-driven, and digital menus have a significant influence on cross-category purchasing,” Lula said. “Customers who begin with beer or ready-to-drink cocktails frequently add party-size snacks, soda mixers or energy drinks. Soda purchasers often add snacks or heat-and-eat meals. Wine buyers gravitate toward premium snacks and sweet items. Highlighting these high-affinity products on digital menus helps increase average order value without requiring additional labor in-store.”
Lula Commerce’s AI-powered platform enables c-stores and quick-service restaurant brands to seamlessly connect with delivery platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub, the Philadelphia-based company said. It works with several convenience-store chains including Par Mar Oil, Atlantis Management Group, Jacksons Food Stores and more, according to its website.
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