Perhaps the most overarching trend in convenience, and one that came through loud and clear at the 2025 NACS Show, is the need to be everything to everybody … while also differentiating your store to stand out from the crowd.
“C-stores aren’t just c-stores anymore. Everyone’s leaning into foodservice, partnerships and new formats,” said Tiffany Fraley, CEO of InConvenience Inc. (dba The Goods Spot).
“The operators who stand out are the ones who do it in a way that feels true to them. Not trying to copy a QSR or grocery model but creating experiences that match their brand and their community,” she said. “That’s something we think about constantly: how to grow without losing the personality that makes us different.”
Industry consultant Peter Rasmussen, founder and CEO of Convenience and Energy Advisors, put it in the context of what he calls “The Labubu Moment.”
“It was striking how few retailers [at the NACS Show] recognized the Labubu phenomenon—a cultural signal of where youth, pop culture and emotional connection are colliding,” he said. “It’s a reminder that staying relevant isn’t just about products or formats; it’s about tapping into what people care about now. … It speaks to the broader challenge of keeping pace with cultural momentum.”
If you’re part of the group that is in the dark about Labubus, the collectible figures are part cute, part mischievous. Mark Wohltmann, the director of NACS global, spoke about Labubus in his Education Session at the 2025 NACS Show. “If you don’t know what Labubus are, you’re probably missing out on a lot of other trends. … Adults are buying these en masse, these tiny little fluffy furry things. They wear them on their belts, their bags, everything. … David Beckham, Marc Jacobs, look across Hollywood, look across the NFL. They’ve all been spotted with a Labubu.” While most retailers aren’t licensed to sell these dolls, they are able to sell accessories. “Walmart has a full shelf. That is cheap stuff with a big profit margin.”
The bad news: “The hype is done,” Wohltmann said. “But you need to know what is next.”
With “what is next” in mind, here are some things to keep an eye on for the rest of 2026.
It Begins With Food
Describing the evolution of convenience stores as a move “from gas to gourmet,” a recent NielsenIQ (NIQ) report says c-stores are becoming essential destinations for meal occasions, on-the-go wellness and even social gatherings.
“This transformation reflects a deeper shift in consumer behavior: Shoppers now prioritize access, immediacy and experience more than ever,” NIQ said. “For CPG brands, this isn’t just a retail channel to monitor. It is a space where innovation, speed to shelf and cultural relevance converge. This is the moment to reimagine what convenience retail can do for your growth strategy.”
That’s a heady mandate for convenience retailers and their suppliers, but this evolution is necessary to reverse a continued negative trend in store traffic.
In a midyear update of NACS’ State of the Industry data, Chris Rapanick, managing director of NACS research, said inside transactions were down 1.9% year over year for the first half of the year. While average basket value grew 3.2%, NACS’ breakeven pool margin calculation was up 1.83 cents per gallon, meaning the average retailer needed to make more money at the fuel pump to remain in the black.
While foodservice sales continue to grow, the rate of growth has slowed from around 7% the past few years to 2.1% during that same six-month window. Unit sales are in decline for most categories, as well. In all, total store transactions were down 1.5% in the first half of the year.
“Total sales are down because fuel sales are down,” Rapanick said. “You guys aren’t doing anything wrong. That volume for fuel is growing, but … it’s difficult to grow fuel [dollar] sales when your price goes down 8%.” So, what are ways to drive traffic? That’s an urgent question in the year ahead.
Dissecting Diets
GLP-1 medications are presenting their own challenges and opportunities to foodservice, snack sales and store traffic. While the trendy weight-loss solutions—used by an estimated 12% of adults in the United States—may make consumers eat less, they’re not making customers spend less at convenience stores.
“GLP-1 is not a killer of convenience. In fact, I would argue that convenience is a big friend to GLP-1 consumers,” said Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive vice president and chief advisor of consumer goods and foodservice insights at Circana. “When you look at the categories that have gained positive shifts in convenience among these customers, it screams that the portion control convenience offers by having single-serve sizes works.”
The convenience channel has seen flat spending among both GLP-1 and non GLP-1 users, according to Circana, while other food and retail channels have seen declines.
GLP-1 users are often Gen Z, higher income and have children present in the home, according to Lyons Wyatt. Finding meals that fit the whole family’s needs is critical, and convenience stores that offer something for everyone with different food options, smaller portions or single-serve items will attract these consumers, she said.
GLP-1 usage has benefited c-stores already, she added. According to Circana research, consumers taking GLP-1 medications over-index on foodservice and packaged (CPG) food and beverage compared to non GLP-1 consumers.
“They’re shifting more dollars to foodservice [and less to grocery], … and categories including deli and prepared meat, snack bars, yogurt, fruit and hydration have seen a positive shift,” she said. “A lot of this is about portion control and getting the amount of food that you want.”
Rasmussen of Convenience and Energy Advisors said the influence of GLP-1s extends well beyond the store shelf.
“The rise of the GLP-1 customer—more health-conscious, selective and focused on balance—is changing the role of convenience stores,” he said. “This shopper is reshaping assortments, portion sizes and even trip missions. Retailers who understand that better-for-you doesn’t mean less convenient will be best positioned to capture this wave.”
Other specific categories are also seeing interest from GLP-1 users, including frozen novelties, pastries and donuts in single-serve quantities. These allow consumers to “just buy one” item to satisfy a craving without investing in a full box of one dozen from other channels. Additionally, hydration is key for these consumers, meaning water and sports drinks are categories with momentum.
