7-Eleven’s Big Bite is Still Driving Success

 

When it comes to leveraging branded food items, few companies do it as effectively as 7-Eleven. According to the team at Tacoma, WA-based Foodservice Solutions®, 7-Eleven has managed to maintain its position as a convenience store leader by continuously innovating around its branded food offerings. One of the earliest trends identified by Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru®, Steven Johnson, was the decline of the roller grill as a mainstay of convenience stores. However, 7-Eleven’s Big Bite hot dog has managed to stand the test of time, largely because of its branding.

Fast, affordable, and always hot, the Big Bite has remained a key driver of 7-Eleven's foodservice success. But with changing consumer habits—especially as millennials increasingly gravitate toward fresh, fast, and flavorful foods, and Gen Z demands even quicker access to fresh options—will the Big Bite continue to be the hook that it once was? In an age where you can have almost anything delivered to your door within the hour, either by Amazon or a ride-sharing service, is the traditional convenience store still relevant?

Joe DePinto, CEO of 7-Eleven, spoke candidly about the fast-evolving landscape of convenience retailing. “The landscape is changing so fast. Yes, there’s Amazon and there’s GrubHub... It’s all about immediate consumption,” DePinto remarked. “We have to be prepared and ready in ways that our customers want. And the last four or five years, we’ve had our heads down, grinding it out. And we’re doing a lot of things right.”

So, does the Big Bite represent the convenience store of the past or one that will thrive in the future? As consumer focus increasingly shifts to healthier options and ‘better-for-you’ foods, it’s likely that 7-Eleven will soon rebrand the Big Bite and offer a healthier version that caters to these evolving preferences. This could involve options such as lower-fat or plant-based alternatives, giving the classic Big Bite a modern, health-conscious twist.

In line with staying relevant to today’s consumers, Foodservice Solutions® suggested the use of digital menu boards, and 7-Eleven has begun to implement these at select locations. This is an important step toward maintaining relevance in a landscape where convenience store food offerings are rapidly evolving. Jeff Lenard, vice president of the National Association of Convenience Stores, puts it simply: “7-Eleven is still the face of the industry.” However, that face must adapt to reflect the changing consumer expectations for fresher, healthier, and more customizable food options.

Historically, one of the cornerstones of 7-Eleven’s branded food offerings has been the Slurpee, which has also evolved to meet consumer demand for ‘better-for-you’ options. Today, Slurpee’s come in low-calorie and no-calorie variations, catering to those seeking a lighter, more health-conscious treat. However, the roller grill, while still cranking out Big Bite hot dogs, can seem like a relic of a past era, a symbol of convenience stores' older model of foodservice.

Today’s retailers—such as Sheetz, Rutter’s, Wawa, and even Safeway—have eliminated the roller grill, opting instead to allow consumers to customize their meals, which are prepared fresh. This shift in the market is particularly appealing to Gen Z and millennials, who now see convenience stores as a place to grab a high-quality, fresh meal—like a customized sandwich—on the go. Meanwhile, Baby Boomers may still associate convenience stores with the nostalgia of roller grills, old-school hot dogs, and sandwiches that have seen better days.

7-Eleven has started to evolve, offering fresh fruit, salads, sandwiches, and other healthier options in some of its locations, including at its new headquarters. However, convincing franchisees to abandon the roller grill tradition and move toward more fresh, prepared meals has proven to be a challenge. Joe DePinto acknowledges that “healthy” and “cheap” are not terms often associated with convenience stores. Yet, 7-Eleven is working hard to change that perception. The company reports that today, more than 50% of 7-Eleven stores worldwide no longer offer gasoline. This change is part of 7-Eleven’s broader effort to diversify and rebrand itself as a destination for fresh, affordable meals that cater to the growing demand for healthier food options.

As convenience stores evolve, it’s clear that fresh, fast food that is ‘better for you’ and affordably priced will be 7-Eleven’s key differentiator in the coming years. This evolution represents an exciting opportunity for the convenience store industry as a whole, and 7-Eleven in particular, to redefine what it means to be a modern, relevant retailer.

Success Leaves Clues—Are You Ready to Find Yours?

One key insight that continues to drive success is this: "The consumer is dynamic, not static." This principle is the foundation of our work at Foodservice Solutions®, where Steven Johnson, the Grocerant Guru®, has been helping brands stay relevant in an ever-evolving market.

Want to strengthen your brand’s connection with today’s consumers? Let’s talk. Call 253-759-7869 for more information.

