US Convenience Store Foodservice Market Report 2023

Discover the latest convenience store foodservice trends in the US and how they are impacting the convenience store foodservice market. Our US Convenience Store Foodservice Market Report 2023 is packed with valuable insights on consumer attitudes, convenience store foodservice market size, convenience store foodservice market forecast and segmentation, and consumer behavior. With this report, you’ll have the knowledge to stay ahead of the competition and keep your business growing.

Convenience Store Foodservice: Current Market Landscape

Consumer markets have faced an unprecedented level of turmoil in recent years, from the massive economic disruption in 2020 from COVID-19 to 40-year highs in inflation in 2022. Real GDP (the inflation-adjusted measure of GDP) increased at an annualized rate of 2.9% in Q3 2022 – the first in which the US experienced positive growth in 2022, following two quarters of decline. However, consumer sentiment remains near historic lows, with rising interest rates, stubborn inflation, as well as volatile financial markets continuing to erode households’ confidence. With wage growth stalling, consumers exhausting their savings, soaring credit card debt, and stubbornly high inflation – all signs point to reduced spending heading into next year.

Convenience Stores Foodservice Market Trends and Consumer Behavior

• Convenience store foodservice trends: C-stores have navigated troubling times through the pandemic and continue to be challenged by the constant brunt of inflationary highs. With consumer routines changed and daily commutes disrupted by more consumers working from home or returning to public transportation, C-store sales gains are beginning to level out.
• US C-store market growth: By 2027, Mintel predicts c-store foodservice sales to reach $54.7 billion. C-stores will need to continue developing strong customer relationships to build brand loyalty and maintain their growth trajectory. Providing consumers with a simple yet robust loyalty membership program that offers discounts and incentives at the pump and in-store will help further encourage c-store sales.
• US convenience store market factors: While consumers starting to are finding relief at the pump, food prices remain elevated – rising by nearly 11% for the 12 months ending November 2022. Offering consumers value and quality food/drink items and competitive gas prices will be crucial to driving c-store sales and momentum in 2023.

Convenience Store Foodservice Market Trends and Opportunities

• Convenience Store Foodservice Market Challenges: Consumers are seeking a wide variety of food and drink from c-store operators to fit their away-from-home dining occasions, leaning on c-stores as a one-stop shop for snacks, meals, and errands.
• Convenience Store Foodservice Market Innovation: Weigel’s, a Tennessee-based c-store chain, introduced a four-day work week and flexible work hours at 88 of its locations in August 2022. The brand decided to implement the new flexible schedule after experiencing successful results through its pilot project at a test store earlier in the year. The new strategy allows employees more autonomy in how and when they decide to work, providing them with better work-life balance.

Read on to discover more about the convenience store foodservice consumer market, read our Foodservice in Retail – US – 2022 report, or take a look at our other Foodservice Market research reports.

Quickly Understand the Convenience Stores Foodservice Market

• How c-store operators can encourage foodservice purchases.
• How marketers can use loyalty reward programs and promotional offers to further build relationships with consumers.
• The importance of variety, quality and value of food and drink options.
• How operators can deliver on convenience across the board.

Covered in this Report

Leading Brands in the Convenience Stores Food Industry: Circle-K, Wawa, 7-Eleven, Weigels, Speedway, Stripes.

Expert Analysis from a Specialist in the Field

This report, written by Pooja Lal, a leading analyst in the Foodservice sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis on convenience store food to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.

C-store operators have an opportunity to build strong, long-lasting relationships with customers through loyalty memberships that encourage repeat visitation and boost the purchase of in-store food and drink items. Consumers will continue to seek out a wide variety of high-quality menu and packaged food and drink items that can fulfill on-the-go needs.

Pooja Lal
Foodservice and Mintel Menu Insights