C-Store Path to PurchaseQuick FactsPurchase Journey
2,000
Total Sample
May 2026
Questions
CCRRC · C-Store Path to Purchase Study
Understanding the C-Store Path to Purchase
How do 2,000 U.S. c-store shoppers choose where to stop, what to buy, and whether to return? Use the filters below to explore insights by age, income, region, family size, operator size, and shopper segment.
Online survey responses collected May 2026
Age GroupIncomeRegionFamily SizeOperator SizeShopper Segment
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Age Group
Income
Family Size
Shopper Segment
Region
Operator Size
Showing 975 respondents
No filters applied · Full sample
Trip Profile
Trips peak in the morning (39%), most often for coffee (24%) or a meal (21%) — and just 25% considered going elsewhere.
Single-Select
Considered Alternatives Before Stopping
Inside purchasers only (base n=1,750)
n = …
CQ22
Single-Select
Primary Intended Item
Inside purchasers only (base n=1,750)
n = …
CQ16
Single-Select
Time of Visit
n = …
CQ1
Visit Drivers & Barriers
Price cuts both ways: the #1 reason to visit more often (40%) and a top barrier holding shoppers back (32%).
Multi-Select
Visit Motivators
n = …
CQ62
Multi-Select
Visit Barriers
n = …
CQ61
Foodservice & Conversion
Value (40%) and freshness (39%) drive food choices, but 31% of fuel-only shoppers say nothing would bring them inside.
Multi-Select
Prepared-Food Priorities
n = …
CQ64
Multi-Select
Inside-Purchase Encouragers
Fuel-Only respondents only (n=250)
n = …
CQFO13
Improvement Opportunities
Convenience basics rule (80%+ for location, speed, in-stock); fresh snacks and fuel discounts lead as desired upgrades.
Multi-Select
Desired Product Improvements
n = …
CQ65
Multi-Select
Desired Loyalty Rewards
n = …
CQ68
Multi-Select
Importance of Store Attributes (T2B)
n = …
CQ38
Loyalty & In-Store Experience
77% feel loyal to a chain — driven by convenience and cleanliness — even though 58% of visits are quick grab-and-go.
Single-Select
Brand Loyalty
n = …
CQ40
Multi-Select
Reasons for Brand Loyalty
cq40=Loyal (n=1,531)
n = …
CQ41
Single-Select
Favorable Opinion of C-Stores
n = …
CQ32
Multi-Select
In-Store Purchase Triggers
cq12=2 or 3 (decided in-store, n=527)
n = …
CQ14
Single-Select
Time Spent In Store
Inside purchasers only (base n=1,750)
n = …
CQ21
Multi-Select
Desired Services & Amenities
n = …
CQ66
Multi-Select
Cleanliness Priorities
n = …
CQ63
Single-Select
Main Reason for Visiting
n = …
CQ33
CCRRC · C-Store Industry Briefing
C-Store Path to Purchase: What the Data Means for Your Business
2,000 U.S. convenience store shoppers reveal their trip drivers, purchase behaviors, and loyalty patterns — with implications for retailers and brands competing for the c-store basket.
📊 n = 2,000 C-Store Shoppers
🏷️ 4 Shopper Segments
📅 May 2026 Online Survey
62%
of shoppers visit convenience stores weekly or more often — making c-stores a routine stop, not an occasional one.
IMPLICATIONFrequency creates loyalty opportunity. Brands and operators who win the weekly routine win the basket.
71%
Pre-planned their stop
Most c-store visits are intentional, not impulse
71.7% of shoppers planned to stop at this retailer specifically before arriving (cq6). The "impulse stop" narrative underestimates how purposeful c-store shoppers really are.
IMPLICATIONMarketing and app-based promotions can reinforce pre-trip intent. Meeting shoppers before they arrive — not just at the pump — drives incremental sales.
86%
Favorable opinion of c-stores
C-store sentiment is strongly positive across the shopper base
86% of shoppers hold a favorable opinion of c-stores as a place to shop (cq32), including 48% who are "Very Favorable." This goodwill is a powerful foundation — the challenge is converting it into bigger baskets.