Stay Ahead of the Competition with Fresh Ideas

Is your food marketing keeping up with tomorrow’s trends—or stuck in yesterday’s playbook? If you're ready for fresh ideations that set your brand apart, we’re here to help.

At Foodservice Solutions®, we specialize in consumer-driven retail food strategies that enhance convenience, differentiation, and individualization—key factors in driving growth.

👉 Email us at Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us
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Why Will Walmart's ‘Pay by Bank’ Program Drive Customer Adoption and Save Millions in Service Fees?

 

Walmart's newly introduced "Pay by Bank" payment option is poised to make a significant impact on both consumer behavior and the company’s bottom line. As the retail giant seeks to streamline transactions and lower costs, this innovative payment method could lead to widespread customer adoption while helping Walmart save millions in service fees.

Now according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® the success of the program will hinge on just how well Walmart can explain the benefits to consumers.  Let’s see what our Grocerant Guru® thinks. Success does leave clues and Walmart has a clear record of success.

1. Convenience for Customers

The "Pay by Bank" program allows customers to link their bank accounts directly for transactions, bypassing traditional payment networks like Visa and Mastercard. This eliminates the need for credit or debit cards and offers a simplified checkout experience. As consumers become more accustomed to digital wallets and mobile payments, this frictionless payment option is expected to resonate, especially with younger demographics like Millennials and Gen Z who value convenience and efficiency.

2. Cost Savings for Walmart

Payment processing fees, which can range from 1% to 3% per transaction, have long been a significant cost for retailers. By offering a direct bank payment option, Walmart can avoid these card network fees entirely. Walmart handles billions of transactions annually, and even a small reduction in fees can result in substantial savings. Industry estimates suggest that Walmart could save hundreds of millions of dollars each year as more customers opt for this method.

3. Enhanced Security

Direct bank payments come with heightened security protocols, reducing the risk of fraud. By utilizing tokenization and secure bank-to-bank transfers, Walmart can protect customer data more effectively than traditional card-based transactions. This added layer of security is likely to attract cautious consumers concerned about data breaches and identity theft.

4. Building Customer Loyalty

Walmart has long focused on offering customers lower prices and value. By providing a fee-free payment option, the company strengthens its image as a consumer-first brand. Additionally, Walmart could incentivize adoption of the "Pay by Bank" program through exclusive discounts, rewards, or cash-back offers, encouraging customers to use this method regularly. This creates a cycle of loyalty, driving return visits and higher spending.

5. Appealing to Unbanked and Underbanked Consumers

Approximately 5.9 million U.S. households remain unbanked, and many more are underbanked. By enabling direct bank transfers without the need for credit, Walmart opens the door to millions of customers who rely on alternative financial services. This aligns with Walmart’s mission to serve every segment of society, making the "Pay by Bank" program an inclusive solution that could significantly broaden its customer base.

Think About This: A Win-Win Strategy

Walmart’s "Pay by Bank" program is a forward-thinking move that will likely drive customer adoption through increased convenience, security, and accessibility. By cutting down on transaction fees, Walmart stands to save millions annually, a move that could help fund further investments in technology, pricing strategies, or in-store improvements. In essence, this program benefits both Walmart and its customers, positioning the retailer to remain competitive in an evolving digital marketplace.

Success does leave clues. One clue that time and time again continues to resurface is “the consumer is dynamic not static”.  Regular readers of this blog know that is the common refrain of Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Our Grocerant Guru® can help your company edify your brand with relevance.  Call 253-759-7869 for more information. 

Taco Bell’s Insincere Subscription Service

 

There are times that old industry insiders pontificate on things that they just don’t understand.  This may not be the case this time for our own Grocerant Guru®, Steven Johnson, based in Tacoma, WA with Foodservice Solutions®. 

Johnson stated, “consumers are attracted to restaurant brands for a plethora of reasons most are tired to the price, value, service, equilibrium. While technology is driving new loyalty at chain restaurants seeming daily, all just slightly different Johnson believes that most are to contrived.  He reminds us that the consumer is not stupid.  They will set limits on how they far the are willing to be manipulated.

That’s right, food marketers, consumer know you are trying to manipulate them, you are not out smarting them.  They will let you abuse them only up to a point, then they will turn away.  Most new digital app loyalty programs are not a brand invitation they are bribe to stay with the brand.  That according to Johnson is not a brand growth strategy it is a documented, set of data points that quantify how long you can keep a customer before you turn them away.

