Value is growing more important to shoppers — and convenience stores are increasingly meeting that demand, according to Tillster’s 2026 Phygital report.
Convenience retail is building a reputation for affordability, with 78% of consumers in the report by the restaurant technology firm saying prices at c-stores are equal to or better than those at fast food and fast-casual restaurants. Meanwhile, more than 40% of respondents said convenience retailers provide better service and better quality than fast-food and fast-casual restaurants.
This is notable when looking at the top factors diners say they consider when choosing where to eat. The most common deciding factor was the quality of the food, followed by convenience, speed and price.
“C-stores … are increasingly winning over diners by delivering on the very attributes customers say matter most,” Tillster wrote in the report.
When looking at where customers feel like they get the most overall value, convenience stores made huge strides year over year. In 2025, only 4% said c-stores offered the most value among meal destinations — last place among the categories listed. This year, 16% of customers rated c-stores at the top, outpacing fine dining, fast-casual and casual dining chains, following just behind grocery stores.
“Investments in prepared foods, made-to-order stations, upgraded store layouts, and grab-and-go meal solutions are narrowing the experiential gap between restaurants and retail food providers,” Tillster wrote in the report.
The report added that while prepared food is a huge driver of c-stores’ value perception, the array of snacks c-stores carry also drives trips, with 34% of diners coming in specifically for snacks.
Overall, convenience stores are gaining ground on restaurants when it comes to attracting diners. But c-stores still face a cohort that never considers them as food destinations, the report noted.
Roughly a third of consumers are visiting c-stores more frequently, up from 24% last year, according to the report. On the other hand, 22% said they never eat at convenience stores.
