I’ve probably walked through the doors of my local c-store more than 1,000 times.

In my first few visits—15 years ago—I was impressed how it always seemed to have those crucial little items that got lost in my move to the neighborhood, items like a lightbulb, an extension cord, duct tape.

The store quickly became part of my morning commute. Its chocolate-frosted cake donuts were ridiculously tasty.

When I started working from home, I discovered that the c-store was a fun option when I needed to throw together a quick school lunch for one of my kids—the go-to was a croissant, a pack of crackers and a fresh fruit cup.

I’ve walked or driven there for dozens of reasons over the years. Beer … milk … butter … a sugar craving.

But, honestly, I haven’t been going there as much. No particular reason. It just hasn’t spoken to me. I haven’t had any problems it solves.

My neighborhood c-store embodies the industry’s move towards bigger and better foodservice."

But … plot twist. Breakfast tacos, two for $4, according to a big sign out front. I had to check it out.

Inside, I discovered a new hot case and an expanded grab-and-go section, plus an assortment of cookies by the register. I’m all in on this pivot toward foodservice. The tacos lured me in, but the sausage breakfast sandwich keeps me coming back. It’s tasty, filling and only sets me back $2. Hey, that’s practically free.

My visits to the store had dwindled to once a month, at most, but now they’re back to about once a week.

The moral: Foodservice is powerful. This isn’t new news, of course. Across all its categories, foodservice contributed $60,578 in sales per store, per month. Emma Tainter dives deep into all the latest foodservice data in “Foodservice Sales Stack Up,” revealing the latest foodservice data from the NACS State of the Industry Report® of 2023 Data.

If my local c-store is any indicator, I can see how this industry’s food-forward future is looking pretty bright.

You can learn more about our industry’s foodservice trends, as well as its 2023 financial and operational performance, by purchasing a copy of the soon-to-be-released SOI Report at convenience.org/store.