“GLP-1 consumers drink more beverages in total and also prefer sugar-free alternatives, so diet carbonated beverages have been popular among this group,” said Lyons Wyatt.
May the Tech Be With You
Forget any and all preconceived notions about artificial intelligence. The c-store industry should think of it with a “yes, and” mindset.
Can AI drive traffic via online search? Yes, and it can parse your sales data to drive a store reset. Can AI generate apps just by asking? Yes, and it can identify the personas of the consumers using your apps, further defining how best to personalize offers to them. Can AI verify deliveries by matching products received to those listed on invoices? Yes, and it can forecast fuel volumes for a given week taking into consideration local events and weather patterns. It can create a shopper heat map, aid with employee scheduling and develop sales reports directing a store manager to delay a new order based on what’s in the back room.
Fidaa Mohrez, senior director of operational systems for H&S Energy Group, is testing a variety of AI tools to help forecast proper order sizes and act as a double-check to match deliveries with invoices.
“AI will match the delivery with the invoice,” he said. “I’m testing it now. It’s going to solve a huge problem with electronic data interchange” and making sure the numbers align.
Such tests are worth the effort, he said, if you have the right process and checks and balances in place. “Then you know you have the right products in the store and on the shelves,” he said.
The true benefit is the time and brainpower AI can save, said Babir Sultan, president of Fav Trip.
“AI is a power drill compared to a screwdriver,” he said. Sultan uses AI in labor scheduling, store security, product placement, development of promotions, analysis of the results and more. “It’s more accurate. It saves time. It’s faster,” he said.
That’s the kind of innovation that Fraley of InConvenience Inc. is eager to embrace.
“I’m drawn to the tech that actually makes life easier for our teams,” she said, “whether that’s simplifying back-office processes, tightening communication or helping DMs see what’s really happening in the stores. It’s the kind of technology that empowers people to do their jobs better, not just automates them away.”
But don’t expect AI developments to roll out in a predictable and smooth stream. It’s going to come fast and change timelines, for better and for worse.
AI also has the potential to transform all aspects of c-store technology. Even as Conexxus, the industry’s technology standards group, unfolded its roadmap to the technological and cultural shifts that will shape the retail landscape through 2035, it also admitted the helping hand of artificial intelligence is likely to render the timeline obsolete sooner rather than later.
AI “will change our goals, our timeframes and more,” said Gray Taylor, executive director of Conexxus, during the NACS Education Session titled “The NACS/Conexxus Technology Roadmap.”
Another tech trend expected to continue evolving in 2026 is increased connectivity. Andy Bennett, group president of convenience retail at Vontier Corporation, noted that connecting different devices “opens up many opportunities for retailers.” From an asset management point of view, whether it’s the pump, tank gauge, EV charger or something inside the store that’s not working, having it connected in one retail management system helps keep an operator informed and able to instantly manage the devices. “At Vontier, we’re trying to create a fabric of connected assets so that we can manage uptime in a better way,” said Bennett.
EV Charging Report Card
Another technology that can’t be ignored: the electric vehicle.
John Eichberger, director of the Transportation Energy Institute, said a lot of people seem to be dismissing EVs given the change in administration and some pullbacks from automakers. While fuels will still be dominant for decades to come, he said, charging is not going away.
“This is a nascent industry,” Eichberger said. “You’re going to have ups and downs, and we’re seeing that right now. But the auto industry is going to be able to pivot, and they’re going to be delivering vehicles that customers want to buy. Through August this year, we sold more EVs in the United States than we sold all last year. So, it is not going away.”
In fact, James Cater, senior director, innovation and sustainability strategy at retailer Global Partners, said current conditions give retailers more time to study their stores’ needs before investing in EV charging.
“This is a long journey. [Liquid] fuel is going to be here for a long time; electrification is going to be here for a long time,” he said. “So, you have the opportunity to really think about this and decide what it is you want to do as an owner and an operator at your sites and do it right.”
When considering charger installation, sometimes the most powerful or expensive option is not the best choice for a location. Instead, it’s important for retailers to match the charger power at the location to the typical customer dwell time, according to Matthew Bartolone, head of public charging, sales & strategy with ABB E-mobility, a leader in electric mobility.
“If people are going to be there for 30, 40 minutes, they don’t want to be accumulating idle charges with a fast charger. They don’t want to interrupt what they are doing to go disconnect their vehicle,” he said. “Some of our partners are developing hybrid sites to meet those differing needs.”
In another note of caution, Kevin Randolph, manager, commercial sales for the charging network Electrify America, said not all locations need to embrace charging at all.
“Be wary of anyone who tells you that you’d be able to build anywhere and find success, because that’s just simply not the case,” he said. “Understand that aside from checking off all the boxes for the site itself, are you thinking about the geography and the consumer patterns in that area? EV adoption is continuing to grow, but it’s still not everywhere.”
In total, Rasmussen said the innovations coming to the convenience industry now are as much about creating experience-driven retail as simply selling more products.
“The conversation around ‘experience’ has evolved. It’s no longer just about design or traditional ambiance,” he said. “It’s about personalization through technology. The leaders are blending digital insights with physical design to create what feels like ‘my store,’ not just a good store. That shift from universal experience design to individualized engagement is where the energy is heading. This compounds into products where retailers who win are not just a vessel that delivers common essentials, but surprises and delights with unique product differentiators.”