As customer preferences evolve, savvy c-stores are evolving their grab-and-go food section to best appeal to shoppers.

Grab-and-go used to be strictly about convenience and was particularly geared toward consumers who were traveling and wanted to get back on the road as quickly as possible. While these consumers still exist, most are seeking a lot more than merely “convenience” when selecting a foodservice destination. Consumers today are looking for food and beverage products that meet their taste preferences, dietary requirements and quality standards. They want choices that will provide the experience they crave.

Here are six steps that can take your grab-and-go offering to the next level.

1. Improve the quality and variety of options. Consumers want grab-and-go options that meet or exceed their expectations. They truly appreciate this differentiation. While price is part of the equation, improved quality and greater variety will drive more loyalty to a brand. Healthy choices, including fresh fruit; fresh salads; and high-quality bread, deli meats and pizza toppings make a difference to consumers. What’s more, featuring various carrier options such as bowls and wraps adds appeal.

2. Provide local and seasonal offerings. Consumer taste profiles vary significantly depending on the region, as well as between rural and suburban areas. Consistency is important, but it is crucial to integrate local and seasonal offerings that appeal to the customer base where your stores operate. It need not be as drastic as making wholesale changes to categories, but some basic categories such as coffee, pizza, deli meats, breads and roller grill require some local options.

3. Have some freshly prepared items that are attractively displayed. Attractively displayed, freshly prepared items are in demand. Freshly prepared does not need to be made from scratch. A yogurt parfait — vs. a cup of yogurt — will better entice the customer, bring a higher sell price and come with a lower cost to the retailer. For freshly prepared salads, use Mesclun or another quality lettuce blend and add innovative toppings. Create a house dressing by infusing a bold ingredient into a stock ranch dressing. The opportunity to be innovative is endless, and it does not need to be complicated.

4. Use packaging that enhances the customer experience. Mediocre packaging conveys a message of mediocre food and beverages to customers. Great packaging can enhance the quality of grab-and-go items and also provide the consumer with confidence that they will be able to potentially eat on the go without worrying about leakage and quality reduction. “Green” packaging can also have a positive impact for consumers that value a sustainable world.

5. Focus on rotating products and maintaining standards. Consumers are significantly more attentive to what they are purchasing today. They look at dates and tend to take the products that are not on top or in front. Product rotation, removal of below-standards products (brown lettuce, bitter coffee), and overall attention to detail are crucial to a customer’s perception of an operation. Inconsistency leads to the question of whether fresh-roasted smooth coffee or the old bitter coffee is the standard.

6. Ensure that staff are ambassadors and understand the product offerings. There is a place for transactional team members, but most employees need to be well trained and understand that customer service is crucial to the guest experience. When it comes to the grab-and-go section, team members must be well versed on each product so they can answer any questions that come up from customers.

Employees should be proud of the products being offered and feel confident with consumer engagement.

Bruce Reinstein is a partner with Kinetic12 Consulting, a Chicago-based foodservice and general management consulting firm. Learn more at Kinetic12.com or contact him at [email protected].