Planning a cross-country road trip soon? You might want to rethink your pit stops.
The latest convenience store rankings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) are officially out.
In a shocking shift for snack lovers, Texas chain Buc-ee’s just took a massive tumble.
A new champion is crowned
Move over, Beaver Nuggets. America’s favorite convenience store for 2026 is Meijer.
The Michigan-headquartered retailer beat out more than two dozen other stores. Meijer operates 500 convenience and grocery stores across six Midwestern states.
While they aren’t in California, they have plans to expand into Pennsylvania. Keep them on your radar if you travel east.
Meijer received a score of 82 out of 100 on the ACSI. This is a massive improvement from its 2025 score of 76. It marks the largest jump in the entire study.
What drove this massive spike? Customer loyalty. Shoppers saved nearly $200 million through the chain’s mPerks loyalty program.
Plus, most Meijer locations boast 24-hour access. They also run about 244 express locations specifically designed for quick stops.
Buc-ee’s takes a surprising hit
Buc-ee’s dropped ranking comes as a massive shock. The chain is famous for its cult following. Fans love their fresh Texas brisket and signature “Beaver Nuggets”.
Yet, Buc-ee’s found itself all the way down in fourth place.
Here is how the top of the pack looks according to the data in the “Captura de pantalla 2026-10-13 065933.png” file:
- First place: Meijer scored an 82.
- Second place: QuikTrip, Sheetz, and Wawa tied with a score of 80.
- Third place: Kwik Trip fell to a 79 and tied with Murphy USA.
- Fourth place: Buc-ee’s tied with Maverik and Pilot, each scoring a 77.
Gas stations are the new fast food
The 2026 rankings were based on 9,475 customer surveys. Shoppers evaluated stores on factors like layout and merchandise. They also judged employee courtesy, efficiency, and coffee quality.
Customer satisfaction with the convenience store industry actually dipped 1% to an ACSI score of 75. Customers noted that store mobile apps are generally not useful. Many also gave low scores for bathroom and store cleanliness.
However, the food scene is rapidly changing. Convenience store food sales increased to account for over 28% of total sales.
The report revealed that 15% of prepared-food visits involve consumers choosing a convenience store over a quick-service restaurant.
Retailers are heavily investing in menu expansion and food quality. These broader food offerings have successfully expanded the role convenience stores play in consumers’ daily lives.
