Wawa has slipped from first place to a second-place tie in the latest national customer satisfaction rankings for convenience stores, according to new data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Convenience Store Study 2025.
Overall customer satisfaction across the industry remained steady at 76 out of 100, but Wisconsin-based Kwik Trip surged 8% to a score of 84, taking the top spot. Last year’s leader, Wawa, held steady at 82, tying with Sheetz, which rose 4% year over year.
QuikTrip (80), Buc-ee’s (79), and Love’s Travel Stops (79) followed. At the lower end, Casey’s General Stores dropped 5% to 75 amid rapid expansion, while BP fell 4% to 74. ampm ranked last at 73.
The findings underscore the wide disparity among convenience store chains, with those emphasizing high-quality food and beverage options in clean, inviting settings outperforming competitors offering a more basic experience.
“This striking gap in satisfaction should serve as a wake-up call for brands to rethink what truly drives loyalty today,” said Forrest Morgeson, associate professor of marketing at Michigan State University and director of research emeritus at ACSI. “The brands rising to the top are doing more than just selling coffee and snacks. They’re building communities inside their stores.”
The report also highlights how mobile apps and rewards programs are shaping customer experience. Roughly one-third of respondents said they have used a convenience store’s mobile app, a number that jumps to 60% among loyalty rewards members. App quality, reliability, and mobile order pickup all improved 3% to 4% from last year.
Rewards program members reported an average satisfaction score of 79, compared to 74 for nonmembers, and were more likely to visit their preferred store at least once a week.
The Wawa–Sheetz rivalry remains alive and well in regional rankings. The two brands tied for the top spot in the Northeast and appeared again among the top performers in the South, where Wawa narrowly outpaced Sheetz and Buc-ee’s.
Despite slipping from first place, Wawa continues to score highly for food quality, convenience, and customer loyalty — hallmarks of the chain’s strong presence across the Mid-Atlantic and growing footprint in the South.
