Mastering foodservice in a small space like a convenience store is no easy feat, but c-store foodservice directors and chefs continue to make it look easy as they cook up innovative menu items. CStore Decisions caught up with M. David May, foodservice director at Kwik Stop, which operates 27 stores in Nebraska and Colorado, to learn more about how he maximizes success when cooking in a small footprint.

CStore Decisions (CSD): How long have you been the foodservice director at Kwik Stop and what attracted you to the position?

M. David May (MDM): I have been the foodservice director for over four years at Kwik Stop. I have been with Kwik Stop since October 2015, working in operations as a store manager and then a district manager. I was offered the position (of foodservice director) in February 2019 by our CEO and president, Dan O’Neill. When he offered the position to me, I was excited about the challenge of implementing a new chicken franchise into six of the stores, making the foodservice program profitable, (creating) consistency of product offerings between all foodservice stores and exceeding customers’ expectations of being able to get quality, fresh food from a convenience store.

CSD: What’s your favorite thing about overseeing foodservice for a convenience store?

M. David May, foodservice director, Kwik Stop

MDM: I love going out to the stores on a daily basis and seeing the directives that were given actually being implemented and providing training and development when needed to new deli managers or deli clerks.

CSD: Tell me a bit about your background in foodservice. How does that background serve you in a c-store setting?

MDM: At the time of accepting the position, I had not been in foodservice for over 30 years. When I was 13 years old, I started as a dishwasher in my hometown café and then moved up to be a fry cook at the age of 16. A lot has changed in foodservice since then. For the majority of my working life, I have been an executive in the customer service/sales business. My past experiences enabled me to move into the retail setting in the convenience store industry with very little acclimation. My main goal every day is to make every customer experience a great one. Taking this goal and applying it to foodservice is important as it will translate to repeat customers and make Kwik Stop c-stores a food destination versus just a place to fill up with fuel and get something to drink.

CSD: Tell me about the food offering at Kwik Stop.

MDM: Kwik Stop currently offers foodservice at 13 of its 27 stores, and then we have a centrally located commissary that makes breakfast items for six additional stores in North Platte, Neb. At six foodservice stores, we have Krispy Krunchy Chicken (KKC). At 10 foodservice stores, we have PC Pizza (formally known as Piccadilly Pizza). At 12 of the stores, we have our Kwik and Fresh proprietary program. And at four stores, we have our Kwik and Fresh Mexi proprietary program, which is a made-to-order (MTO) program.

We have a variety of options at each of our stores, including breakfast burritos and sandwiches, store-made 100% ground-beef burgers, fries, chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers, mac-and-cheese bacon bites, tater kegs etc. At the Kwik and Fresh Mexi stores we offer MTO tacos, burritos, salads and loaded nachos. At our KKC stores we offer tenders, bone-in fried chicken, party wings, boneless wings, chicken sandwiches, fish, shrimp and biscuits, plus an assortment of sides, including mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, and french fries.
At our PC Pizza stores we offer large pizzas, take-and-bake pizzas and slices of pizza.

CSD: Are you adding anything new to the foodservice offering?

MDM: I am always on the hunt for new ideas. Currently I am testing a Pork Loin and Bacon Kabob and a Store-Made Waffle Breakfast Sandwich that is made with maple syrup-infused waffles with savory sausage, black pepper, egg and cheese. In the near future, I plan on expanding the Kwik and Fresh food offerings with store-made deli sub sandwiches that we will pre-make and place in our cold grab-and-go cases.

CSD: What are the biggest challenges when cooking/preparing food in a convenience store?

MDM: Space. The majority of our stores have a small space dedicated to the deli. We have been very creative on where and how we place equipment to maximize our cooking space and prep space.

CSD: In your opinion, what are some of the must-have kinds of equipment for a c-store foodservice program and why?

MDM: The must-have equipment for a successful foodservice operation in a c-store setting includes a deep fryer with built-in filtering capabilities, rapid cook convection oven, steam table, cold prep table, refrigerator and freezer.

CSD: What are some of the things you look for in convenience store foodservice equipment?

MDM: First, I determine the amount of room that we have to allocate to the piece of equipment. Then I look for the most efficient piece of equipment that can handle the high volume of food. After I have found the model I am interested in, I check out the reputation of the company by asking for customer references. The last thing I want to do is invest financial capital into a piece of equipment that starts needing service after limited use.

CSD: What do you wish you had known when you were first getting started in c-store foodservice?

MDM: I had no idea how many things you have to manage in order to grow foodservice at a profitable rate. This includes supply chain interruptions, recipe costs, labor costs, gross profit margin percentage, waste percentage, monthly foodservice inventories and, most importantly, making sure each and every customer is highly satisfied with the food they purchased from our delis. It is like running a full-service restaurant in a 100-square-foot space.

CSD: Anything you want to add?

MDM: Foodservice in a c-store is fun but challenging every day. When you are not at a particular store, you have to have trust that the employees working at that store are doing the right thing every time, from providing great customer service to providing high-quality food options.