Forecourt QSR Expansion and Emerging Food-to-Go Formats

Forecourt Foodservice Integration: Co-Branded QSR Developments

Convenience store operators are accelerating efforts to turn forecourts into destination dining hubs. On September 17, 2026, convenience retailer GoMart announced a strategic partnership with restaurant entity Galardi Group to introduce West Virginia's first Wienerschnitzel quick-service restaurants (QSRs), as reported by C-Store Dive.

Network Totals vs. New Additions

GoMart currently maintains a network total of 123 locations across West Virginia, Ohio, and Virginia. The partnership represents an initial addition of two co-branded locations in Kanawha City and Ghent, West Virginia. According to Ted Milburn, Galardi’s director of franchise development, both sites are slated to open in summer 2027. These units will be constructed as end-caps with drive-thrus attached to existing convenience stores and will feature Galardi’s Tastee Freez ice cream concept alongside Wienerschnitzel.

Over a five-year horizon, GoMart plans to evaluate further additions across its portfolio using both store conversions and new builds. This initiative builds upon GoMart’s existing co-located QSR footprint, which includes Subway and Little Caesars. Phil Shuman, president of GoMart, stated that the brand brings "a flexible restaurant model" to offer distinctive menu choices. From the supplier side, David Winter, chief development officer for Wienerschnitzel, cited GoMart’s "strong operating experience and deep knowledge of its markets" across varied formats.

GoMart’s rollout reflects a broader 2026 industry movement of c-store chains embedding established QSR concepts. Other c-store retailers executing QSR additions in 2026 include Loop Neighborhood Market, BrakeTime Corner Market, Oxxo USA, and Bolla Market.

European and International Food-to-Go Trends

In an op-ed published on September 18, 2026, Gavin Rothwell, founder of Food Futures Insights, detailed structural shifts in European and UK food-to-go markets, featured in MobilityPlaza.

Protein Expansion and Category Diversification

Protein-driven QSR chains are extending their international footprint. North American chicken brands including Dave's Hot Chicken, Chick-fil-A, and Raising Cane's are establishing market presence in Europe and the UK, with Raising Cane's scheduled to make its UK debut in early 2027.

Beyond traditional hot protein, operators are altering snacking and beverage assortments:

• Snacking: UK supermarket convenience stores have expanded meal deal snack choices from basic potato chips to over 200 lines encompassing hot savouries, fresh fruit, tapas-style items, and sweet bakery goods.
• Specialty Beverages: Beverage offers are expanding beyond traditional coffee. Specialty chain Blank Street Coffee now generates approximately half of its global sales from matcha drinks. In Ireland, c-stores have broadly implemented iced coffee offerings to capture broader customer missions.
• Compact Food Halls: Food hall formats are moving into compact retail spaces. In Denmark, operator Noahs has partnered with fuel retailers Q8 and Maxol to deploy mini food halls, while Delhaize is testing its Cravy concept in Luxembourg prior to a planned Belgian expansion.

Analysis & Strategic Hypotheses

*Analysis:* Integrating established QSR brands or specialized food formats can drive incremental forecourt foot traffic, but operators must rigorously test whether added operational complexity yields a net margin improvement.

• Hypothesis 1 (Co-Branded Off-Peak Sales): Adding soft-serve dessert concepts (Tastee Freez) to quick-service hot food concepts will increase off-peak afternoon transaction volume (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM) compared to standard c-store locations.
• *Proposed Test:* Monitor hourly POS transaction logs at the Ghent and Kanawha City stores for six months post-launch against a matched control group of standard GoMart stores, comparing off-peak ticket counts and food-to-beverage attachment rates.
• Hypothesis 2 (Specialty Beverage Margin Contribution): Introducing non-coffee options such as iced coffee or matcha modules will increase total gross beverage margin dollars without cannibalizing existing hot coffee sales.
• *Proposed Test:* Implement a 12-week trial of specialized cold beverage modules across 10 forecourt test sites, analyzing weekly unit volume, gross margin contribution, and category cannibalization against historical baselines.