IMPLICATIONAwareness and affinity aren't the barriers. The opportunity is in translating positive sentiment into more categories and more frequent inside purchases.
45%
Coffee/beverages top purchase
Beverages dominate the inside basket — led by coffee and fountain drinks
45.4% of inside purchasers (n=1,750) bought coffee or a fountain drink on their most recent visit — the #1 category by a wide margin. Salty snacks (31%) and tobacco/nicotine (27%) round out the top three.
IMPLICATIONBeverages are the anchor category. Strategies that bundle beverages with other categories (snacks, prepared food) or create beverage occasions drive basket size.
57%
HAVE LOYALTY APP
57% of shoppers are enrolled in their retailer's loyalty/rewards program (cq8), with strong variation by chain — from 37% at QuikTrip to 79% at Speedway.
77%
BRAND LOYAL
76.6% feel genuine loyalty to a specific c-store brand or chain (cq40), yet only 57% hold a loyalty program. There's a 20-point gap between emotional and enrolled loyalty.
70%
Decided before entering
Most in-store purchase decisions are made before shoppers walk through the door
70% of inside purchasers (cq12) decided what to buy before arriving or after arriving but before going inside. Only 10% made the decision after browsing the store — the "browsing converts" segment is small.
IMPLICATIONForecourt and exterior messaging matter more than in-store merchandising for driving the purchase decision. Pump-top ads and app promotions reach shoppers before the decision is made.
82%
Location: most important attribute
Convenient location dominates store selection — but experience attributes are catching up
81.7% rate convenient location as Very/Extremely Important when choosing a c-store (cq38 T2B). Easy in/out (81%), in-stock items (80%), and cleanliness (78%) follow close behind — showing that execution matters at least as much as location.
IMPLICATIONLocation is table stakes. Stores that combine accessibility with clean, well-stocked, fast experiences win repeat visits even when they're not the nearest option.
31%
Visiting more often
Nearly one in three shoppers is visiting c-stores more frequently than a year ago
31.4% of shoppers (cq43) report visiting c-stores more in the past 12 months vs. the year prior — well above the 5.1% visiting less often. The category is growing its share of routine stops.
IMPLICATIONThe tailwind is real. Retailers who improve the in-store experience and expand their prepared food offer are best positioned to capture the growing trip frequency.
Source: Cadent Consulting Group Online Survey May 2026 · n=2,000 · Cadent Consulting Group
Cadent Consulting Group Online Survey · May 2026 · n=2,000 · Cadent Consulting Group
C-Store Path to Purchase · Retailer Comparison
The Purchase Journey
How does the c-store shopper journey differ across the top national chains? Compare Total shoppers with 7-Eleven, Circle K, and QuikTrip. Tap any card to reveal the supporting data.
Scroll down to follow the journey · Tap cards to see data
Total
n = 2,000
7-Eleven
n = 475
Circle K
n = 201
QuikTrip
n = 120
1
Pre-Trip Intent
Planning & loyalty before
71.7% pre-planned their stop
Tap for data
Planning & loyalty before · DATA
71.7%
Pre-planned their stop (cq6)
62.0%
Visit weekly or more (cq30)
56.5%
Have loyalty app (cq8)
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Planning & loyalty before
71.2% pre-planned their stop
Tap for data
Planning & loyalty before · DATA
71.2%
Pre-planned their stop (cq6)
67.6%
Visit weekly or more (cq30)
66.7%
Have loyalty app (cq8)
Tap to flip back
Planning & loyalty before
72.6% pre-planned their stop
Tap for data
Planning & loyalty before · DATA
72.6%
Pre-planned their stop (cq6)
60.7%
Visit weekly or more (cq30)
58.2%
Have loyalty app (cq8)
Tap to flip back
