The Road Ahead: Are self-checkouts a barrier to innovation?

The technology can add choice and convenience for c-stores, but may discourage larger companies from exploring more creative solutions, writes columnist Frank Beard.

By Frank Beard • Nov. 7, 2023

Circle K adds in-store cash-back offers to 4K sites with Upside

The retailer also renewed its partnership with the retail technology company for fuel-based cash-back offers at 5,200 U.S. locations.

By Jessica Loder • Oct. 31, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from C-Store Dive

Top 5 stories from C-Store Dive 2023/2024

By C-Store Dive staff

4 ways C-Store marketers can improve results through mobile games

Innovative c-store brands are harnessing mobile games’ skyrocketing popularity to uncover new customers and drive more regular traffic under the mounting economic pressures.

Oct. 30, 2023

BP buys $100M worth of Tesla chargers

The deal will add new EV charging stations to the company’s c-store chains, including TravelCenters of America, Ampm and Thorntons, as it looks to reach 100,000 charge points globally by 2030.

By Jessica Loder • Oct. 27, 2023

7-Eleven testing ‘coffee of the future’ machine

As the c-store giant refreshes its coffee service chainwide, it’s begun testing a machine that lets shoppers order custom brews with a variety of coffee types and mix-ins.

By Jessica Loder • Oct. 24, 2023

Kwik Trip automates supply chain functions

The convenience retailer has tapped software company Gravitate to improve its fuel supply decisions and minimize the laid-in cost of fuel across its network.

By Brett Dworski • Oct. 23, 2023

7-Eleven sees a boost from fuel price lock

Loyalty customers who use the tool, which locks in gas or diesel prices for up to four days, visit stores 90% more often than other members, the c-store’s parent company reported last week.

By Jessica Loder • Oct. 19, 2023

How Minuteman is optimizing self checkout in its stores

After a retrofit at a high-volume store failed, the North Carolina-based c-store company went back to the drawing board and improved the design.

By Jessica Loder • Oct. 18, 2023

Kwik Trip restores ‘many’ systems amid outage

The convenience retailer has dealt with a company-wide outage for over a week that impacted its rewards platform, payroll and other functions.

By Brett Dworski • Oct. 17, 2023

Breaking down the pros and cons of loyalty points

Done right, rewards programs can engage customers and improve relationships with suppliers. But pitfalls can happen when retailers overextend their offers, experts said.

By Jessica Loder • Oct. 11, 2023

Circle K EV charging expanding to 3 new states

The convenience retailer’s website shows more than two dozen upcoming charging stations across the U.S., including its first ones in Illinois, Georgia and Washington.

By Jessica Loder • Oct. 9, 2023

8 takeaways from the 2023 NACS Show

The c-store industry’s biggest event of the year was full of new ideas and products, from ways to solve labor woes to how to launch a retail media program.

By Brett Dworski • Oct. 9, 2023

RaceTrac unveils its first EV charger

The convenience retailer said it will follow up on the addition to one of its Alabama stores by adding chargers to several Dallas locations next year.

By Jessica Loder • Oct. 6, 2023

Chevron invests in EV charging firm

The energy giant’s venture arm put an undisclosed amount into Electric Era to scale its chargers at c-store locations.

By Jessica Loder • Oct. 4, 2023

Titan Cloud acquires fuel analytics company

The fuel optimization firm that works with 7-Eleven, Yesway and Circle K will add about 20,000 sites to its monitoring network with the deal.

By Brett Dworski • Sept. 28, 2023

PDI brings point of sale product to North America

The retail technology company has also added a firewall service, a retail site management offering, sustainability packages and more. 

By Jessica Loder • Sept. 27, 2023

RaceTrac piloting floor-scrubbing robots in its travel centers

The technology aims to reduce the physical strain of cleaning for RaceTrac associates while freeing up time so they can focus on other tasks.

By Brett Dworski • Sept. 27, 2023

New Rovertown feature aims to simplify c-store app customization

The Integration Store allows retailers to add features to any part of their mobile presence via a drag-and-drop interface.

By Jessica Loder • Sept. 25, 2023

Hy-Vee debuts in-house retail media network

With this, the parent company of Fast & Fresh joins Giant Eagle as the latest grocery/c-store operator to launch its own retail media venture.

By Peyton Bigora • Sept. 25, 2023

Stewart’s Shops unveils ‘latest generation’ EV chargers

The new installation includes power sharing technology, which allows multiple vehicles to charge at the fastest rate from the same machine simultaneously.

By Jessica Loder • Sept. 25, 2023

Couche-Tard’s tech employees to be offered jobs at new IT provider

As the retailer outsources its IT services to CGI for the next decade, some of its team members will have the chance to shift companies, a Couche-Tard spokesperson confirmed.

By Brett Dworski • Sept. 22, 2023

West Coast retailer aims to double its footprint, grow digital capabilities

H&S Energy, which operates over 160 c-stores, aims to reach 400 locations and by 2025 plans to surpass $10 million in annual online sales.

By Brett Dworski • Sept. 21, 2023

Global Partners opens first company-owned EV chargers

The debut at an XtraMart location in Worcester, Massachusetts, promises to be the first of many company stores to incorporate charging stations.

By Jessica Loder • Sept. 21, 2023

Could unstaffed micro shops become a viable new format for c-stores?

Convenience retailers including Yesway, Choice Market and Golden Pantry have signed up to try Juxta’s autonomous micro stores as operators continue to test new formats.

By Jessica Loder • Sept. 19, 2023

C-stores enhance in-store tech with digital smart screens

While one convenience retailer saw a 5.5% increase in same-store beverage sales, a recent lawsuit from Walgreens indicates these tools aren’t for everyone.

By Brett Dworski • Sept. 18, 2023