VIDEO: The State of C-store Foodservice

CHICAGO -- Convenience Store News Editor-in-Chief Don Longo and foodservice consultant Dean Dirks, of Dirks Consulting in Washington State, reviewed the latest consumer and retailer research documenting the current state of foodservice in the c-store industry at the recent National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show.

"Foodservice is a big chunk of how c-stores view the future," Dirks explained during the educational session, entitled "The State of C-store Foodservice." He noted that people are putting more and more of an emphasis on convenience, which is good for the industry, specifically in foodservice.

Longo said the predominant foodservice strategy among c-stores is to defend breakfast and grow dinner, though he pointed out that c-stores face a great deal of competition on both these fronts.

Still, c-store operators are making headway in capturing consumers' foodservice dollars by satisfying their needs. Roughly 60 percent of consumers recently surveyed said they were "very satisfied" or "extremely satisfied" with their last prepared food purchase at a c-store.

"It's amazing how far we've come in 20 years," Dirks commented.