Takeout, Drive-Thru, and the Viral Value Equation: How C-Stores and QSRs Are Outpacing Grocery in the New Meal Economy

 

The Off-Premise Economy Is Now the Main Course

The U.S. food landscape has permanently shifted toward portability.
According to Circana (formerly NPD Group), 63% of all restaurant orders are now consumed off-premise, and drive-thru transactions have increased 30% since 2019.

While grocery stores still account for roughly 52% of at-home meal spending, they are losing share of the “prepared, portable, and personalized” meal segment — now valued at $124 billion annually.

Restaurants and convenience stores are not just adapting; they’re redefining the value equation through speed, portability, and cultural relevance according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

 

Sector Performance Snapshot

Restaurant Sector: Off-Premise is the New On-Premise

Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) continue to dominate off-premise revenue.

·       McDonald’s reports that drive-thru orders account for 70% of U.S. sales.

·       Taco Bell’s “Go Mobile” format reduces average drive-thru times by 30 seconds and lifts check averages by 9%.

·       Popeyes’ Cajun Turkey and Ghost Pepper Wings demonstrate how limited-time offers, amplified by TikTok and Instagram, can deliver near-instant sales surges.

Full-service operators are also optimizing for “curbside value.” Ruth’s Chris, BJ’s Restaurants, and independent bistros have introduced “takeout-engineered” menu sets with packaging designed for travel integrity and presentation quality.

 

Convenience Store Sector: Redefining Meal Relevance

C-stores have quietly become the fastest-growing player in the portable meal space.

Technomic data shows that 43% of consumers now purchase a full meal from a convenience store at least once weekly, up from 28% in 2018.

·       Casey’s General Store has built a $1.3 billion pizza business.

·       Wawa’s HoagieFest continues to outperform regional QSRs in meal penetration metrics.

·       Circle K’s “Hot Take Chicken Sandwich”, promoted via TikTok creators, tripled foodservice unit sales for two consecutive weeks in 2024.

C-store operators benefit from two converging dynamics: cross-daypart appeal (breakfast through late night) and infrastructure agility — allowing them to pivot to trends in days, not quarters.

 

Grocery Sector: Losing the Portability Race

Despite growth in Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat offerings, legacy grocery is lagging in the portable meal economy.

IRI data reveals that grocery-prepared meal volume declined 4.7% in 2024, while C-store and QSR foodservice rose 6.3% and 4.9% respectively.

Younger consumers remain unconvinced: 65% of Gen Z and Millennials prefer “restaurant-style grab-and-go” foods over traditional grocery prepared meals (FMI 2024).
Even with smart pickup lanes and click-to-cart meal kits, most grocery banners remain slower to respond to flavor trends, social virality, and portable packaging innovation.

 

Social Media as the New Menu Board

The latest viral TikTok craze — Crispy Chili Honey Noodles — exemplifies how social media drives both ingredient and meal demand. Within one week of the trend, chili crisp sales surged +186% across national retailers, and C-stores began merchandising chili crisp, ramen, and honey packets together under “#Trending Now” signage.

From Baked Feta Pasta (+200% feta sales spike) to the Grimace Shake Challenge, the social-to-shelf cycle is now measured in hours, not weeks.
Operators who can integrate trend detection, digital engagement, and immediate in-store execution are capturing the modern meal dollar.

 

The Grocerant Guru® Value Equation

For over a decade, the Grocerant Guru® has defined value through a unique consumer lens.
Today’s customer no longer evaluates value on price alone — instead, it’s an intersection of affordability, flavor integrity, shareability, and convenience.

Price + Quality + Social + Portability = Value

Component	Consumer Expectation	Operational Advantage
Price	Competitive “meal bundle” pricing ($6–$9 sweet spot)	Encourages repeat frequency and multi-daypart loyalty
Quality	Fresh-prepared, flavorful, authentic foods	Drives differentiation from packaged or frozen alternatives
Social	Visually appealing and “share-worthy”	Creates organic digital reach and word-of-mouth
Portability	Easy to eat, carry, and reheat	Expands meal occasions beyond home dining

This equation explains why QSRs and C-stores outperform grocery in both traffic growth and social visibility. The more portable, photogenic, and personalized a meal is — the higher its perceived value and repeat intent.

 

Four Grocerant Guru® Insights: Structural Advantages of C-Stores and QSRs

1.       Agility Beats Bureaucracy
C-stores and QSRs can pivot to viral trends within 72 hours. Grocery resets take 8–12 weeks.

2.       Portability as Core DNA
Restaurant and C-store formats are designed for hand-held consumption. Grocery is still built around the home kitchen.

3.       Daypart Versatility
QSRs and C-stores dominate early morning and late-night dayparts — segments grocery prepared foods rarely serve effectively.

4.       Integrated Marketing Ecosystems
Restaurant and C-store operators increasingly link promotions, packaging, and social engagement into unified campaigns — creating end-to-end brand experiences that grocers struggle to match.

 

Think About This: Four Out-of-the-Box Plays for 2026

1.       Creator Collab Combos
Limited “Influencer Meals” co-branded with TikTok or YouTube personalities. Exclusive drive-thru or C-store distribution.

2.       Viral Ingredient Bars
Rotating “Trending Now” shelves with fast-moving TikTok ingredients — chili crisp, gochujang, or pink sauce.

3.       Flavor Forecast AI Boards
Dynamic menu boards that auto-update based on social media sentiment analysis — predicting “next-week flavor demand.”

4.       Snack-as-Merch Programs
Edible collaborations with collectible packaging — QR codes unlock short-form video or digital content.

 

The Strategic Takeaway

The convergence of social media virality, portability, and consumer time compression is fueling a permanent reshaping of the meal marketplace.

C-stores and QSRs that embrace the Grocerant Guru® formula

Price + Quality + Social + Portability = Value
— are positioned to dominate the off-premise era.

Legacy grocery can still compete, but only if it re-engineers meal programs to meet consumers where they already are: online, in the car, and on the go.

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideas look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how our Grocerant Guru® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit: us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter