Many convenience store operators are offering what specialty pizza shops cannot.
By Amber Koontz, Editorial Intern
As foodservice becomes a more important part of the convenience store, it is important that stores are providing the food that customers desire. It is no secret that Americans love pizza, and that love is only getting stronger.
In the past year, pizza sales have increased 20% in convenience stores. This is great news for the industry, but the question is: “Why have consumers begun searching for pizza outside of specialty shops?” It is the answer to this question that will guide you to becoming a successful pizza provider.
In a society that values immediacy, one of the most prominent reasons customers visit convenience stores is for speed. When a customer orders a pizza from a pizza shop, there is often a long wait involved in the process of receiving their pizza. With consumers’ busy schedules, they don’t have time to sit around and wait for their food, they have to eat when they have time, and often quickly. A number of convenience stores have ovens that are capable of making a pizza in under 10 minutes. That speed, along with hot and ready options that consumers can grab-and-go, is what customers find most appealing about purchasing pizza from a convenience store.
Another appealing aspect of convenience store pizza is its competitive pricing. Customers love the thought of a personal pizza. A hungry customer may not be satisfied by a single slice, but they don’t want a whole pizza that will go to waste, so they opt for the personal pizza. The reason they buy their personal pizza from your store is that they would pay almost double for the same pizza at a specialty shop, and they don’t have to wait more than ten minutes when they purchase their pizza from your store.
Customers are always looking for something new and exciting, and on top of limited time offers, convenience stores offer something that few, if any, pizza shops offer: breakfast. A great deal of pizza shops do not open until noon or later, after the breakfast hour has come to an end, and they only offer foods fitting for lunch and dinner, but many convenience stores are taking advantage of those unclaimed hours and creating pizzas that are breakfast appropriate. Breakfast pizzas with egg, sausage, bacon and cheese are becoming popular among convenience store customers.
