Convenience Store News' award-winning, industry-leading Web site, csnews.com, covered more industry news in 2011 than any other convenience industry media site. Visits to the site increased 69 percent in the past year while page views were up 60 percent as the CSNews' editorial team generated more industry exclusives and more special reports -- such as our 25th anniversary Hall of Fame feature -- than any other site. In addition, CSNews this year became the first convenience industry media outlet to update its website throughout the day with new content. No doubt this perpetual news cycle -- posting news as it breaks -- contributed to the huge increase in website traffic in 2011.

So what stories captured the interest of the greatest number of convenience industry executives in 2011? A look at the Top 10 news stories of 2011 -- based on page views -- shows the growing interest and importance of foodservice to the convenience store industry. Four of the top 10 articles were related to foodservice.

Burger King's relaunch of its Chicken Tenders program and its massive giveaway of 272 million tenders was the top story of the year. Three other foodservice related stories made the top 10: McDonald's debut of its store of the future featuring wooden tables, faux-leather chairs and muted colors; Subway winning a popularity contest among social media users; and an article on a historic jump in wholesale food prices.

Other top viewed articles included stories on ConocoPhillips' corporate moves to create greater shareholder value, the annual CSNews Top 100 report, Walmart's announcement that it would close all its Marketside convenience stores, and Sheetz' partnership with documentary film-maker Morgan Spurlock to turn its hometown of Altoona, Penn., into a product placement plug.

The complete list of top 10 stories of the year is listed below. For a month-by-month rundown of the top stories of 2011, go to http://www.csnews.com/top-story-2011_year_in_review_-60172.html.

1. Mar 28, 2011
Burger King Debuts New Chicken Tenders With National Giveaway
http://foodservice.csnews.com/top-story-burger_king_debuts_new_chicken_tenders_with_national_giveaway-806.html

2. Sep 07, 2011
ConocoPhillips Split To Create $20B in Shareholder Value
http://www.csnews.com/top-story-conocophillips_split_to_create_$20b_in_shareholder_value-59461.html

3. July, 26 2010 » Cover Story »
Top 100 Convenience Stores
http://www.csnews.com/article-top_100_convenience_stores-953.html

4. Oct 13, 2011
Walmart to Close All Its Marketside Stores
http://www.csnews.com/top-story-walmart_to_close_all_its_marketside_stores-59704.html

5. Apr 29, 2011
Owner to Gas Thief: Shame on You
http://www.csnews.com/top-story-owner_to_gas_thief__shame_on_you-58618.html

6. Apr 15, 2011
Sheetz Helps Hang Price Tag on Hometown
http://www.csnews.com/top-story-sheetz_helps_hang_price_tag_on_hometown-58529.html

7. Apr 18, 2011
Gulf CEO Talks Oil Prices with CNBC
http://www.csnews.com/top-story-gulf_ceo_talks_oil_prices_with_cnbc-58539.html

8. May 09, 2011
McDonald's Debuts Fresh Look in Tampa
http://www.csnews.com/top-story-mcdonald_s_debuts_fresh_look_in_tampa-58667.html

9. Mar 24, 2011
Subway is Most-Loved Fast Food Chain, Survey Finds
http://www.csnews.com/top-story-subway_is_most_loved_fast_food_chain__survey_finds-58274.html

10. Mar 17, 2011
Food Prices Make Biggest Jump in 36 Years
http://www.csnews.com/top-story-food_prices_make_biggest_jump_in_36_years-58242.html