The price, value, service, equilibrium combined with full flavored craveable food with consistence service will do far more to drive top line sales and bottom-line profits than data points on yesterday’s actions according to Johnson.  For that reason, Johnson believes that Taco Bell’s trial subscription service is simply an insincere effort at a brand invitation in need of a major redo.  That said let’s look at it:

So, the Taco Lover’s Pass, currently launching only at units in Tucson, Ariz., is available via the chain’s app and allows the user to redeem one taco per day for 30 days.

Taco Bell is testing a 30-day taco subscription service that can only be purchased via the chain’s app, the quick-service brand announced Monday.

The Taco Lover’s Pass, which sells for between $5 and $10 depending on location, allows users to redeem one Taco Bell original taco per day for a month. It is currently being tested for a limited time at 17 units in Tucson, Ariz., the company said.

Free taco choices include the Crunchy Taco, Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Crunchy Supreme Taco, Soft Supreme Taco, Doritos Locos Tacos and the Doritos Locos Tacos Supreme. The pass is available under the Online Exclusives section of the Taco Bell app.

The Irvine, Calif.-based chain called the subscription “a digitally exclusive offering that gives fans the chance to satisfy their taco cravings every day for 30 days.”

Even at $10 for the month, the subscription is quite a good deal for diners: One Crunchy Taco Supreme, for example, is listed at $1.99 and a Crunchy Taco is $1.49 on the website of one of Taco Bell’s Tucson, Ariz., stores.

In addition to incentivizing use of the taco chain’s app, it is likely Taco Bell is hoping diners will order more than just their one free taco each day. Such has been the case with other restaurant chains that have recently implemented subscription programs.

Don’t over reach. Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® 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 the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

McDonald's Continues Getting ‘Better-For-You’

Entering 2021, it will be increasingly important for brands to reflect the undercurrent of sustainability that attracts Millennial and Gen Z dollars according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  Even during the pandemic, consumers are mindful that the environment is fragile according to the team at Foodservice Solutions®.  

So, when McDonald’s Corporation has announced a global partnership with Teracycle’s circular packaging service, Loop, to test a new reusable cup model for hot beverages it became the first major company to help promote the pandemic insight “from me to we’. Yes, the halo of better for you has evolved and McDonald’s is on top of it again.

The new initiative, which will first be trialed in 2021 across select McDonald’s restaurants in the UK, helps customers enjoy their favorite McDonald’s hot drink in a reusable cup, while cutting down on packaging waste. The model marks significant progress toward innovative circular packaging solutions that help protect the planet for communities today, and in the future promoting the ‘from me to we’ world view.    

So, this unique new partnership will conveniently allow customers to reduce waste by choosing a durable Loop-created cup, for a small deposit. The deposit can then be redeemed by returning the cup to participating McDonald’s UK restaurants in order to be safely washed through the Loop system and reused again in McDonald’s restaurants.  

McDonald’s Corporation Jenny McColloch, vice president, global sustainability, stated, “We’re on a journey to rethink how we package products to give customers options that reduce waste, maintain the highest safety standards, and enhance the McDonald’s experience they expect and enjoy. That’s an innovation challenge, and it’s one we think the Loop model has potential to help us solve,” … “Our commitment to communities is one of our core values as a company, and this pilot will generate important local insights and lessons to share along the way. We’re excited to assess how new reusable packaging models could work within our system as we accelerate circular packaging solutions with our partners around the globe.” 

Loop’s cleaning systems have been scientifically developed, in partnership with Ecolab, to sanitize each item, which means each cup is hygienically cleaned before each use, making it as safe and hygienic as single-use cups.  What kind of partnerships are you forming to drive new electricity into you brand?

Teracycle and Loop CEO Tom Szaky, stated, "This groundbreaking partnership with McDonald's enables Loop to greatly expand its reach by bringing convenient reusable packaging options to the food service industry," …  The partnership paves the way for reusables to become an accessible option for consumers as they enjoy their meal on the go." 

Erin Simon, head, plastic and business at World Wildlife Fund, stated, “If we’re going to curb the plastic waste crisis we need to invest in data driven strategies that reduce our demand for virgin plastic,” “For McDonald’s and the larger food and beverage sector, reuse will be one component of any reduction strategy. As a society we need to ensure the plastics we use today are the plastics we’ll be able to use again in the future.” According to Johnson the “from me to we” template will drive incremental change in 2021 and beyond.

