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Off-price apparel chains continue to resonate with inflation-conscious shoppers seeking their favorite brands without significant expense. We examined the visitation patterns for several major players in this sector – T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, and Burlington – to gain insight into their performance during the first half of the year.
Off-price leaders continued to enjoy elevated visits throughout Q1 2025, with all of the analyzed chains experiencing visit growth. Burlington led the visit growth charge with 6.5% more visits in Q1 2025 than in Q1 2024, followed by T.J. Maxx and Marshalls (both owned by parent company TJX Companies), at 3.8% and 3.3%, respectively. Ross experienced the most modest year-over-year (YoY) visit growth of 0.5% in Q1 2025 – but still outpaced the overall apparel segment, which saw visits dip by 3.2% YoY.
Average visits per location showed slightly more variance, however, with Ross and Burlington experiencing dips of 2.7% and 1.9% YoY. Still, both chains expanded their store fleets somewhat significantly in recent months, and these visit-per-location lags may diminish as customer traffic normalizes across their newer locations.
Diving into monthly visitation patterns – most months experienced growth, though YoY visits took a significant dive in February 2025, likely owing to inclement weather that kept many at home. And visits rebounded in March and April, while overall visits to the apparel segment remained below growth – highlighting off-price retailers’ continued ability to attract and retain consumers amid broader challenges facing retail.
But what lies behind off-price’s continuous rise? This segment has thrived for the past few years, defying the overall trends facing the apparel sector. A significant part of this success may stem from the segment’s inherent “treasure-hunt” experience – off-price shopping cultivates a browsing mentality, encouraging visitors to linger and explore the constantly changing inventory.
A closer look at average dwell times over the past few years – from the pre-pandemic era through the inflationary surges of 2023 and 2024 – reveals that visitors to off-price retailers linger significantly longer than those at overall apparel chains. For example, in 2025, visitors to T.J. Maxx and Burlington spent 40.3 and 43.9 minutes shopping, respectively, while visitors to apparel chains averaged just 33.3 minutes. To be sure, dwell times have slightly decreased across the board since COVID, likely due to factors such as increased interest in online shopping. But the longer dwell times at off-price stores highlight the sustained appeal of brick-and-mortar retail – especially when it offers added value.
And further cementing the “treasure hunt” engagement shopping aspect of off-price retail, visitors to the analyzed chains were significantly more likely to shop in the evening – between 6:00 and 10:00 PM – than visitors to other apparel chains.
This difference in visit timing suggests that off-price shoppers are indeed making a dedicated trip, reserving a good chunk of their evening – once their daily duties were taken care of – for extended browsing sessions. This strong engagement during evening hours may signify that shoppers are receptive to longer shopping hours.
Off-price retail continues to thrive, fueled, in part, by the “treasure hunt” experience. Shoppers to these chains are increasingly staying longer, and coming later in the day to maximize their shopping times – proving that, even in an unclear economic climate, there’s plenty of ways for retail to thrive.
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Department stores have faced their fair share of challenges in recent years – and many of these household names are still figuring out how to remain relevant and adapt to a challenging economic environment.
With the first half of the year nearly behind us, we took a look at the visit performance for some of the major players in the department store space to understand their current standing.
As consumer budgets continue to react to the strain of rising prices, department stores are experiencing mixed visitation patterns. While luxury shoppers have, in some cases, been more insulated from the effects of inflation and rising costs, visits to high-end department stores have not been spared from this overall volatility.
However, some department stores are rallying. Visits to Nordstrom (which will be shifting to private ownership soon) and Bloomingdale’s grew by 3.3% and 2.7%, respectively, in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024. Meanwhile, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus – which recently merged – saw their Q1 2025 visits drop by -6.0% and -5.9% YoY, respectively.
Average visits per location showed more variance, with Nordstrom the only department store to experience growth in this metric (+4.1%).
Analyzing visits into April showed a continuation of the quarterly trends explored above. Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s continued to enjoy visit growth for the most part, while Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus visits declined slightly relative to 2024.
While Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Saks are known for their luxury offerings, several other department stores cater to a more mid-range consumer – and like their luxury counterparts, their visit performance has varied since the start of the year.
