Placer.ai has been noting how the “c-store segment has undergone a transformation in recent years as many category leaders significantly elevated their food, beverage and experiential offerings, leaning into growing demand for affordable, convenient groceries and takeaway,” Placer.ai said in a press release.

New data from research firm Placer.ai, which looks at foot traffic metrics and visitation data, found that monthly c-store visits surged past the segment’s pre-pandemic baseline, with November 2024 c-store traffic 16.1% higher than in November 2019, according to the research firm.

The growth is likely driven by the channel’s “transformation” in recent years, “as many category leaders significantly elevated their food, beverage and experiential offerings, leaning into growing demand for affordable, convenient groceries and takeaway,” Placer.ai said.

However, data also shows that growth has plateaued, with year-over-year (YoY) traffic for the c-store segment relatively flat in 2024. November 2024 visits were down 0.9% YoY.

“But diving into the individual chains’ visitation patterns reveals that many category leaders, including Circle K, Kwik Trip, Maverik, and Buc-ee’s are outperforming the wider segment and continuing to see impressive YoY growth, in large part thanks to aggressive expansions.” The research firm said that Maverik’s particularly stand-out visit growth is likely due to its acquisition and rebranding of the Kum & Go brand.

Each chain is growing in different parts of the country. “Maverik is seeing the most growth in the Southwest, while Kwik Trip’s visits are rising mostly in the Midwest, and Wawa traffic is rising in Florida and in the Mid-Atlantic region,” the firm said. 

Placer.ai said this suggests that demand for c-store offerings is growing nationwide—despite the plateau in category-wide visits—and that c-store brands that can offer consumers innovative products and experiences are well-positioned to continue thriving in 2025 and beyond.