On April 28, York, Pa.-based Rutter’s will accept the 2010 Community Service Award at the York County Chamber of Commerce’s “Spirit of York” breakfast. The award recognizes an organization for having a culture that motivates its employees to be personally involved in community service. “Rutter’s has been a strong champion of the community,” said Bob…

Wi-Fi is a trendy offering customers are clamoring for, and it’s starting to appear at more c-store locations, including BP, Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes and Rutter’s Farm Stores, especially as chains expand their foodservice programs and look for new ways to pull foot traffic into the store. Coffee shops, such as Starbucks have long…

York, Pa.-based Rutter’s Farm Stores, which operates 55 c-stores in Pennsylvania has introduced pigtails in a cup, as well as sliced roast pork au jus and a number of other new items. The new food menu items will be offered at its 38 stores that have touch-screen ordering. An order of pigtails comprises two hot…

When it comes to sanitation and store cleanliness, looks speak for themselves. Whether it’s the front counter, the forecourt or the restrooms, convenience store operators must monitor the message they are sending to customers. “If you’re in this business and want to stay in this business your customer is going to tell you what their…

The latest technologies being used to manage c-store foodservice programs—from touchscreens and POS ordering terminals to digital signage—are allowing marketers to enhance communications and streamline operations. Touchscreens communicate the menu in a very efficient way. This is especially important as chains look to build incremental sales and make more subtle changes like expanding the number…

For the fifth year in a row, Rutter’s Farm Stores and the nonprofit Support Our American Recruits will send Valentine’s Day goodie boxes to area troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan or Kuwait. The organizations plan to send about 50 boxes – each containing enough items for a military unit of 15 to 20 people. Area…

At first look, boosting business with breakfast sales may seem like a strange idea in these tough economic times as today’s high unemployment means fewer workers stopping for breakfast en route to work. The fact that teenagers and men between the ages of 18-35, who are some of the c-store industry’s most frequent visitors, have…

Confusion Reigns Supreme C-store operators aren’t the only ones left scratching their heads by the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) first foray into tobacco regulation.During the FDA’s teleconference, Catherine Lorraine, a lawyer for the administration, said, “I just want to draw your attention to the portion of the definition of a cigarette, which specifically refers…

Sorting through all of the dynamics at work in the smokeless tobacco category is proving a complex calculation for convenience store operators and consumers alike. For example: retail prices rose with the April 1 passage of an increase to the Federal Excise Tobacco (FET) tax to fund an expansion of SCHIP, the State Children’s Health…

Americans are more amenable to buying meals at convenience stores, but won’t budge when it comes to quality, price or convenience factors like portability and packaging. That means there’s the potential for some real money in home meal replacement (HMR), but it has to be done well, and in just the right locations. Then there’s…