In 2025, convenience-store retailers implemented artificial intelligence (AI) on the store floor, added electric-vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, updated digital loyalty programs and integrated online ordering with point-of-sale (POS) systems.
AI moved from back-office to customer-facing operations
This year, convenience stores expanded the use of AI from analytics dashboards to real-time operational tools, including labor management, shopper behavior tracking and task automation.
7-Eleven is using AI to optimize its 7Now delivery platform, according to Yaqub Baiani, head of consumer digital product and design at 7-Eleven, who spoke at C-StoreTEC in October. Internal data science teams have built proprietary machine learning models to personalize item assortments and enhance customer experience. To ensure these models perform as well as, or better than, commercial alternatives, 7-Eleven developed an AI gateway that allows side-by-side testing of internal and third-party models.
Refuel Operating Co. has focused on centralizing its data. By consolidating POS, HR, loyalty and enterprise resource planning (ERP) data into a single hub, the chain can now leverage analytics tools like Power BI to provide real-time insights, said Justin Mitchell, chief technology officer at Refuel in October at C-StoreTEC. This has streamlined reporting, improved operational visibility and allowed teams to generate insights tailored to their specific business needs, freeing staff from manual data collection, he said.
Circle K has implemented AI both in-store and at the corporate level, Janeth Falcon, vice president of information technology, shared at C-StoreTEC. In some locations, smart checkout systems use computer vision to speed up transactions, while assisted checkout combines AI with human support for tasks like handling cigarettes. AI also powers task prioritization for store managers, helping them focus on high-impact actions and flags sales anomalies by comparing performance across nearby stores.
Smaller chains like Parker’s Kitchen are taking a hybrid approach, letting partners run initial AI solutions and then integrating learnings in-house.
EV infrastructure became a meaningful part of c-store strategy
In 2025, convenience stores accelerated adoption of EV charging. Across the country, chains partnered with charging network providers, integrated software platforms and rolled out high-speed infrastructure to meet growing EV demand. Retailers folded EV charging into site design, loyalty integration and cross-merchandising strategies.
bp pulse opened ultrafast charging hubs near airports in Houston, San Francisco and Los Angeles, with multiple 400-kilowatt direct current fast chargers designed for both fleet and retail drivers. bp also installed chargers at third-party locations like Waffle House restaurants, Simon Properties and LAZ Parking facilities.
Casey’s deployed IONNA chargers across six states, and Wawa and Jacksons Food Stores launched multiple high-speed sites.
Integration of technology and software was another trend. Sheetz is combining EV charging with energy management software from Driivz, allowing stores to manage energy loads efficiently while providing charging services.
Loyalty stopped being a point-accumulation program and became a data-driven engagement engine
Convenience-store loyalty programs underwent upgrades, new launches and app enhancements, with many incorporating personalization, cross-selling and promotional features.
RaceWay rolled out its first loyalty program with personalized offers and points‑based rewards across its stores, powered by PAR technology. Global Partners launched a unified mobile app and rewards platform called Bee’s Knees Benefits, consolidating multiple legacy programs into one experience with in‑app fuel payments, mobile ordering and personalized deals across its Alltown Fresh, Alltown and XtraMart banners.
Independent and regional operators also embraced digital engagement: Friendly Express redesigned its mobile app to better deliver loyalty perks, Nisqually Markets debuted a new loyalty app with digital rewards and Weigel’s added streak‑based incentives to its app to encourage daily engagement.
Online ordering became part of the store’s core tech stack
Digital ordering and delivery became a mainstream part of convenience-store operations, moving beyond pilot programs into full-scale deployments.
National chains like EG America partnered with platforms such as Vroom Delivery to manage online and third-party marketplace orders across hundreds of stores for delivery and curbside pickup.
Regional chains and travel centers also embraced mobile ordering. Wallis Cos. rolled out online ordering at its On the Run stores, and Pilot added mobile ordering capabilities at select travel centers, with plans for expansion across hundreds of locations. Technological advances, such as new POS systems, now allow retailers to offer order-ahead and delivery fulfillment without needing separate third-party platforms.
Meanwhile, SwiftSku enabled more than 3,000 independent stores to offer integrated digital ordering and delivery, connecting point-of-sale systems directly to customer-facing apps.
Consumer behavior is also shaping these initiatives. Holiday-period data shows convenience shoppers increasingly turn to digital channels for both food and merchandise purchases, reflecting growing comfort with online ordering in the channel.
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