In Q1 2025, Macy’s was the sole department store among those analyzed to experience overall visit growth – though none of the chains saw their average visits per location surpass those of Q1 2024. However, April visits offered a more positive outlook, with Belk and JCPenney, in particular, showing elevated visits in all but one week of April 2025. Dillard's also displayed promising visitation patterns, with weekly visits up for two weeks of April.
And in an environment where so many department stores are struggling, the ability for these brands to keep visits near, or above, previous years’ levels suggests that this segment is enjoying stability.
Despite the challenges facing the overall retail segment, department stores are proving their staying power. The strong visit performance of some – like Nordstrom and Belk – alongside the visit declines of others highlight that the way ahead looks different for every store.
With plenty of changes – including in ownership and merchandising initiatives – coming up for many of these chains, will visits continue to grow?
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Superstores remain American retail staples, and once again, wholesale clubs were the foot traffic winners of the space in Q1 2025. We dove into the data to explore how weather and expanding footprints played a part in visitation trends for Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Costco Wholesale and how the demographic characteristics of visitors impacted in-store shopping behavior.
Wholesale clubs outperformed traditional superstores in Q1 2025, as BJ’s, Sam’s Club, and Costco saw 2.7% to 6.1% YoY visit increases. BJ’s and Costco expanded their footprints over the past year, which likely caused overall visit growth to outpace visit-per-location increases.
Zooming in on monthly visits reveals more nuanced foot traffic patterns. After a strong January 2025, February’s YoY visits were impacted by the comparison to 2024’s leap year. And despite severe weather, YoY traffic to all of the analyzed chains improved in March 2025, perhaps due to consumers stocking up on essentials in preparation for the storms.
Although Walmart and Target saw YoY foot traffic declines in Q1 2025 overall, Walmart saw a 4.5% YoY visit increase in April, while Target saw its visit gap narrow. Some of the April strength may have been due to the pull-forward of consumer demand ahead of anticipated price hikes and supply constraints.
The two chains’ improved April performance was likely also aided by pre-Easter shopping, with Walmart receiving the more sizable visit boost. Last year, Easter fell during the week of March 25th, ‘24, but this year, Easter fell during the week of April 14th, ‘25, giving Walmart a 15.5% weekly visit boost while Target benefitted from a smaller 0.9% visit lift (compared to the weekly average YTD). Clearly, Walmart is a more popular pre-Easter shopping destination and the calendar shift played a part in the chain’s YoY visit growth in April.
All three of the leading wholesale clubs – BJ’s, Sam’s Club, and Costco – carry a variety of essentials sold in-bulk, as well as products from discretionary categories such as apparel, housewares, and electronics. But diving into the retailers’ captured trade areas in Q1 2025 reveals that each chain serves a slightly different audience.
Costco tends to attract visitors from higher-income areas and larger households (including those with children and non-family roommates) than either Sam’s Club or BJ’s. And since larger households may need to stock-up on essentials more frequently, this could account for Costco’s higher average share of repeat monthly visitors, and by extension, its strong membership renewal rate.
Meanwhile, Sam’s Club and BJ’s typically attract more single-person households and visitors from lower-income areas – at least in part because singles are often younger consumers who have yet to reach their peak earning years. This clientele presents an opportunity for Sam’s Club and BJ’s to foster lifetime brand loyalty among digitally-driven Millennials and Gen Z-ers and shoppers seeking value in what remains a challenging economic environment.
Visitors to Sam’s Club, BJ’s, and Costco also exhibit different in-store shopping behaviors. BJ’s and Sam’s Club visitors appear to make quicker trips, with both brands seeing a larger share of visits under thirty minutes than Costco in Q1 2025 – which may be due to the use of time-saving self-checkout apps and curbside pickup. Meanwhile, Costco experienced a greater share of weekday visits than either BJ’s or Sam’s Club – perhaps since shoppers from larger households are likely to replenish essentials mid-week and prepare for large weekend gatherings. An understanding of these consumer preferences and behaviors could help the chains build out their retail media networks and put the right promotions in front of shoppers at the right time.
Wholesale clubs and superstores remain go-to destinations for essentials – and nearly everything else – and are likely to maintain their positions as retail powerhouses going forward. Using location analytics, brands can better understand their consumer base and hone their retail strategies to drive further growth.
For more data-driven retail insights, visit Placer.ai.
We dove into the data to explore The Home Depot and Lowe’s recent foot traffic performance, audience profiles, and consumer trends shaping what lies ahead for the chains.
