QSR’S BIGGEST COMPETITION IS THE C-STORE
Restaurants can stand out with a return to hospitality.
By Leigh Anne Zinsmeister
I n the year 2026, quick-service restaurants’ biggest competitors aren’t each other — they’re convenience stores. So said Rich Shank, senior principal and vice president of innovation of Technomic, at the recent FSTEC. “Ninety-five percent of C-store operators confirm that foodservice is a strategic priority for their business,” Shank shared. “Eighty percent agree that foodservice is vitally important to the success of their total store. … They’re coming aggressively for the restaurant space, because they see a pretty big opportunity to compete with all of us.” Not only that, but they are drawing in the consumers who were once attracted to restaurants. “Sixty-eight percent of consumers believe that C-stores are just as capable as restaurants of offering fresh, quality food and beverages,” he said. Store designs at C-stores including QuickChek, Dash In, and Sheetz now mimic traditional QSRs, Shank said, showcasing sleek interiors with kiosks, self-serve areas, and self-checkouts. The C-stores are heavily tech-driven, and therefore restaurant technology teams should emphasize more the human element of hospitality that they offer, thus differentiating themselves from tech-forward C-stores. In fact, consumers are looking for that human element. Although convenience is still crucial, 60% of consumers prefer ordering with staff as opposed to self-serve kiosks at limited-service restaurants, according to Shank. “When a customer orders through a staff member, their satisfaction and loyalty metrics average around 58%,” he said. “When they order from the brand or first-party digital app, it drops a little bit, but it’s not
statistically significant. You’re still showing me who you are through your brand’s apps and websites. … Once you start getting away from the human and the brand, and you get down to third party, satisfaction drops to 51%. When you go to a kiosk, satisfaction drops to 49%.” Of course, it also comes down to the reason for a customer’s visit. “Service the occasion that your customers are there for,” Shank said. “If your customers are there for something grab and go, [they] need to get in and out, that’s great. If some of your customers are there for grab and go and others are there because [they] want to go hang out, you need to service both ends of that consumer spectrum. If you’re only doing one, you’re probably going to struggle.”
20 | FSTEC 2026
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