GasBuddy debuts new consumer ranking for fuel, convenience brands

(July 11, 2019) BOSTON — GasBuddy has debuted its new consumer ranking of fuel and convenience store (c-store) brands with 4,000+ locations in the second quarter report card based on more than 2 million ratings submitted by GasBuddy users in the app between April 1 -  June 30, 2019.

The rankings for the 4,000+ locations as well as four additional number-of-location segments examine fuel and c-store retailers in the six categories of cleanliness, coffee, customer service, outdoor lighting, restrooms, and overall experience.

In the 4,000+ location segment, California-based Chevron takes the top spot in four categories including cleanliness, customer service, outdoor lighting and overall experience while Ohio-based Marathon tops the coffee category and Texas-based Mobil received the highest ratings in the restroom category.

In addition to number-of-location segment rankings, GasBuddy continues its “Top 101 Fuel and Convenience Brands” list with Texas-based Buc-ee’s receiving the highest ratings overall in the GasBuddy app. Rounding out the top five on the list is newcomer Utah-based Holiday Oil (2) as well as Tennessee-based Twice Daily (3), Wisconsin-based Kwik Trip (4) and Oklahoma-based QuikTrip (5).

“Millions of Americans hit the road for the start of the summer driving season in the second quarter, and more drivers on the road means more competition,” said Frank Beard, convenience store trends analyst at GasBuddy.

“Many of the highest-rated brands saw downward movement quarter-over-quarter as they contend for seasonal market share with their fuel and foodservice offerings. Notably, a few brands have entered the list of the 15 highest-rated brands for the first time, including Holiday Oil, Gate and Byrne Dairy.”

Highlights

    • The Northeast and the South each have five fuel and convenience brands in the top 15 of GasBuddy’s ‘Top 101 Fuel and Convenience Brands’, making them the regions in the U.S. with the most top-rated brands.

    • Casey’s General Store (1,000+ locations) and Buc-ee’s (30-49 locations) captured top ratings in their respective segments in Q1 and Q2 in all six categories.

    • Twice Daily sweeps the second quarter rankings in their segment (50-249 locations) with the highest ratings in five of six categories, with Bellstores taking the top spot for highest rated gas station coffee.

    • Outdoor lighting received the most ratings out of any category, followed by customer service and cleanliness.

Methodology

For GasBuddy’s Top 101 Fuel and Convenience Brands, GasBuddy examined ratings and reviews data in the GasBuddy app from April 1 - June 30, 2019 focusing on the overall experience category.

The remainder of the report examines station ratings and reviews data in the GasBuddy app from the same timeframe, dividing brands into five segments based on the total number of retail locations. Segments are classified based on the number of U.S. locations listed on GasBuddy. Categories for each segment include cleanliness, coffee, customer service, outdoor lighting, restrooms, and overall experience.