The home improvement space has seen YoY traffic lag for quite some time, as sustained challenges in the housing market and tight budgets have resulted in fewer home improvement projects. Despite these trends continuing in Q1 2025, YoY visit gaps to home improvement retailers remained relatively minor; The Home Depot received 3.8% less visits in Q1 2025 than in Q1 2024 while Lowe’s received 3.6% fewer visits.
Zooming in on monthly visits reveals more nuanced foot traffic patterns to The Home Depot and Lowe’s. February’s relatively dramatic declines in YoY visits were likely impacted by the comparison to 2024’s leap year. And in spite of severe weather, YoY traffic to the chains improved in March 2025 as consumers prepared their homes for storms.
Despite Q1 2025’s lackluster performance, analysis of weekly visits suggests that there is reason for optimism in the home improvement space. In 2024, industry foot traffic peaked in mid-May – perhaps as consumers took on pre-Summer projects – indicating that the next few weeks of 2025 present an opportunity for The Home Depot and Lowe’s to drive significant seasonal traffic.
As traffic to the home improvement space begins to turn a corner, analysis of the trade areas from which The Home Depot and Lowe’s attract visitors reveals that each chain serves a slightly different mix of rural, suburban, and urban audience segments.
In Q1 2025, both The Home Depot and Lowe’s were popular among consumers in regions defined as “Suburban Periphery” and “Metro Cities” (i.e. small metro areas and satellite cities). However, Lowe’s drove higher shares of traffic from rural segments and The Home Depot from strongly urbanized ones. This audience segmentation highlights several differences between the chains’ retail footprints and the regions from which they command traffic.
Despite prevailing headwinds, the home improvement space may be gearing up for a seasonal boost, particularly if consumers feel a little wiggle room in their budgets or decide to take on bigger projects in anticipation of price hikes and supply constraints.
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Boot Barn is one of the fast growing brick-and-mortar apparel brands, with the company seeing a 13.5% year-over-year (YoY) increase in overall visits in Q1 2025. And while much of the growth is driven by the chain’s expansion, the average number of visits per location has remained stable (+0.2% YoY in Q1 2025), suggesting that Boot Barn’s expansion is catering to an existing and eager consumer base.
The company’s strength continued into April, with average visits per venue up by 3.3% YoY – the strongest increase all year – perhaps boosted by consumers’ stocking up on apparel ahead of anticipated price hikes.
For more data-driven retail insights, visit placer.ai/anchor.
Like many consumer companies, the first quarter of 2025 was a challenging one for quick-service restaurants (QSRs). Consistent with commentary from the management teams at several QSR chains that have reported first-quarter 2025 results, year-over-year foot traffic decreased amid increased economic uncertainty for consumers, with our data indicating a 1.6% decrease year over year (YoY). Major chains like McDonald's reported a 3.6% decrease in U.S. same-store sales, driven largely by reduced visits from lower- and middle-income consumers according to management. Despite efforts to attract budget-conscious diners through value promotions like $5 meal deals, many consumers opted to dine at home or shift to more affordable grocery options. However, some brands, including Taco Bell and Wingstop, managed to buck the trend by leveraging unique products and targeted promotions to drive traffic growth.
Below, we build upon our Q1 recap analyses and review year-to-date visitation trends for some of the more notable limited service chains.
McDonald's has not been immune to the increasingly challenging operating environment faced by QSR operators, reporting a 3.6% drop in U.S. same-store sales – the steepest since 2020. This reduction in guests comes amid heightened economic uncertainty and inflationary pressures, which particularly impacted low- and middle-income consumers and led to YoY decreases in visits across much of the retail sector. Our data indicated a 3.3% decrease in visits per location for the quarter, which compares favorably with McDonald’s reported results when adjusting for YoY menu price increases and product mix (an increase in McValue menu purchases has put downward pressure on the average check size). However, weekly visit per location trends have improved since the quarter ended, helped by new menu items, including chicken strips and a Minecraft-themed Happy Meal, to attract cost-conscious diners.
Chipotle Mexican Grill reported a comparable restaurant sales decline of 0.4% during Q1 2025, marking the first such drop since 2020. The comparable store sales decrease was driven by a 2.3% decrease in transaction volume, partially offset by a 1.9% increase in average check size. Our data indicated a 2.1% decrease in visits per location for the full quarter, aligning with the company’s reported results.
