But how you offer your foodservice to your customers is just as important as what you’re offering.
Let’s take a look at two c-stores with two different foodservice strategies that are finding success – and what technology that’s helping them do it.
Letting Customers Own Their In-Store Transaction
Who They Are: Maplefields has 50 locations spread throughout Vermont, New York and New Hampshire.
What They’re Doing: Providing self-service ordering solutions in their stores.
Why They’re Doing It: Convenience is the name of the game. Customers are gravitating towards self-service solutions since they offer a speedier way to get their order in. After placing their order, customers then have the freedom and flexibility to browse the store while their food is being prepared, raising their basket size along the way!
How They’re Doing It: With Xpedient’s menu software platform on their Passport Express Ordering kiosks. Xpedient offers merchant-driven content development, meaning Maplefields gets to design the look and feel of their menu, as well as the workflow. Xpedient lets Maplefields provide customers with a cohesive and efficient ordering experience at all their sites.
What Else are They Doing: Utilizing digital ordering methods like online and through their mobile app. "We’ve created an entire new revenue stream with online ordering,” said Skip Potter, Director of Technology at Maplefields. “I think the adoption of that was because we did it right in-store first.”
Delivering Satisfaction, as well as Food
Who They Are: Warrenton Oil Co. has 58 FastLane convenience stores in Missouri.
What They’re Doing: Offering first-party delivery service at 22 of their sites.
Why They’re Doing It: It allows them to reach new customers, create added convenience, grow high-margin fresh food, and leverage strong category performance. They’re seeing strong repeat customers with peak order times from 9-10 am and 3-4 pm. In addition to food and CPG goods, they’re also able to offer things like tobacco.
How They’re Doing It: With Vroom Delivery. Through Vroom, they’re seeing “98-99% delivery without an error,” said Jeff Schafer, Director of Facilities at Warrenton Oil Co. Since Vroom is a first-party delivery platform, Warrenton Oil gets access to all the data from their customers while also being able to control how things look and feel. Across the platform, the average transaction size on Vroom is $45.
What’s Next: Expansion to third-party delivery platforms like Uber Eats or DoorDash so they can broaden their reach. Third-party platforms also see sales trend later at night, which is typically when c-store sales tend to lower.
The Bottom Line
We’ll leave you with two final pieces of wisdom:
1) Foodservice isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing. These two retailers are proof of that.
“You have to make sure you put the thought process in about what it is you’re offering your customers and make sure that you’re thinking about how they’re going to experience it.”
- Justin Palmer, EVP, Engineering & Partner, Xpedient
2) Whatever route you take with your foodservice, don’t forget to bring a loyalty program along with you!
“Loyalty customers tend to order more frequently and drive larger basket sizes. Having that loyalty component is super important.”
- John Nelson, CEO, Founder, Vroom