Meat Perspectives: The Convenience of Meat

As the name suggests, these stores were originally designed to offer a limited selection of food, beverages, and household goods in easily accessible locations with extended hours, making shopping easier. While this remains the primary purpose of convenience stores, the variety of products offered, especially ready-to-eat MEAT and poultry products, makes these stores a highly attractive market for the meat industry.

According to ScrapeHero, the five largest convenience stores in the United States in 2025 are: 7-Eleven (9,348 stores in 41 states); Alimentation Couche Tard (6,856 stores in 46 states); Circle K (6,854 stores in 46 states); Speedway (2,987 stores in 34 states); and Casey's (2,729 stores in 17 states). Circle K is part of the Alimentation Couche Tard chain and could be included on this list twice.

In the mid-20th century, gas stations began to transform into convenience stores, moving from full-service to self-service. The growing population of suburbs allowed them to expand their market share by offering a wider selection of goods. Today, it's rare to find a convenience store that doesn't also offer fuel. Customers can stop for gas, a snack or drink, a few everyday essentials, and then continue on their way.

With the development of the Interstate Highway System, the volume of automobile and commercial traffic increased significantly, necessitating stops for gas, food, drinks, and restrooms. What began as truck stops designed to service medium- and long-haul trucks and their drivers have evolved into more upscale tourist destinations offering a wide selection of fuel, food, drinks, and other options. These destinations often feature national fast-food restaurants. Others, such as Texas-based Buc-ee's, have created their own unique appeal by offering unique tourist destinations.

Prepared meat products offered in convenience stores and tourist centers offer consumers a wide range of options for snacking or preparing full meals and fit into our busy lives. We can turn our cars into cafeterias. Here are examples of meat products found in convenience stores and tourist centers.

You can often find grills with sausages or hot dogs where you can cook your food. Customers can place a hot sausage in a bun and add their favorite condiments. 7-Eleven offers the "Big Bite" sausage, first introduced on a signature grill in 1988, and sells approximately 100 million of them annually.

There's perhaps no better on-the-go snack than jerky . Its long shelf life makes it a great choice for grocery stores, and its flavor and convenience make it ideal for snacking between meals. What was once a standard smoked, dried, and seasoned beef product has evolved into national brands (e.g., Jack Link's, Old Trapper, Tillamook, etc.) with a variety of seasonings and flavors (e.g., original, teriyaki, spicy, Korean BBQ, peppercorn, lemon pepper, sweet and sour, hot, sweet and sour, and jalapeño). While beef dominates this market, other jerky products may be available in some markets, such assalmon , venison andturkey .

Dominated by Jack Link's and Slim Jim, this category features small-diameter, dry sausages of varying lengths. The variety of sizes and flavors is astounding. Just glance at the shelves to see original, mild sausages with spicy red pepper, teriyaki, and pickle flavors, as well as, interestingly, a variety of flavored products from other brands. For example, Slim Jim's Tabasco Seasoned Smoke Snack Sticks and Fritos Chili Cheese Meat SticksJack Link's MEAT Stick, Jack Link's Doritos Sweet & Tangy BBQ Flavored Meat Stick, Jack Link's Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili Flavored Meat Stick, and Jack Link's Doritos Cool Ranch Chicken Strips.

Some snack sticks are marketed to capitalize on their popularity in the entertainment world. Cattlemen's Cut offers sticks made from Yellowstone Angus and Yellowstone American Wagyu beef, while Slim Jim continues the tradition of wrestler Randy "Macho Man" Savage by featuring the new lineup of WWE stars: Los Angeles Knight, Bianca Belair, and Jey Uso. Nearly all products tout the protein content of their meat sticks, positioning them as a snack for active and energetic people.

Simple ham sandwiches or ham and cheese sandwiches sold in the refrigerated section have long been a staple of convenience stores. With the advent of microwave ovens, pre-packaged hamburgers and cheeseburgers have become popular in convenience stores, allowing customers to purchase and heat up food right in the store. The popularity of wraps—combinations of meat, cheese, lettuce, and condiments wrapped in a wheat tortilla—makes them a great option for on-the-go snacking.

Some large convenience stores and tourist centers often feature various barbecue grills where you can buy hot sandwiches. Some meat products are prepared by third-party suppliers and sold in the company's own stores, and their aroma entices customers to make impulse purchases.

While there's no clear definition between a burrito and a taco, burritos are typically larger and fully wrapped in a tortilla, while tacos can be smaller and may or may not be fully wrapped. Regardless of the choice, both are great for convenience stores, offering customers a snack or a full meal with various combinations of sausage , bacon, cheese, eggs, potatoes, and/or beans served in a wheat tortilla. Allsup's website boasts, "The world's favorite burrito! Serving the world-famous burrito for 50 years."

The ease of making tacos has led some convenience stores to offer fresh, made-to-order meals, and many customers stop by on their way to work or school to grab a burrito or taco along with their favorite drink to start their day.

With the rise of convenience stores and travel destinations in the United States, the role of meat as a staple or ingredient in a variety of dishes will continue to grow. Meat processing companies should continue to monitor this promising retail landscape to develop and promote products that fit our on-the-go lifestyles.