Why subs, drinks and chicken are driving profits at Maryland’s convenience stores

The price on the gas pumps isn’t what’s driving people to stop at convenience stores today. Royal Farms has its fried chicken; Wawa has its hoagies; 7-Eleven has everything from hot dogs to taquitos. All those chains have established brands built around food rather than fuel. The importance of food to today’s convenience stores symbolizes an industry-wide shift away from a gas-first model and toward a more holistic, one-stop-shop design.