If you’re a Wawa devotee who swears by the convenience chain’s hoagies and coffee, brace yourself: another chain just blew past it in a recent customer satisfaction ranking.
Dunnhumby released the results of its Convenience Retailer Preference Index (RPI) study, which surveyed more than 10,500 convenience store shoppers across the U.S. The study examined 41 of the nation’s largest convenience store retailers on the following six factors:
- Quality
- Affordability
- Frictionless transactions
- Visibility
- Product variety
- Traditional convenience/speed
For the top-ranking brands, business is not just about stocking snacks and pumping gas anymore.
The winning chains have transformed themselves into places where customers actually want to eat. More than half of top performers’ customers now see them as meal destinations, according to the study.
One chain, in particular, has delivered when it comes to meeting customers’ needs.
Buc-ee’s — the Texas-based chain known for its clean bathrooms and warehouse-sized stores — has claimed the top spot in the 2025 Convenience RPI.
Here are America’s top five convenience store chains according to the study:
- Buc-ee’s
- Sheetz
- Wawa
- Kwik Trip
- Walmart convenience stores
The competition wasn’t even close for Buc-ee’s. The chain scored 17 points higher than second-place Sheetz, a sizable gap in customer satisfaction studies.
Matt O’Grady, Dunnhumby’s president of the Americas, says in a summary of the study:
“We’re at an inflection point in convenience retail. The stores that are thriving aren’t just keeping pace — they’re reimagining what matters most to their customers.”
The performance gap that Buc-ee’s has set will likely matter when it comes to long-term growth and sustainability in the industry.
Top-tier convenience stores grew foot traffic by 7.2% over five years, while bottom-tier retailers had just 2.5% growth. And in the past year, the leading chains still managed to grow visits by 0.8% while struggling competitors actually lost customers, contracting by 2.7%.
The chains winning this battle share common traits like exceptionally clean stores and food that actually tastes good.
Mobile apps that make ordering seamless are also key. Top performers have 33% of customers using their apps compared to just 19% at lower-ranked stores. The study also notes that apps and loyalty programs help chains deliver a more personalized customer experience.
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