Competing with large chain stores can be difficult but the small business owner has a greater ability to adapt quickly to popular trends.  One important trend to take note of is the upgrade in food offerings.  Gone are the days of the over-priced pre-packaged tuna sandwich.  Business owners that are looking to remain competitive are wise to look into menu improvements.  Much like the restaurant industry, the increased demand for healthy and fresh foods has affected sales in convenience stores across the country.  While it’s a good idea to offer local favorites you should also experiment with different tastes.  Unique foods will create brand loyalty and will help to increase your sales of other products.  While there can be some limitations when it comes to space and equipment, the investment in better food can spawn an entirely new revenue source.  Here we’ve outlined some of the different types of menu items that can take your C-Store to the next level.

Deli

Opening a fully functioning deli within your store is one of the best ways to give your food offering an upgrade.  Made to order sandwiches created with quality bread and fresh ingredients can make your store a go to for busy professionals looking for a quick lunch.  They also appeal to travelers and late night patrons when there may not be other options available.  There are several investments you’ll need to make to get going such as a slicer, deli case and finding distributors.

Fresh Produce

Fresh produce provides customers with a quick healthy option and profit margins on these items can be significant.  You may consider networking and partnering with a local produce stand owner to use for inventory and cross promotion.  Many patrons are looking for healthier alternatives to traditional convenience store food and offering fresh produce will broaden your customer base.  This requires minimal investment and can be a great supplement to other fresh offerings.

Made To Order

Simply offering food that isn’t pre-packaged can be enough to keep customers coming back.  Offering traditional items such as pizza, hot dogs and other local favorites can be a big draw, but making your made to order selection diverse is what will bring a big impact on business.  Coming up with 5-10 unique dishes to start will help you gauge the popularity of your menu items.  Once you’ve identified your most popular dishes, you can create your menu around them.  Offer weekly specials and at least one new item each month.  This will keep your menu fresh and allow you to develop a regular following.  You will also want to open up to the idea of taking pre-orders over the phone or online.

Hot and Ready

While most people prefer to have something made to order, there will be moments where they simply don’t have the time.  Having hot favorites ready to go at a moment’s notice will help you take advantage of a customer base that is almost always in a hurry.  You will want to make sure food does not sit very long and is packaged properly.  Just because the food is not being made to order, you should not sacrifice quality for convenience.

To-Go Boxes

While offering fresh food options is a great way to bring in customers and increase revenue, the small extras are where you can make a big difference on the bottom line.  Bundling your foods with potato chips, drinks and pre-made salads will help you capitalize on high profit margin items.  To-Go boxes also make it easier for your patrons to transport their purchases as most people will be immediately getting back into their car after visiting your store.

Convenience store food has become so popular that it is beginning to impact the revenue of fast food restaurants.  The more high quality your food choices you can provide, the better chance people will become regular customers. Looking for a way to implement these upgrades in your C- Store? Quikstone Capital Solutions specializes in helping small businesses maximize their revenue. A merchant cash advance from Quikstone Capital Solutions is a business loan alternative that can help your business thrive and prosper. It's an easy and fast approval process with no application fees. Contact us today to learn how you can qualify for a merchant cash advance.