How Customer Experience Drives Profits and Store Visits for Fuel Retailers

February 23, 2025

Quick Take (TL;DR)

• Customer experience is driving gross profits and store visits in fuel and convenience retail, with 60% of retailers citing expanded food offerings, 47% site enhancements, and 36% tech-enabled loyalty and promotions as top gross profit strategies.
• Engaging customers in the forecourt is increasingly influencing in-store purchases, as retailers use discounts, personalized loyalty programs, mobile apps, and digital media to convert fueling moments into store visits.
• Retailers are prioritizing loyalty, foodservice, and promotion technology upgrades to create connected customer experiences that increase repeat visits and drive long-term profitability.

The growing role of customer experience in fuel retail businesses

At Dover Fueling Solutions® (DFS), we work with fuel and convenience retailers worldwide to modernize their operations and customer engagement strategies with technology-driven solutions. From that vantage point, it’s become increasingly clear that retailers who invest in a consistent, connected customer experience are better positioned to drive customer loyalty and business growth.

To help quantify the role experience plays in retailers’ business strategies, DFS partnered with NACS to develop the Retail Rewired: 2026 Fuel & Convenience Trends Report, based on a survey of North American fuel retail leaders. Findings from the research reveal the strategies and investments retailers are using to improve profitability and draw fuelers into the convenience store, and many of these strategies share a common thread: elevating the customer experience.

How does customer experience drive profit growth in fuel and convenience retail?

Retailers that deliver on consumers’ heightened expectations will be the ones to grow market share, even in a challenging economy. The research found that fuel and convenience retailers are successfully increasing their gross profits through three primary strategies, all of which tie back to experience: 1) more food options, 2) enhanced sites and facilities, and 3) tech-enabled loyalty programs and promotions.

What fuel and convenience retailers say drives gross profit growth*

• 60% - Expanding food offering
• 47% - Site enhancements
• 36% - Adopting tech-enabled loyalty or promotions

*Multiple responses permitted

Source: DFS & NACS Retail Rewired Report, 2025

“Foodservice has been a long-evolving offer in the convenience channel. The industry has made a seismic shift from the original legacy model, with many retailers running advanced foodservice offers and/or made-to-order kitchens,” explained NACS Director of Research and Development, Jayme Gough.

This shift reflects the evolving expectations of today’s consumers. As DFS’ John Morris, Sr. Director of Anthem Product Management, put it, “Consumers have choices and expect more out of a modern c-store than a place to fuel up. They’re often looking for a quick-service restaurant, a coffee stop, or a last-minute grocery option, and the whole experience needs to be fast and frictionless.”

From foodservice to enhanced promotion technology, these profit-driving investments are creating more convenient and personalized experiences that help retailers stand out from the competition. To build long-term customer loyalty with these upgrades, retailers should focus on delivering consistent, connected service across every touchpoint. This requires the right technologies to be in place and working well together, from the dispenser to in-store checkout.

How can fuel retailers turn fueling moments into store visits?

Fuel retailers are shifting their mindset, increasingly viewing the forecourt as the starting point for customer engagement and an omnichannel marketing strategy.

“The most successful retailers right now are those who view every fueling moment as an opportunity to influence the next purchase and create an experience that continues inside the store,” explained Scott Negley, Sr. Director of Product Management at DFS.

Which tactics do retailers say are most effective in driving in-store traffic? Discounts and promotions, improved food and beverage options, and personalized loyalty programs. All of these experiences should start at the pump and bridge into the store, giving customers a reason to step inside and come back again.

The top 5 strategies retail leaders say are attracting fueling customers into the c-store*

• 48% - Discounts and promotions
• 45% - Enhanced food and beverage offerings
• 34% - Personalized loyalty programs
• 32% - Mobile apps
• 29% - Digital media or signage

*Multiple responses permitted

Source: DFS & NACS Retail Rewired Report, 2025

The research revealed that fuel retail leaders are eyeing technology and equipment investments to build upon these strategies for driving in-store purchases, with loyalty and rewards, foodservice, and promotion and advertising at the top of the upgrade list.

The top 5 upgrades fuel and convenience retailers plan to make within two years*

• 47% - Loyalty and rewards offering
• 43% - Food service equipment
• 36% - Promotion or advertising technology
• 34% - Digital signage
• 30% - Shelving and display fixtures

*Multiple responses permitted

Source: DFS & NACS Retail Rewired Report, 2025

Technology enables new ways to bridge the gap between fuel pumps and c-stores, from interactive pump screens and personalized promotions to connected loyalty programs that extend the customer journey from “fuel and go” to “fuel and shop.” At DFS, we know the business impact technology can have at the pump. Fuel stations equipped with the Anthem UX® platform are selling up to 27% more fuel and processing 28% more transactions than nearby competitors without the dispenser technology.

What fuel and convenience retailers should prioritize now

DFS and NACS research revealed that the most successful fuel and convenience retailers are taking a connected view of customer experience, linking loyalty, forecourt engagement, foodservice, and promotions into a cohesive system.

Based on what’s proving successful in driving profits and increasing store visits, retailers should prioritize:

• Treating the forecourt as a digital engagement channel. Use interactive dispenser screens and integrated media to deliver relevant offers at the pump, when customers are most attentive, and guide them into the store.
• Moving from loyalty enrollment to loyalty activation. Connect loyalty programs to pump messaging, mobile apps, and in-store promotions to influence behavior in real time.
• Aligning food offering investments with digital promotion strategies. Support foodservice with dynamic digital messaging and personalized offers that encourage fueling customers to step inside for food and beverage purchases.
• Building a connected technology ecosystem, not isolated upgrades. Prioritize platforms that enable data to flow from dispenser to store, creating a seamless customer journey.
• Delivering a consistent experience across every visit. Focus on speed, relevance, and ease across fueling and in-store touchpoints to reinforce loyalty and increase repeat store visits over time.

Customer experience is now a growth strategy in the fuel and convenience retail industry. Retailers that connect loyalty, forecourt engagement, foodservice, and digital promotion into a unified experience will drive more store visits, stronger retention, and sustained profitability. In a high-frequency industry, small improvements compound quickly, and the retailers who think holistically about experience today will define the market tomorrow.

For more competitive insight, explore the full DFS & NACS report at: https://info.doverfs.com/Retail-Rewired-2026-Fuel-and-Convenience-Trends-Report-NACS.html.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the Retail Rewired: 2026 Fuel & Convenience Trends Report?

Retail Rewired: 2026 Fuel & Convenience Trends Report is a research report from Dover Fueling Solutions in partnership with NACS exploring how fuel and convenience retailers in North America are successfully driving growth and cutting costs amid economic, technological, and competitive pressures.

How are fuel and convenience retailers improving their gross profits?

DFS and NACS found that retailers are successfully increasing gross profits with three primary tactics: expanding their food offerings (60%), enhancing their sites and facilities (47%), and adopting tech-enabled loyalty and promotion solutions (36%).

What technology investments are retailers prioritizing over the next two years?

According to DFS and NACS research, the top equipment and technology upgrades fuel retailers plan to make within the next two years include their loyalty and rewards offering (47%), food service equipment (43%), and promotion/advertising technology (36%).

How can I access the full research report?

Visit https://info.doverfs.com/Retail-Rewired-2026-Fuel-and-Convenience-Trends-Report-NACS.html to download the complete DFS Retail Rewired report.