2026 Foodservice surge: How c-stores can profit
Canadian convenience retailers are sitting on a massive opportunity: Foodservice is expected to contribute $4 billion to Canada's foodservice industry in the upcoming year.
According to the marketing research and consulting firm Technomic, there are five trends worth considering adding to your store.
2026’s key food drivers and trends
C-stores are successfully capturing traffic from traditional restaurants by offering faster service and significantly lower average menu prices. Technomic’s data reveals that nearly one-third of all restaurant visits are for routine, everyday meals.
These are highly predictable, habitual visits driven heavily by convenience and brand loyalty: Both are factors that 62% of consumers rate as important. Retailers should take a quick survey to judge how many clients come in for breakfast or lunch and what their most popular offerings are.
Visual appeal and freshness as sales drivers
Consumers are highly motivated by sensory experiences and visual appeal ranks as the top purchase driver for prepared foods.
50% of consumers say it is highly important to actually see their prepared food being made in-store. The aroma of the food and the physical location of the prepared food area are also major traffic drivers.
Stale, pre-wrapped sandwiches hidden in a dark corner cooler suppress sales. Food needs to look, smell and taste fresh.
If space permits, leaning into a hybrid made-to-order assembly like a custom sandwich or salad bar. Another option is a visible warming display where fresh pizzas or paninis are assembled in-store will drastically elevate perceived quality.
If limited by labour, lean into premium grab-and-go formats. Use clear, high-quality packaging, bright display lighting and place the warming/cooling food kiosks near the front of the store where the aroma can actively pull customers in from the pumps.
READ: Sweet spot: How bakery goods keep convenience-gas customers coming back for more
Optimize for weekday meals for working singles
The study reveals that 30% of convenience store diners come in during weekdays for lunch. Furthermore, 41% of these diners are eating solo: Canadian c-stores are structurally built for this. Retailers should position their hot-food counters as the ultimate quick, friction-free workday lunch destination.
Single-serve, grab-and-go combo meals gaining popularity
Creating a menu option such as a sandwich, a side and a drink that is priced competitively against QSR chains have been gaining traction in convenience stores. Breakfast sandwiches that are made of English muffins, a protein filler of egg-and-or-cheese can be assembled and heated easily in a microwave.
The Technomic report cites young, multicultural and urban professionals—specifically Gen Z, millennials and South Asian Canadians—are Canada's core high-frequency limited-service restaurant (LSR) visitors.
Create high-quality, portable vegetarian and halal options (such as spiced potato wraps, chickpea-based snacks, or paneer-filled pastries) to appeal directly to these demographics. Gen Z and Gen X both enjoy multicultural snacks and international flavours and portable meals are gaining popularity with all age ranges and budgets.
READ: Canadians looking for more global flavours when it comes to food
Functional health (protein and fibre boosts)
The modern Canadian consumer is actively reorganizing how they think about food, seeking nutrition even when buying on-the-go. Over 30% of LSR consumers are more intentional about looking for protein and fibre in their orders.
Consumers want added-protein options across entrees (57% interested), sides (41%)and even indulgent beverages like milkshakes and smoothies. In short, convenience food does not necessarily mean “junk food.”
Work with suppliers to offer protein-boosted versions of classic c-store items.
Introduce fibre-rich grain bowls or high-protein breakfast sandwiches (using egg whites, turkey bacon, or plant-based proteins).
Elevate your self-serve beverage bar by adding functional mix-ins, protein powder add-on packets, or high-protein milkshakes/smoothies.
Leverage limited-time offers and global flavours
Limited-Time Offers (LTOs) are a low-risk, high-reward way to drive impulse purchases and generate buzz. Canadian trends show huge spikes in Thai-inspired dishes and fruity/botanical lemonades, according to the Technomic report.
Major brands are winning with flavour combinations like pineapple-Tajin and strawberry-jibiscus. Meanwhile, cold beverages are permanently overtaking hot drinks as the primary anchor for Canadian foodservice visits.
Make your fountain and beverage program a primary destination, not an afterthought.
Run seasonal beverage LTOs featuring trendy profiles like matcha (growing 87% in Canada), hibiscus, or Tajin-spiced fruit lemonades.
For hot foods, introduce easy-to-execute LTO wraps or bowls featuring global profiles (like a Sweet Chili Thai chicken wrap or tandoori-spiced bites) that require minimal kitchen prep but feel premium and exciting.
