FOOD ORDERING

The Evolution of Foodservice in Convenience Retail

January 14, 2026

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Graphic of woman running a food counter
“You may fuel your car once a week or once every period, but you fuel your body probably 3 or 4 times a day.” Frank Gleeson, Board Advisor, Insight Research

Foodservice in c-stores is a global thing. It has once again evolved – first it was a ‘nice to have’, then it was a ‘growing trend’, and now it's officially become an expected part of every c-store.

Why wouldn’t it? According to data from PDI, 38% of US shoppers visit a c-store twice a week or more. That’s a higher percentage than the amount of people who get fast food more than once a week!

So, what are the experts saying about this evolution, and what should retailers know to stay competitive? Let’s take a look!