Wawa Ranked As Top Convenience Store Chain In New Survey
Convenience stores continue to be popular destinations for many consumers, and a Pennsylvania-based chain has been chosen as the best in the U.S. in the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Convenience Store Study 2024.
With feedback from 5,710 surveys, Wawa received an industry-leading score of 82 (out of 100). QuikTrip finished second in the survey with a score of 81, followed by Buc-ee’s and Murphy USA at 80 each.
According to ACSI, chains ranked at the top have prioritized offering consumers a robust set of food options. Hoagies are a big draw for Wawa customers, while QuikTrip looks to install QT Kitchens across the chain. Buc-ee’s has a reputation for a wide variety of on-the-go food options, and Casey’s General Stores, with a satisfaction score of 79 (same as Sheetz), is a go-to option in the Midwest for pizza, both traditional and breakfast varieties. Casey’s is now America’s fifth-largest pizza purveyor by kitchen numbers.
Nearly all reported chains have scores exceeding the industry average (76). The smaller group of convenience stores, which accounts for a sizeable portion of the industry, drags down the overall mark with a satisfaction score of 75, tying the nation’s largest convenience store chain 7-Eleven. Both are ahead of Shell, which scores 74.
Despite an 8-point difference between first and last place, most convenience stores are investing in enhancements to the customer experience by adding more customized food offerings, larger merchandise selections, enticing rewards programs, and mobile ordering services.
“Convenience stores are no longer just a quick stop for gas and snacks — they are becoming serious competitors in the food service industry,” says Forrest Morgeson, associate professor of Marketing at Michigan State University and director of Research Emeritus at the ACSI. “The top-performing convenience store brands are now on par with fast food chains in terms of food quality and variety, offering customers a wide range of fresh, gourmet options. By focusing on the in-store dining experience, while maintaining the speedy service that customers have grown accustomed to, convenience stores may have found the perfect recipe for success.”
At the industry level, the convenience of hours and store location receive the highest ratings (83). Among the 34% of respondents who report using a store’s mobile app for ordering, strong ratings for app quality (81) and app reliability (80) and the effectiveness of mobile order pickups (80) show that apps are a valuable channel that’s further enhancing customer convenience.
But the success of these stores goes beyond just convenience. Many of the customer experience metrics measured overlap with attributes from food service-based studies, providing useful comparisons for these emerging competitors.
For example, while the convenience store average score of 80 for cooked food quality trails the fast food industry (84), stores like Wawa, Buc-ee’s, Casey’s General Stores, Kwik Trip, and Sheetz meet or exceed fast food chains on this metric. It’s a similar story with food variety. Overall, convenience stores (80) trail the fast food industry by 2 points, but Buc-ee’s, Wawa, Sheetz, and Kwik Trip outperform food fast chains here as well.
On a regional basis, Wawa performs well in both of its primary markets, taking first place for customer satisfaction in the Northeast and second in the South. Buc-ee’s wins the South region, while Sheetz takes second in the Northeast.
QuikTrip and Kwik Trip take the top two spots in the Midwest. Satisfaction levels in the West trail other regions by a sizeable margin. A fragmented market led to fewer individual brands attaining sufficient data to report regional-level results. Here, 7-Eleven and Circle K, both with large footprints, tie for the top spot at 72.
