[Posted to CSP Daily News by Amelia Levin]
The roller grill has long been c-store territory, but as new and established restaurant concepts elevate encased meats with unique proteins, breads and toppings, convenience retailers have new opportunities to boost sales with expanded offerings. Even simple changes, such as introducing a toppings bar, can improve value perceptions and even day-part sales.
Keep reading at CSPDailyNews.com
[Posted to Convenience Store Products by Maggie Hennessy]
The fact that c-stores own grab-and-go among various consumers and occasions works hugely in their favor as foodservice technology looks to hit that sweet spot of speed and quality. And certainly, some c-stores don’t have the available footprint to host a group like Fooda. But awareness of the changing foodservice landscape is an advantage in itself.
Keep reading at CStoreProductsOnline.com
[Posted to Convenience Store Decisions by Marilyn Odesser-Torpey]
Article rightly points to the low-labor (not no-labor) tactic that successful operators should be taking with their roller grill set up in order to the most value out of it, and keep it appealing to customers - all day, every day.
Some retailers continue to view the roller grill as a no-labor option to establish a foodservice presence. But, in reality, it requires a dedicated portion of labor to keep it clean, stocked and rotated throughout the day and to do sampling, Miller said. And while hot dogs may be the standard fare, customers have also come to expect to find a wider assortment of high quality products on the roller grill.
Read more at cstoredecisions.com.
[Posted to Convenience Store Decisions by Marilyn Odesser-Torpey]
While offering some insights on keeping the grill cleaned and stocked, Odesser-Torpey also reports that Think Marketing, a consulting with heavy on foodservice tells them:
All operators should value their roller grill customers because they generally spend more, visit more often, rate convenience stores higher, are more loyal and are more concerned about the quality, visual appeal and temperature of the food than average customers…
[Posted to Convenience Store Decisions by Jeffrey Steele]
The roller grill continues to be a primary component of convenience store food offerings, even as more upscale offerings are being placed alongside them.
“I tell my employees all the time, ‘You never slow the roll,’” Carter said. “You keep it full because it won’t sell nearly as well half-full.”
That’s just one of many stratagems used by c-store operators from coast to coast to maximize the profit potential of that most basic store essential, the tried-and-true roller grill.
Even as c-stores roll out more and more sophisticated foodservice operations, the roller grill continues rolling along as a staple for many establishments, and for good reason.
[Posted to csnews.com by John Oros, Sara Lee Foodservice]
This same new mindset needs to be applied to the traditional lunch and dinner dayparts as well. A lunch and dinner-ready store should have its warmers full of handhelds, and its roller grill fully stocked and ready for purchase. Your traditional lunchtime customer might come in looking for a hot dog off the roller and a soda, but what if a customer comes in on his way to an evening shift looking for a quick breakfast? It’s important to make some breakfast SKUs available all day so that operators can benefit from these new habits.
Read more at csnews.com.
[Posted to cstoredecisions.com by Howard Riell]
Taking steps to promote innovative products and value pricing can elevate the whole roller grill experience to drive new sales.
Convenience store operators looking to spice up their roller grill offerings have more tools at their disposal than ever before, including the weather, as autumn spurs consumers to seek hot, savory snacks and foods on the run.
In addition, a host of other steps that convenience stores can take, from savvy promotions to developing proprietary items, can help sales climb still higher any time of the year.
Read more at cstoredecisions.com.
[Posted to cstoredecisions.com by Howard Riell]
To keep up with the ever-changing tastes of a wide-variety of palates the roller grill is becoming more important than ever for driving sales.
When it comes to foodservice, convenience store operators often find themselves wedged unfairly between a rock and a hard place. Consumers want to indulge in food items, but they also want it healthy, affordable and quick. The margin for error is
virtually nil.
This is as true on the roller grill as in any other part of a retailer’s food offering.
Read more at cstoredecisions.com.