ARKO Corp. has announced the opening of its newest Handy Mart store, which features its fas craves food concept, in Garner, N.C. This marks the company’s second new-to-industry store with fas craves and its fifth fas craves site overall.
The NTI store represents “another step forward in ARKO’s commitment to elevating the convenience retail experience across its national footprint.”
The new store is part of ARKO’s ongoing implementation of its foodservice offering — fas craves — which is built around high-quality grab-and-go offerings.
At the new store, customers will find an expanded menu featuring hot and cold grab‑and‑go selections, roller grill favorites, bakery items and a wide variety of dispensed beverages. Popular food items include breakfast sandwiches, crispy chicken biscuits, jumbo chicken wings, potato wedges, chicken sandwiches and Pub burgers.
The beverage lineup has also grown to include trending options like dirty soda, a customizable mix of soda, flavored syrups and add‑ins that have quickly gained national popularity.
“Our enhanced fas craves stores reflect how we’re reimagining convenience for the communities we serve,” said Arie Kotler, president and CEO of ARKO. “Each new location allows us to bring customers a fresh, delicious food experience rooted in quality, speed and value. We’re proud to continue expanding this concept and introducing more guests to what fas craves has to offer.”
The store features a contemporary layout including digital menu boards, an inviting interior and an intuitive shopping flow.
Growing fas craves
ARKO first rolled out fas craves in June 2025 with its first site in Ashland, Va.
At the time, the retailer had plans to roll out the program to several additional locations — six remodels and two new-to-industry builds — as part of an initial pilot program.
“This new food concept remodel and the introduction of fas craves represent a bold step forward in how we serve our customers,” said Kotler at the time. “We’re focused on transforming the convenience experience — not just with updated stores, but with food offerings that truly resonate with today’s on-the-go consumer.”
The format was introduced to the community with a formal grand opening celebration on July 16, 2025, which was met with exclusive promotions and community-focused events.
Stores are designed to attract new customers, according to a statement from ARKO, with a layout that’s easy to shop and a product assortment shaped directly by customer feedback. They include modernized features such as digital menu boards and a brighter, more contemporary interior design.
fas craves will continue to roll out alongside store remodels throughout ARKO’s network.
Stay tuned for more updates from CStore Decisions.
