But much like the food truck explosion of a few years ago, gas stations and convenience stores aren’t messing around when it comes to good food.
Today’s gas stations and convenience stores are upping their game. While the East Coast is known for their Wawas and Sheetz, Maverik and Love’s Travel Stops are popping up on the West Coast, serving delicious meals that drive customers to the gas station, rather than the drive thru.
In a discussion at this year’s Foodservice Technology Conference, Intouch Insight CEO Cameron Watt explained that, in the past, less than half of consumers considered convenience stores to be a good place to get prepared food.
Today, that percentage is up to 56%.
“This is only increasing more,” Watt said.
In fact, gas station eats are becoming so popular that USA Today has been compiling “Roadside eats: 10 gas stations that will satisfy any craving.”
“They’re serving up delicious food and snacks that make them destinations in and of themselves, from fried chicken and pizza to organic salads and veggie burritos,” the article said.
In fact, some independent gas stations today are creating their own menus. In Spokane Valley, a small gas station is turning out Indian food to rave reviews. Members of the Facebook group “Food Finders Spokane” have been sharing pictures and reviews of the butter chicken and tikka masala.
“Some gas stations are cooking with fresh, organic foods,” according to a story on fantasyfood.org. “For example, they serve meals like truffle mashed potatoes and seared scallops. This move to gourmet dishes is all about meeting customers’ high standards for food.”
According to GasBuddy, a smartphone app that connects users with convenience stores, customers getting prepared meals at gas stations tend to be younger and visit frequently.
“Twenty-five percent of those aged 30-44 purchased food five or more times per month, while 20% of those aged 18-29 purchased food at convenience stores three-four times per month,” according to FastCasual.com about a study GasBuddy conducted with its users.
But then, maybe it’s not so much a new trend. Gas stations throughout the South have been serving fried food for decades.
“I’d never thought about the fact that my favorite restaurants, as a child, as a teenager, as an adult returning to Mississippi, nearly all served gas,” writes Kiese Laymon, a writer from Jackson, Miss. “And I never, ever, thought of them as gas stations that served food.”
