In its inaugural study of convenience stores, Pennsylvania-based Wawa ranked No. 1 in the U.S for customer satisfaction, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
The index gave Wawa an 82 out of 100, with QuikTrip ranking No. 2 with an 81 out of 100, and Buc-ee’s placing third with an 80 out of 100.
Shell ranked at the bottom of the rankings with a score of 74 out of 100.
RELATED STORY | Texas reclaims having the world's largest Buc-ee's location
The authors of the report suggested that having fresh, plentiful food options helped stores such as Wawa and QuikTrip reach the top.
“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. “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.”
The report also noted that high performing convenience stores tended to have better mobile apps and checkout speed.
The ACSI said that placing more emphasis on food is important for convenience stores as gas often comes with razor-thin profit margins, and stores are seeing declining revenue from tobacco sales.
RELATED STORY | Walmart employees to get expanded cancer treatment options with the Mayo Clinic
Here are the top 10 convenience stores in the U.S., according to ACSI.
1 Wawa (82)
2 QuikTrip (81)
T3 Buc-ee’s (80)
T3 Murphy USA (80)
T5 Casey’s General Store (79)
T5 Sheetz (79)
7 Kwik Trip (78)
T8 BP (77)
T8 Cumberland Farms (77)
T8 Speedway (77)