Planning & loyalty before
73.3% pre-planned their stop
Tap for data
Planning & loyalty before · DATA
73.3%
Pre-planned their stop (cq6)
64.2%
Visit weekly or more (cq30)
36.7%
Have loyalty app (cq8)
Tap to flip back
2
Store Arrival
How shoppers get there &
87.5% made an inside purchase
Tap for data
How shoppers get there & · DATA
87.5%
Made inside purchase
0%
Gasoline/regular fuel
56.5%
Have loyalty app (cq8)
Tap to flip back
How shoppers get there &
92.8% made an inside purchase
Tap for data
How shoppers get there & · DATA
92.8%
Made inside purchase
0%
Gasoline/regular fuel
66.7%
Have loyalty app (cq8)
Tap to flip back
How shoppers get there &
88.6% made an inside purchase
Tap for data
How shoppers get there & · DATA
88.6%
Made inside purchase
0%
Gasoline/regular fuel
58.2%
Have loyalty app (cq8)
Tap to flip back
How shoppers get there &
85.8% made an inside purchase
Tap for data
How shoppers get there & · DATA
85.8%
Made inside purchase
0%
Gasoline/regular fuel
36.7%
Have loyalty app (cq8)
Tap to flip back
3
In-Store Decision
When and why to buy
69.9% decided before entering
Tap for data
When and why to buy · DATA
69.9%
Decided before entering store
30.1%
Decided at pump or in-store
96.7%
Found everything they needed
Tap to flip back
When and why to buy
66.2% decided before entering
Tap for data
When and why to buy · DATA
66.2%
Decided before entering store
33.8%
Decided at pump or in-store
97.5%
Found everything they needed
Tap to flip back
When and why to buy
74.7% decided before entering
Tap for data
When and why to buy · DATA
74.7%
Decided before entering store
25.3%
Decided at pump or in-store
99.4%
Found everything they needed
Tap to flip back
When and why to buy
68.9% decided before entering
Tap for data
When and why to buy · DATA
68.9%
Decided before entering store
31.1%
Decided at pump or in-store
93.2%
Found everything they needed
Tap to flip back
4
Purchase
What they bought & how mu
45.4% bought coffee/fountain drink
Tap for data
What they bought & how mu · DATA
45.4%
Bought coffee/fountain drink (cq15)
30.9%
Bought salty snacks
96.7%
Found everything needed (cq20)
Tap to flip back
What they bought & how mu
51.2% bought coffee/fountain drink
Tap for data
What they bought & how mu · DATA
51.2%
Bought coffee/fountain drink (cq15)
34.2%
Bought salty snacks
97.5%
Found everything needed (cq20)
Tap to flip back
What they bought & how mu
48.3% bought coffee/fountain drink
Tap for data
What they bought & how mu · DATA
48.3%
Bought coffee/fountain drink (cq15)
30.3%
Bought salty snacks
99.4%
Found everything needed (cq20)
Tap to flip back
What they bought & how mu
49.5% bought coffee/fountain drink
Tap for data
What they bought & how mu · DATA
49.5%
Bought coffee/fountain drink (cq15)
36.9%
Bought salty snacks
93.2%
Found everything needed (cq20)
Tap to flip back
5
Loyalty & Return
Repeat visit drivers
76.6% loyal to a brand or chain
Tap for data
Repeat visit drivers · DATA
76.6%
Loyal to a brand/chain (cq40)
56.5%
Enrolled in loyalty program
62.0%
Visit weekly or more (cq30)
Tap to flip back
Repeat visit drivers
79.2% loyal to a brand or chain
Tap for data
Repeat visit drivers · DATA
79.2%
Loyal to a brand/chain (cq40)
66.7%
Enrolled in loyalty program
67.6%
Visit weekly or more (cq30)
Tap to flip back
Repeat visit drivers
76.1% loyal to a brand or chain
Tap for data
Repeat visit drivers · DATA
76.1%
Loyal to a brand/chain (cq40)
58.2%
Enrolled in loyalty program
60.7%
Visit weekly or more (cq30)
Tap to flip back
Repeat visit drivers
85.8% loyal to a brand or chain
Tap for data
Repeat visit drivers · DATA
85.8%
Loyal to a brand/chain (cq40)
36.7%
Enrolled in loyalty program
64.2%
Visit weekly or more (cq30)
Tap to flip back
Source: Cadent Consulting Group Online Survey · May 2026 · n=2,000 · Cadent Consulting Group
