As our lives become busier and more hectic, convenience stores have become essential to our daily routine. From grabbing a quick snack to picking up some groceries, convenience stores offer many benefits to their customers. It is reported that 90% of U.S. adults eat one or more snacks daily. However, many convenience stores still offer limited snack options. Here are some ways you can upgrade and expand the snack options available to your in-store customers.

Offer easy grab-and-go options: Instead of offering only prepackaged snacks like bags of chips, consider adding hot menu items like cheese curds, wings, and hot sandwiches. The Matchbox can cook a batch of chilled wings in under 6 minutes and frozen mozzarella sticks in a little over 3 minutes. Customers can quickly grab these delicious items from the Hatco Flav-R-Savor and go about their day. No space for a hot grab-and-go area? Offer refrigerated items like soft pretzels or breakfast sandwiches that can be quickly cooked in a space-saving oven like the MiLO or MiSA.

Creating smaller portion options: Variety is the spice of life! Customers on the go or living on their own are not likely to grab a whole pizza or a dozen cookies. They may, however, grab a hot slice of pizza, a side of jalapeno poppers, and an individually packaged dessert. This will give customers more options and make it more likely that they’ll find something they like. They will also be more likely to grab a few items, which could lead to a higher check-out total.

Add seasonal snacks: Depending on the time of year, customers may be looking for seasonal snacks. For example, customers may be looking for frozen treats like ice cream or popsicles during the summer months. Customers may be looking for autumn-flavored items like pumpkin-spiced cinnamon rolls or apple turnovers during the fall. While the occasional Little Debbie snack can hit the spot, there’s nothing more tempting than a display of warm, fresh baked goods near the register. By offering seasonal snacks, you can keep your customers interested and coming back for more.

Made-to-order menu options: More and more c-stores have started adding pizza to their offerings, not just pre-made slices of pepperoni. For a restaurant-quality touch, they are offering slices of pizzas made to order topped with items like spinach, prosciutto, and fresh mozzarella. The Shuttle is an excellent option for those looking to make quick-cook precision creations like toasty made-to-order sandwiches, custom pizzas, and fresh quesadillas for customers with a few minutes to spare.

Offer discounts and promotions: Offering discounts and promotions on snacks can be a great way to attract customers and increase sales. For example, you could offer a discount on healthy snacks for customers trying to eat healthier or offer a buy-one-get-one-free promotion on a new snack to encourage customers to try something new.

Offering various snack options can be a great way to attract customers and increase sales at your convenience store. Freshly prepared menu items will entice customers to grab a whole meal at your business instead of just a bag of chips. By offering a variety of adventurous, delicious, and nourishing items at your c-store, you can keep your customers interested and coming back for more. For more ideas on how you can upgrade your snack offerings, check out our blog, Snack Revolution.