Like McDonald’s, Chipotle saw improved visitation trends in March, helped by the introduction of Honey Chicken Since as a protein option in March. According to management, the percentage of Honey Chicken orders as a percent of total has been higher than any other previous limited time offer and even surpassing its two-market pilot test. However, on its first-quarter update, management also called out a slowdown in underlying transaction trends during April as consumers reduced their frequency of restaurant visits amid economic concerns.
Starbucks' also faced a challenging consumer backdrop in the U.S. during its January-March 2025 quarter, with comparable store sales declining 2% year-over-year. This decrease was primarily driven by a 4% drop in transaction volume, partially offset by a 3% increase in average ticket size. Our data indicated [a 5.6% decrease in visits per location and 3.7% decrease in comparable visits]. The company attributed these pressures to decreased foot traffic and increased labor investments associated with its "Back to Starbucks" turnaround strategy. Despite these headwinds, CEO Brian Niccol expressed confidence in the ongoing transformation efforts aimed at enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.
While Starbucks is still in the early days of implementing its turnaround strategies, competition from mid-sized chains like Dutch Bros, Scooter’s Coffee, and 7 Brew Coffee has become more pronounced. As we recently discussed, these emerging competitors experienced significant year-over-year visit increases—13.4% for Dutch Bros, 15.3% for Scooter’s, and an impressive 87.3% for 7 Brew—suggesting that consumers are increasingly drawn to unique, indulgent offerings and convenient formats such as drive-thrus. Despite Starbucks' strong customer loyalty, the rise of these agile rivals indicates a shift in consumer preferences toward more personalized and experiential coffee options.
In Q1 2025, Taco Bell's emphasis on product innovation significantly contributed to its strong performance, with U.S. same-store sales increasing by 9%. Management noted that "Taco Bell saw a significant expansion in consumer penetration" which helped the brand to grow traffic low single digits, which is consistent with our year-over-year visit per location trends shown below.
The brand introduced a variety of new menu items, including the Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu featuring a spicy red jalapeño sauce, and the Flamin' Hot Burrito filled with seasoned beef, nacho cheese sauce, and Flamin' Hot Cheetos. Additionally, Taco Bell brought back its crispy chicken nuggets, marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated with breadcrumbs and tortilla chips, aiming to make them a permanent menu item by 2026. These innovative offerings, alongside value-focused options like the $5, $7, and $9 Luxe Cravings Boxes, have attracted a broad customer base, reinforcing Taco Bell's position as a leader in the quick-service restaurant industry.
Conclusion
Overall, the first quarter of 2025 underscored the increasingly competitive and economically sensitive landscape facing quick-service restaurant chains. While many brands struggled with softer consumer demand and declining visit volumes, a few outliers like Taco Bell and Wingstop demonstrated the power of targeted innovation and promotional strategies. As macroeconomic pressures persist, success in the QSR space will likely hinge on a brand’s ability to balance value offerings with menu excitement, respond quickly to evolving consumer behaviors, and differentiate through experience—whether through digital innovation, drive-thru efficiency, or localized product development.
For more data-driven dining analysis, visit placer.ai/anchor.
The Fitness industry was a major post-pandemic winner. Visits to gyms across the country surged as stay-at-home orders ended and people returned to their in-person workout routines. And even as consumers reduced discretionary spending in the face of inflation, they kept going to the gym – finding room in their budgets for the chance to embrace wellness and get in shape while interacting with other people.
But no category can sustain such unabated growth forever – and as the segment inevitably stabilizes, gyms will need to stay nimble on their feet to maintain their competitive edge.
This white paper takes a closer look at the state of Fitness as the category transitions into a more stable growth phase following two years of outsize post-pandemic demand. The report digs into the location analytics to reveal how the Fitness space has changed – and what strategies gyms can adopt to stay ahead of the pack.
*This report excludes locations within Washington state due to local legislation.
Monthly visits to the Fitness category have grown consistently year over year (YoY) since early 2022, when COVID subsided and gyms returned to full capacity. And the segment is still doing remarkably well. Even in January and March 2024 – when visits were curtailed by an Arctic blast and by the Easter holiday weekend – YoY Fitness visits remained positive, despite the comparison to an already strong 2023.
Still, recent months have seen smaller YoY increases than last year, indicating that the Fitness category is entering a more normalized growth phase.
