Royal Farms

Royal Farms opened its first c-store in Baltimore in 1959 under the name White Jug. Today, the Mid-Atlantic chain has 287 locations in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia and now North Carolina. The Baltimore-based c-store chain expanded into North Carolina in 2023, with the opening of a new store in the community of Grandy. Other communities targeted for expansion were New Bern, Greenville, Lumberton, Kinston and Jacksonville.

Store menus focus on the retailer's "world-famous" chicken, which was awarded "best fast-food fried chicken" by Food and Wine magazine. Royal Farms stores also offer a variety of side dishes, such as macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes, so customers can take a complete meal or platter home. Other features include Royal Farms' hot or iced coffee from bean-to-cup machines and f'real milkshakes at the blending station. Every location also features surcharge-free ATMs, air-pump stations, lottery and fuel. Car washes are available at select locations.

Royal Farms launched an updated mobile app with a point system and other new capabilities in early 2022. It includes mobile ordering that allows customers to order ahead for delivery or pickup.

For benchmarking purposes, store counts are as of Jan. 1, 2024.