As consumers live busier lives, grab-and-go retail items are becoming increasingly popular. If you don’t stock the right convenience options, you risk losing out on potential sales and customer loyalty. In this guide to grab-and-go food, we help you determine which items to stock and how to balance them with made-to-order options to keep your customers happy and coming back for more.
What Counts As Grab-and-Go Food?
Grab-and-go generally refers to any drink or food item that customers can pick up and eat immediately without any extra steps. Unlike made-to-order foods, these are usually pre-prepared and pre-packaged. Think of grab-and-go as the sandwich you buy at the Hudson News in the airport, and made-to-order as the sandwich you get at Subway.
Trends in the Grab-and-Go Market
Before we dive into the grab-and-go items your c-store should carry, let’s take a closer look at two of the major emerging trends in the industry: snacking and healthy eating.
Swapping Traditional Meals with Snacking
Instead of sitting down to a complete meal, many consumers are turning to snacking. Nestle Professional Services notes that nearly 75% of on-the-go consumers replace a traditional meal with a snack at least once a week. So, while you want to offer plenty of options that fall into the “meal” category, like hot dogs and turkey club sandwiches, you also want to include more snack-like items, such as beef jerky and Hot Pockets.
Preference for Healthier Options
Grab-and-go customers are also seeking healthier options as they shop. According to Forbes, shoppers interested in nutritious grab-and-go items have increased from 59% to 66% over the past seven years. Consumers may be more likely to return to your c-store if they know you offer healthier alternatives, such as salads, smoothie bottles, and overnight oats.
12 Grab-and-Go C-Store Food Ideas to Boost Sales
When choosing the best c-store food, you want to make sure you offer the go-to basics while also targeting consumer behavior trends around snacking and healthy options. Here are 12 ideas to help you get started.
- Sandwiches/Wraps: Everyone’s familiar with sandwiches and wraps, and they’re easy to eat. Offer popular combinations like turkey and cheddar, ham and swiss, and even a veggie option.
- Salad Bowls: For those health-conscious consumers, you can’t go wrong with pre-prepared salad bowls, with and without protein. Be sure to offer plenty of salad dressings on the side.
- Hot Dogs: Popular for any hot food program. Include a condiment station with ketchup, mustard, relish, and tons of napkins.
- Pizza Slices or Personal Pizzas: Pizza is another customer favorite. Stick to traditional toppings like cheese, pepperoni, and sausage.
- Yogurt and Parfaits: Yogurt is a great breakfast or snack option that appeals to the health-conscious audience. Offer plain yogurt and parfaits with granola and/or berries. Don’t forget to place a basket of plastic spoons nearby for convenience.
- Fruit/Veggie Cups: Single-serve fruit cups and veggies with dip have the “fresh” appeal and will attract those looking for healthy snacks.
- Meat, Cheese, and Cracker Boxes: “Charcuterie” cups or boxes offer the perfect blend of protein and convenience.
- Handheld Hot Snacks: Hot Pockets, pizza pockets, and other hot snacks can target those customers looking to replace a full meal with a snack.
- Baked Goods: Muffins, cookies, donuts, bagels, and other baked goods are easy to grab and perfect impulse buys near the checkout.
- Snack Bars and Mixes: Another great impulse buy. Protein bars, nut mixes, trail mix, popcorn, and other quick snacks are easy to grab and have high turnover.
- Vegan/Vegetarian-Friendly Options: Health-conscious consumers are increasingly turning to vegetarian options. Think hummus and pita cups, vegan wraps, and vegetable-based protein snacks.
- Breakfast Sandwiches and Burritos: Many of your busy customers may need breakfast on the go. Set out hot egg and bacon/sausage sandwiches and breakfast burritos in the morning. Consider offering meal deals with coffee.
Tips for Grab-and-Go Success
You want to make the most out of your grab-and-go program. These tips can help you start off on the right foot and maximize profits.
Balance with Your Made-to-Order Offerings
Investing in grab-and-go doesn’t mean forgetting about made-to-order food. You’ll need to offer both to keep your food program successful. For example, you could offer pre-made grab-and-go burritos for customers in a hurry, while also allowing customers to build their own burritos at a counter.
Audit Your Store Capacity
Adding grab-and-go options to your c-store can be exciting, and you may want to bring in a wide range of items right away. But before you get to ordering, you need to analyze the available space. Many grab-and-go items, such as fruits, sandwiches, and salads, require refrigeration, so you want to ensure you have enough fridge space for them (or can easily add more). Same goes for any heated items like hot dogs, hamburgers, burritos, and hot sandwiches.
Make Use of Roller Grills
Hot dogs on the roller grill might have a bad rap, but they’re popular for a reason. Beyond making sure you have well-stocked roller grills (hot dogs, corn dogs, taquitos, etc.), you need to prioritize upkeep. Frequently check your roller grills and condiment section, and ensure items aren’t too old. Regularly rotate out older items, and freshen up condiment stations to avoid turning away customers.
Evaluate Sales and Adjust As Needed
Your grab-and-go plan isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it situation. Continuously monitor which items move fast and which stagnate. Swap out low performers, test new offerings (e.g. seasonal or trending flavors), and lean into high-margin bestsellers.
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