By keeping a close watch on evolving consumer preferences, fitness chains can uncover new opportunities for growth and adaptation within a stabilizing market – including leaning into increasingly popular dayparts.
Examining the evolving distribution of gym visits by daypart over the past six years shows that major shifts were brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Between Q1 2019 and Q1 2021, as remote work took hold, gyms saw their share of 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM visits increase from 15.8% to 18.6%. Though this trend partially reversed as the pandemic receded, afternoon visits remained elevated in Q1 2024 compared to pre-COVID – likely a reflection of hybrid work patterns that leave people free to take an exercise break during their workdays.
At the same time, the share of morning visits to fitness chains (between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM) dropped from 20.5% in Q1 2019 to 17.2% in Q1 2024, while evening visits (between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM) increased from 11.3% to 13.2%.
Gyms that recognize this changing behavior can adapt to new workout preferences – whether by incentivizing morning visits, scheduling popular classes mid-afternoon, or offering extended evening hours.
In fact, the data indicates that gyms that are leaning into the evening workout trend are already finding success: Of the top 12 most-visited gym chains in the country, those that saw bigger increases in their shares of evening visits also tended to see greater YoY visit growth.
EōS Fitness and Crunch Fitness, for example, have seen their shares of evening visits grow by 5.5% and 3.4%, respectively, since COVID – and in Q1 2024, their YoY visits grew by 29.0% and 21.8%, respectively. Other chains, including 24 Hour Fitness and Chuze Fitness, experienced similar shifts in visit patterns. At the same time, LA Fitness saw just a minor increase in its share of evening visits between Q1 2019 and Q1 2024, and a correspondingly small increase in YoY visits.
As the evening workout slot gains popularity, gym operators that can adapt to these new trends and encourage evening visits may see significant benefits in the years to come.
Diving into demographic data for the analyzed gym chains sheds light on some factors that may be driving this heightened preference for evening workouts at top-performing gyms.
The four fitness chains that experienced the greatest YoY visit boosts in Q1 – Crunch Fitness, EōS Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, and Chuze Fitness – all featured trade areas with significantly higher-than-average shares of Young Professionals and Non-Family Households. (STI: PopStat’s Non-Family Household segment includes households with more than one person not defined as family members. Spatial.ai: PersonaLive’s Young Professional consumer segment includes young professionals starting their careers in white collar or technical jobs.)
In plainer terms, these consumer segments – typically young, well-educated, and without children – and therefore more likely to be flexible in their workout times – are driving visits to some of the best-performing gyms across the country. And these audiences seem to be displaying a preference for nighttime sweat sessions – a factor that gyms can take into account when planning programming and marketing efforts.
Leaning into emerging gym visitation patterns is one way for fitness chains to thrive in 2024 – but it isn’t the only marker of success for the segment. Even after years of visit growth, the market remains open to new opportunities and innovations that meet health-conscious consumers where they are.
STRIDE Fitness, a gym that offers treadmill-based interval training, has sparked a trend among running enthusiasts. This niche player is finding success, particularly among a specific demographic: runners and endurance training enthusiasts.
Between January and April 2024, monthly YoY visits to STRIDE Fitness consistently outperformed the wider Fitness space. A standout month was January, when STRIDE Fitness’s visits soared by an impressive 33.6% YoY, surpassing the industry average of 5.7% for the same period.
Psychographic data from the Spatial.ai’s FollowGraph dataset – which looks at the social media activity of a given audience – suggests that STRIDE Fitness’ trade areas are well-positioned to attract those visitors most open to its offerings. Residents of STRIDE Fitness’s potential market are 24% more likely to be, or to be interested in, Endurance Athletes than the nationwide average – compared to just 3% for the Fitness industry as a whole. Similar patterns emerge for Marathon Runners and Triathlon Participants. This indicates that the chain is well-situated near consumers with a passion for endurance sports and long distance running, helping it maintain a competitive edge in the crowded gym market.
Pickleball, a game that blends elements of tennis, ping pong, and badminton, is the fastest-growing sport in the country. And recognizing its broad appeal, some fitness chains have begun incorporating pickleball courts into their facilities.
Arizona-based EōS Fitness added a pickleball court at a Phoenix, AZ location – and early 2024 data highlights the impact of this addition. Between January and April 2024, the location drew between 9.1% and 33.3% more monthly visits than the chain’s Arizona visit-per-location average.
