Food Service and Convenience Stores Team Up to Maximize Profitability

Signal Station Pizza is a converted vintage gas station-turned-pizzeria located in Portland, OR

Convenience Stores: “The Frontier of Food Service”

Let’s take a trip into the near future of quick service dining. Imagine you’re sitting down for a private viewing of footage from the year 2033. The title reads “The Frontier of Food Service”. Cut to…. A gas station?

As it stands today, there are over 150,000 convenience stores in operation, and 80% of those are fueling stations. But change is a-comin’. More than half of car sales are expected to be electric by 2030. That means 80% of convenience stores could be unprofitable by 2035.

But there’s a silver lining for anyone who works in Quick Service.

Because EVs take time to charge, a quick trip may evolve a longer rest stop, and those leisurely minutes are an opportunity. Those rotating hot dogs behind glass are perfect– if you only have 3 minutes to kick around before your car is ready. But those precious minutes add up to about the time it takes to get food at a quick service restaurant. EV charging will create opportunity to entice customers out of their cars and towards the smell of, say, rotisserie chicken roasting inside the store.

The Bomber, a converted Texaco station-turned-plane-turned restaurant in Milwaukie, OR

In 2033, it may be common to head to your local convenience store when you want a bite to eat. Even if you don’t own an EV. Convenient stores may evolve to offer a more complete experience. Think fresh-made pizzas and burgers and more specialty fresh options, like a full bakery on site.

As the convenient store sector grows over the next decade, or decades, there will be more attention placed on “operational excellence”.

With or without EV, food service is the future of convenience.

Even if EVs don’t take the world by storm and fueling remains profitable, it’s still worth having this conversation about the future of dining in c-stores. In fact, this shift is already well underway. In the southwest States, you can find fueling stations with full taco operations. A dedicated staff makes fresh tortillas all day long, and draws fueling patrons out of their cars with the smell of fresh fajitas and al pastor.

Reports in the c-store market show food service as the most viable growth strategy whether or not EV goes mainstream. If a c-store rolls out a restaurant program with care and exceptional service, your local mart will attract something gas stations have never had: a loyal customer base.

For owners new to the restaurant industry, it pays to have vendors you can trust. Key trusted vendors are industry experts. They will be partners in helping you set up a safe and effective operation. The c-stores that evolve with the times will be the ones that master and expedite each service interaction.

Trusted vendors like Essentialware are here to support you. We have solutions for operational efficiency and cleanliness so your restaurants run quicker, cleaner, and easier.

Essentialware is an industry leader in high-performance smallware and operational excellence. We partner with franchises and franchisees to ensure you get the best deal on operationally essential smallware. 

Looking for more industry insights? Follow Essentialware on LinkedIn or contact our sales representatives to discuss operational solutions for your quick service business. Talk to a sales representative today at 888-975-0405.