Datassential Survey: 25% of Consumers Bought Meals at C-Stores

One in four U.S. consumers visited a convenience store in person for a meal away from home at least once in the past month, according to a new Datassential survey of 1,500 general-population consumers. For foodservice operators and the marketers who supply them, that figure marks the size of a traffic pool that keeps expanding as the line between convenience retail and quick-service restaurants continues to blur.

The research, fielded this past September, paired the consumer sample with 433 foodservice decision makers, 16 of whom operate convenience stores. That operator slice gives the report a grounded view of the business side, covering delivery trends, consumer perception of c-store prices, business metrics, challenges and profitability strategies.

Who Is Eating C-Store Foodservice?

Men ordered c-store food at a higher rate than women: 29% versus 22%. The gap points to a clear targeting question for marketers — whether to close it with menu and messaging aimed at women, or to double down on the segment already converting.

The generational profile is the sharper story. Millennials and Gen Z each account for 34% of c-store foodservice customers, making them the two largest cohorts by a wide margin. Gen X follows at 23%, and Baby Boomers trail at 11%. In practical terms, under-45 consumers now drive roughly two-thirds of the category's traffic, which argues for digital ordering, delivery integration and menu innovation calibrated to younger palates.

Income data adds a second lens. Among survey respondents, 29% identified as low income, 27% as medium income and 20% as high income. The tilt toward lower- and middle-income shoppers matches the value thesis running through the report: as inflation pushes consumers to scrutinize every purchase, the c-store value proposition can offer an edge over QSR competitors.

What Changes for Practitioners?

The competitive frame has shifted. Retailers are doubling down on made-to-order and freshly prepared foods, and consumers are responding in kind, according to the report. A convenience store that treats foodservice as a core offer rather than a side counter competes directly with QSR chains on convenience, price and — increasingly — quality.

For suppliers and agencies, the survey numbers define where to spend. The heaviest users are young, skew male and span income bands, with the largest single block in lower-income households. Delivery, the report notes, is among the trends it analyzes separately, and the 433 decision makers surveyed signal how much of the industry is actively reworking programs rather than holding steady.

The full Datassential report, available as a gated download through CStore Decisions, carries the detailed delivery, pricing-perception and profitability findings. Expect the growth pattern it documents — steady annual gains in c-store foodservice — to keep pressuring QSR players on price-sensitive dayparts.