And analyzing the demographic profile of the chain’s location with a pickleball court reinforces the game’s increasingly wide appeal. Young consumer segments have been embracing the game in large numbers – and the Phoenix EōS Fitness location’s potential market includes a significantly higher share of 18 to 34-year-olds than the chain’s overall Arizona potential market. Residents of the pickleball location’s trade area are also less affluent than the chain’s Arizona average.
Pickleball has typically been associated with more affluent consumer segments, and it seems like this may be shifting. With more people than ever embracing the game, gyms that choose to add courts to their facilities may reap the foot traffic benefits.
The Fitness industry has undergone a significant transformation since COVID-19. The category’s outsize post-pandemic visit growth has begun to stabilize, and gyms are staying ahead by adapting to changing consumer preferences. Evenings are emerging as crucial dayparts for gym operators, likely driven by younger consumer segments. And niche fitness chains are seeing visit success, proving that there are plenty of ways for the Fitness segment to succeed.
This report includes data from Placer.ai Data Version 2.0, which implements improvements to our extrapolation capabilities, adds short visit monitoring, and enhances visit detection.
Grabbing a coffee or snack at a convenience store is a time-honored road trip tradition – but increasingly, Convenience Stores (C-Stores) have also emerged as places people go out of their way to visit.
Convenience stores have thrived in recent years, making inroads into the discretionary dining space and growing both their audiences and their sales. Between April 2023 and March 2024, C-Stores experienced consistent year-over-year (YoY) visit growth, generally outperforming Overall Retail. Unsurprisingly, C-Stores fell behind Overall Retail in November and December 2023, when holiday shoppers flocked to malls and superstores to buy gifts for loved ones. But in January 2024, the segment regained its lead, growing YoY visits even as Overall Retail languished in the face of an Arctic blast that had many consumers hunkering down at home.
C-Stores’ current strength is partially due to the significant innovation by leading players in the space: Chains like Casey’s, Maverik, Buc-ee’s, and Rutter’s are investing in both in their product offerings and in their physical venues to transform the humble C-Store from a stop along the way into a bona fide destination. Dive into the data to explore some of the key strategies helping C-Stores drive consumer engagement and stay ahead of the pack.
While chain expansion may explain some of the C-Store segment growth, a look at visit-per-location trends shows that demand is growing at the store level as well. Over the past year (April 2023 to March 2024), average visits per location on an industry-wide basis grew by 1.8%, compared to the year prior (April 2022 to 2023).
And within this growing segment, some brands are distinguishing themselves and outperforming category averages. Casey’s, for example, saw the average number of visits to each of its locations increase by 2.3% over the same time frame – while Maverik, Buc-ee’s and Rutter’s saw visits per location increase by 3.2%, 3.4% and 3.9%, respectively.
Each in its own way, Casey’s, Maverik, Buc-ee’s, and Rutter’s, are helping to transform C-Stores from pit stops where people can stretch their legs and grab a cup of coffee to destinations in and of themselves.
Midwestern gas and c-store chain Casey’s – famous for its breakfast pizza and other grab-and-go breakfast items – has emerged as a prime spot for fast food pizza lovers to grab a slice first thing in the morning. And Salt Lake City, Utah-based Maverik – which recently acquired Kum & Go and its 400-plus stores – is also establishing itself as a breakfast destination thanks to its specialty burritos and other chef-inspired creations.
Casey’s and Maverik’s popular breakfast options are likely helping the chains receive its larger-than-average share of morning visits: In Q1 2024, 16.3% of visits to Maverik and 17.5% of visits to Casey’s took place during the 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM daypart, compared to just 14.9% of visits to the wider C-Store category.
Psychographic data from the Spatial.ai’s FollowGraph dataset – which looks at the social media activity of a given audience – also suggests that Casey’s and Maverik’s have opened stores in locations that allow them to reach their target audience. Compared to the average consumer, residents of Casey’s potential market are 7% more likely to be “Fast Food Pizza Lovers” than both the average consumer and the average C-Store trade area resident. Residents of Maverik’s potential market are 16% more likely than the average consumer to be “Mexican Food Enthusiasts,” compared to residents of the average C-Store’s trade area who are only 1% more likely to fall into that category.
