T. Ozbun
Research expert covering food retail and all food topics for Italy and Brazil
Convenience stores in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
Many Americans choose to do their regular grocery shopping at convenience stores. Often linked to a gas station, they allow consumers to refuel while purchasing groceries and merchandise. Gas stations and convenience stores, like the rest of the economy, have not been spared from inflation. As fuel prices of regular gasoline, diesel, and food rose precipitously in the first half of 2022, dollar sales of these types of stores saw lower growth in the first three quarters of 2022 than in the same periods in 2021 and 2023. The recent reduction in the current inflationary pressures on the economy shows that convenience stores have again resumed their previous growth trajectory.
Market size
Their small size, easy access and high presence across the country have allowed convenience stores to become one of the staples of the U.S. In 2022, there were more than 150 thousand convenience stores in the United States, including 16,018 in Texas alone. In 2022, the industry had 814 billion U.S. dollars in sales, more than half of which came from fuel sales. The country's first convenience store chain opened in Dallas, Texas, in 1927. The chain eventually came to be known as 7-Eleven, currently the leading convenience store chain in terms of number of stores. Other leading convenience stores in the U.S. are Alimentation Couche-Tard, Casey’s, and EG Group.Convenience stores in-store sales
In-store sales account for about 34 percent of all convenience store sales, with fuel sales making up the rest. Generally, in-store sales are split into two segments: merchandise and food. According to the most recent data, cigarettes were the top selling product, with sales of 65 billion U.S. dollars. Packaged beverages followed, registering just over half of what cigarettes sales amounted to. In this category, energy drinks were the best-selling product, with sales of 12.3 billion U.S. dollars. Within the beer category, U.S. consumers preferred domestic premium brands over imported ones. Other popular products sold in c-stores included snacks and candy. As of 2022, potato chips were the most popular type of salty snack sold in U.S. convenience stores, while in the candy subcategory, chocolate topped the list.Shopping behavior
The majority of American consumers claimed to have shopped in convenience stores in 2023 as much as they did a year before. Still a significant 18 percent said they shopped there more than before. The most popular occasion for shopping at c-stores was while running errands, and the most popular time of day was between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The main aspect that influenced consumers in choosing which convenience store to visit was the store’s loyalty program, and the price of products was the main factor for more than half of consumers when describing a positive experience in c-stores.
