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Fuel Headwinds, Food Opportunities
Convenience stores are navigating two competing trends. On the one hand, high gas prices are weighing on gas station traffic. But at the same time, consumers looking to stretch their dining budgets are creating an opening for c-stores serving quick, affordable meals.
So how are convenience stores faring amid these crosscurrents? We dove into the data to find out.
Lunchtime Wins
Visit data for full convenience store sites – including both stores and their accompanying gas stations – show that chains with strong food offerings are outperforming.
The chart below compares each chain’s lunch share – the portion of 8 AM-8 PM visits occurring between 11 AM and 2 PM – with its year-over-year (YoY) visit growth from January through August 2026. And a clear pattern emerges: The six regional chains with the highest lunch shares, from Buc-ee’s at 30.8% to Casey’s at 26.7%, all saw visits grow YoY. Meanwhile, national brands 7-Eleven and Circle K had the lowest lunch shares and recorded modest visit declines.
These food-forward chains’ strong lunch business suggests they are meeting demand for affordable, convenient meals as dining out grows more expensive – giving customers another reason to stop by. And expansion is helping them reach new customers. Buc-ee’s is entering new states, Wawa has added more than 200 stores since 2022, and Sheetz expects to operate nearly 20 Michigan stores by year’s end.
Slurping Up Visits
Still, headwinds aside, the big national chains are also finding ways to draw crowds. On July 11th, for example, 7-Eleven celebrated its annual Slurpee Day, offering a free small Slurpee at participating stores.
And customers were happy to chill out. Despite the chain’s overall YoY visit gap – partly reflecting recent rightsizing measures – Slurpee Day 2026 drew its strongest turnout since 2019, helped by 7/11 falling on a Saturday. Visits were 79.2% above the chain’s Saturday average and 90.7% above its daily average for the preceding 12 months – highlighting the continued draw of the signature treat and its annual giveaway.
Fuel Deals Bring Drivers Back
Value at the pump can also give drivers a reason to stop. On May 7th, Circle K offered up to 40 cents off per gallon at more than 5,000 U.S. locations, with Inner Circle loyalty members receiving early access before the discount opened to all customers from 4 to 7 p.m. Then, on August 13th, the chain repeated the 40-cent discount as an all-day offer exclusively for Inner Circle members.
Both Thursdays drew outsized crowds, surpassing even the pre-July 4th bump visible in the chart. The spikes suggest that even as high gas prices weigh on routine fill-ups, a compelling fuel deal can bring drivers back.
Reasons to Pull In
From quick meals to signature treats and fuel discounts, c-stores are giving budget-conscious consumers reasons to pull in. Can these draws help keep visits coming as pressure at the pump persists?
For more data-driven retail analyses, follow placer.ai/anchor.