With both chains expanding, Casey’s and Maverik can hope to introduce new audiences to their unique breakfast options and solidify their hold over the morning daypart within the C-Store space over the next few years.
Everything is said to be bigger in the Lone Star State, and Texas-based convenience store chain Buc-ee’s – holder of the record for the worlds’ largest C-Store – is no exception. With a unique array of specialty food items and award-winning bathrooms, Buc-ee’s has emerged as a well-known tourist attraction. And the popular chain’s status as a visitor hotspot is reflected in two key metrics.
First, Buc-ee’s attracts a much greater share of weekend visits than other convenience store chains. In Q1 2024, 39.6% of visits to Buc-ee’s took place on the weekends, compared to just 28.3% for the wider C-Store industry. And second, Buc-ee’s captured markets feature higher-than-average shares of family-centric households – including those belonging to Experian: Mosaic’s Suburban Style, Flourishing Families, and Promising Families segments.
Rather than merely a place to stop on the way to work, Buc-ee’s has emerged as a favored destination for families and for people looking for something fun to do on their days off.
Buc-ee’s isn’t the only C-Store chain that believes bigger is better. Pennsylvania-based Rutter’s is increasing visits and customer dwell time by expanding its footprint – both in terms of store count and venue size. New stores will be 10,000 to 12,000 square feet – significantly larger than the industry average of around 3,100 square feet. And in more urban areas, where space is at a premium, the company is building upwards.
Rutter’s added a second floor to one of its existing locations in York, PA in December 2023. The remodel, which was met with enthusiasm by customers, provided additional seating for up to 30 diners, a beer cave, and an expanded wine selection. And in Q1 2024, the location experienced 15.6% YoY visit growth – compared to a chainwide average of 7.6%. Visitors to the newly remodeled Rutter’s also stayed significantly longer than they did pre-renovation. The share of extended visits to the store (longer than ten minutes) grew from 20.8% in Q1 2023 to 27.0% in Q1 2024 – likely from people browsing the chain’s selection of beers or grabbing a bite to eat.
Convenience stores are flourishing, transforming into some of the most exciting dining and tourist destinations in the country. Today, C-Store customers can expect to find brisket sandwiches, gourmet coffees, or craft beers, rather than the stale cups of coffee of old. And the data shows that customers are receptive to these innovations, helping drive the segment’s success.
The first quarter of 2024 was generally a good one for retailers. Though unusually cold and stormy weather left its mark on the sector’s January performance, February and March saw steady year-over-year (YoY) weekly visit growth that grew more robust as the quarter wore on.
March ended on a high note, with the week of March 25th – including Easter Sunday – seeing a 6.1% YoY visit boost, driven in part by increased retail activity in the run-up to the holiday. (Last year, Easter fell on April 9th, 2023, so the week of March 25th is being compared to a regular week.)
Though prices remain high and consumer confidence has yet to fully regain its footing, retail’s healthy Q1 showing may be a sign of good things to come in 2024.
Drilling down into the data for leading retail segments demonstrates the continued success of value-priced, essential, and wellness-related categories.
Discount & Dollar Stores led the pack with 11.2% YoY quarterly visit growth, followed by Grocery Stores, Fitness, and Superstores – all of which outperformed Overall Retail. Dining also enjoyed a YoY quarterly visit bump, despite the segment’s largely discretionary nature. And despite the high interest rates continuing to weigh on the housing and home renovation markets, Home Improvement & Furnishings maintained just a minor YoY visit gap.
Discount & Dollar Stores experienced strong YoY visit growth throughout most of Q1 – and as go-to destinations for groceries and other other essential goods, they held their own even during mid-January’s Arctic blast. In the last week of March, shoppers flocked to leading discount chains for everything from chocolate Easter bunnies to basket-making supplies – driving a remarkable 21.5% YoY visit spike.
Dollar General continued to dominate the Discount & Dollar Store space in Q1, with visits to its locations accounting for nearly half of the segment’s quarterly foot traffic (44.7%). Next in line was Dollar Tree, followed by Family Dollar and Five Below. Together, the four chains – all of which experienced positive YoY quarterly visit growth – drew a whopping 91.6% of quarterly visits to the category.
Rain or shine, people have to eat. And like Discount & Dollar Stores, traditional Grocery Stores were relatively busy through January as shoppers braved the storms to stock up on needed items. Momentum continued to build throughout the quarter, culminating in a 10.5% foot traffic increase in the week ending with Easter Sunday.