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply chain and includes such things as fresh foods, online ordering, delivery, plant based foods, sampling, toy’s, cereal, developing brands,  grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All food and beverage retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food and beverages that are portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different.  Does your retail path forward look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Why?

For international corporate presentations, regional chain presentations, local educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit GrocerantGuru.com, FoodserviceSolutions.US or call 1-253-759-7869

Will an Autonomous Store Replace Grocery Stores, Restaurants, and C-Stores?

Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® At Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® team believes the migration from inside dining at restaurants, the 40 minute grocery shopping trip, and the quick stop at the C-store on the way home will within 7 years be replaced by branded autonomous retail stores selling meals and meal solutions.

After reading an article by Isabelle Gustfason about an Artificial intelligence (AI) technology company AiFi that had announced that it’s on track to deploy 330 new and retrofitted autonomous stores by the end of 2021, Johnson and his team began to speculate that a smaller footprint, fewer emplyees, and fresh food fast how could that not work in the ever expanding world of Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food.

She wrote “Today, AiFi’s OASIS, the Orchestrated Autonomous Store Infrastructure and Services, is already powering 10 futuristic stores in a variety of sizes in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, and San Antonio in the U.S., in Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Paris, and Poznan in Europe and in the city of Shanghai in Asia.

In addition to the publicly known partnerships with Albert Heijn, Carrefour, Żabka, and Loop Neighborhood, AiFi is also actively deploying autonomous stores with several prominent companies listed among the top 10 grocery retailers — both nationally and internationally.

The 330 AiFi OASIS-based autonomous stores range from 800-square-foot convenience stores and travel shops to 10,000-square-foot grocery stores. They are located primarily in the U.S. and Europe, with additional stores coming to Australia, Asia and South America.

“We are going to see explosive growth in autonomous stores. With the onset of COVID-19, the need is even more urgent for a contactless and autonomous retail store where you can shop and feel safe in a physical environment,” said Steve Gu, CEO and co-founder, AiFi. “The 10 deployed stores are operational or in advanced stages of testing. These stores have proven to be stable, accurate and popular among shoppers who love the lightning speed and fluid retail experience.”

For new stores being deployed, AiFi has developed three tiers of its OASIS Autonomous Store Platform: AiFi Enterprise, AiFi Business and AiFi Lite. The AiFi Enterprise allows for a customizable solution with a superior checkout-free experience including flexible payment methods, an advanced shopping journey design, and value-added operational tools for smart inventory management. All three tiers can provide a return on investment in less than one year, as well as fast and easy deployment.

“The whole world is moving towards being autonomous,” said Gu. “AiFi is proud to be working with the most renowned retail brands in the world to bring the best user experience to shoppers for the new era of autonomous shopping.” We ask are you looking a customer ahead?

Foodservice Solutions® team is here to help you drive top line sales and bottom-line profits. Are you looking a customer ahead? Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may the clue you need to propel your continued success.

Huck’s Evolves Concept from Gas to Fresh Food Fast

When your retail concept looks more like yesterday than today or tomorrow it is time to evolve. Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® stated many retailers are so busy doing what they have always done and doing it in the same way that they forget to Look A Customer Ahead and monitor, movement in consumers migration.

Huck’s, understands that growth and profitability require attention to detail all the while paying attention the consumer.  Founded in 1974 Huck’s now has over 119 convenience stores in five states. Consumers are dynamic not static and Huck’s is evolving from gas station focus to a fresh food fast grocerant niche mix & match bundling food focused approached in order to better meet the needs of today’s consumers according to Johnson.

Are you Winning in the 

Battle for Share of Stomach

A big part of the future growth will come’s in the form of marketing messaging with a name change from Huck’s to Huck’s Market. That integrated messaging in an invitation to buy more, try more and find more solutions to the question What’s for Dinner.  Well, Huck’s Market has lots of options that can be mix & matched into the perfect family meal for one, two, three or more.

Nearly a year in the making, Huck’s Market made its debut in January.   Huck’s President and CEO Murat Tokad stated “We have been in the prepared food business for over 40 years. There is certainly nothing wrong with our traditional stores’ look, but we felt that it was time for a change. We think our new look will attract more female customers, millennials and Generation Z,” …. “The new Huck’s Market is all about the food. While the traditional 

Huck’s stores carry high-quality food and drink offerings, the new version takes it to another level with fresh pizza, fried chicken, subs made on-site, salads, fresh bakery items, and many more foods not usually associated with a convenience store.”

Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® 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 the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter