C- Stores Bundling Meals Find Success

Fresh prepared food mix and match meal bundling is a key driver for the success found within the C-store sector.  The C-store sector has just about doubled in size over the last three decades. At year-end 1984, the store count was 85,300 stores, at year-end 1994 the store count was 98,200 stores and at year-end 2004 the store count was 138,205 stores. 

Evolving customers drive change and Sheetz is a great company to follow if you looking for success. Sheetz formerly a C-store now a “convenient restaurant” and Wawa once a C-store now a “fast casual To-Go” outlet have grown same store sales focusing on selling fresh food meal components customers can mix and match into a personalized or customized family meals. 

So when The NPD Group reported, approximately 70 percent of consumers won't try new menu items, in a new report, Menu Item Trial: Motivating First-Time and Repeat Orders. Convenience store operators were not surprised. Their success has come from bundling consumer favorites, offering an extended set of fresh prepared food product offerings that restaurants simply can’t compete with today. 

NPD also reported that of consumers 30 percent are "early adopters," of new menu items and only “17 percent will order a brand-new item and 10 percent will try a limited-time offer item.”  Having many more items in both the Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared category provides a platform for trial and flavor profile innovation. 

Bonnie Riggs, NPD's restaurant analyst stated  "In addition, stimulating menu-item trial and delivering a satisfying experience should lead to repeat visits and sustained customer loyalty."

The convenience sector has been stimulating menu-item trail and innovation in multiple categories of Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh at an ever increasing rate. That innovation has proven successful as the conveniences sector continues to increase Same Store Sales at a rate much higher than the restaurant sector. 

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