Like in other categories, it was budget-friendly Grocery banners that took the lead. No-frills Aldi drove a chain-wide 24.4% foot traffic increase in Q1, by expanding its fleet – while also growing the average number of visits per location. Other value-oriented chains, including Trader Joe’s and Food Lion, experienced significant foot traffic increases of their own. And though conventional grocery leaders like H-E-B, Kroger, and Albertsons saw smaller visit bumps, they too outperformed Q1 2023 by meaningful margins.
January is New Year’s resolution season – when people famously pick themselves up off the couch, dust off their trainers, and vow to go to the gym more often. And with wellness still top of mind for many consumers, the Fitness category enjoyed robust YoY visit growth throughout most of Q1 – despite lapping a strong Q1 2023.
Predictably, Fitness’s visit growth slowed during the last week of March, when many Americans likely indulged in Easter treats rather than work out. But given the category’s strength over the past several years, there is every reason to believe it will continue to flourish.
For Fitness chains, too, cost was key to success in Q1 – with value gyms experiencing the biggest visit jumps. EōS Fitness and Crunch Fitness, both of which offer low-cost membership options, saw their Q1 visits skyrocket 28.9% and 22.0% YoY, respectively – helped in part by aggressive expansions. At the same time, premium and mid-range gyms like Life Time and LA Fitness are also finding success – showing that when it comes to Fitness, there’s plenty of room for a variety of models to thrive.
Superstores – including wholesale clubs – are prime destinations for big, planned shopping expeditions – during which customers can load up on a month’s supply of food items or stock up on home goods. And perhaps for this reason, the category felt the impact of January’s inclement weather more than either dollar chains or supermarkets – which are more likely to see shoppers pop in as needed for daily essentials.
But like Grocery Stores and Discount & Dollar Stores, Superstores ended the quarter with an impressive YoY visit spike, likely fueled by Easter holiday shoppers.
As in Q4 2023, membership warehouse chains – Costco Wholesale, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Sam’s Club – drove much of the Superstore category’s positive visit growth, as shoppers likely engaged in mission-driven shopping in an effort to stretch their budgets. Still, segment mainstays Walmart and Target also enjoyed positive foot traffic growth, with YoY visits up 3.9% and 3.5%, respectively.
Moving into more discretionary territory, Dining experienced a marked January slump, as hunkered-down consumers likely opted for delivery. But the segment rallied in February and March, even though foot traffic dipped slightly during the last week of March, when many families gathered to enjoy home-cooked holiday meals.
Coffee Chains and Fast-Casual Restaurants saw the largest YoY visit increases, followed by QSR – highlighting the enduring power of lower-cost, quick-serve dining options. But Full-Service Restaurants (FSR) also saw a slight segment-wide YoY visit uptick in Q1 – good news for a sector that has yet to bounce back from the one-two punch of COVID and inflation. Within each Dining category, however, some chains experienced outsize visit growth – including favorites like Dutch Bros. Coffee, Slim Chickens, In-N-Out Burger, and Texas Roadhouse.
Since the shelter-in-place days of COVID – when everybody had their sourdough starter and DIY was all the rage – Home Improvement & Furnishings chains have faced a tough environment. Many deferred or abandoned home improvement projects in the wake of inflation, and elevated interest rates coupled with a sluggish housing market put a further damper on the category.
Against this backdrop, Home Improvement & Furnishings’ relatively lackluster Q1 visit performance should come as no surprise. But the narrowing of the visit gap in March – which also saw one week of positive visit growth – may serve as a promising sign for the segment. (The abrupt foot traffic drop during the week of March 25th, 2024 is likely a just reflection of Easter holiday shopping pattern.)
Within the Home Improvement & Furnishings space, some bright spots stood out in Q1 – including Harbor Freight Tools, which saw visits increase by 10.0%, partly due to the brand’s growing store count. Tractor Supply Co., Menards, and Ace Hardware also registered visit increases.
January 2024’s stormy weather left its mark on the Q1 retail environment, especially for discretionary categories. But as the quarter progressed, retailers rallied, with healthy YoY foot traffic growth that peaked during the last week of March – the week of Easter Sunday. All in all, retail’s positive Q1 performance leaves plenty of room for optimism about what’s in store for the rest of 2024.
