The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has released its latest rankings for convenience store chains, and the results may surprise those who assume Buc-ee's dominates the sector. According to the 2025 report, a Midwest grocery retailer, Meijer, has claimed the top spot, dethroning last year's leader, Kwik Trip.
Meijer, which operates hundreds of grocery stores across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Kentucky, also runs fueling stations at many locations. These stations earned the highest customer satisfaction scores among the more than two dozen brands surveyed by the ACSI. The report, based on customer feedback, evaluated factors such as store hours, food quality, layout, cleanliness, merchandise variety, and coffee freshness.
Meijer improved its score by five points to 82 out of 100. The ACSI noted that customers appreciated the retailer's rewards program, which reportedly saved shoppers $200 million over the past year. This loyalty initiative appears to have played a significant role in boosting satisfaction.
Despite Meijer's overall national lead, it did not rank as the top brand in its own region. In the Midwest, Sheetz edged out Meijer by one point. Regionally, Wawa took the top spot in both the Northeast and the South, narrowly beating Buc-ee's in the latter. In the West, Maverik and QuikTrip tied for first.
The full rankings, out of 100, are as follows: Meijer (82), QuikTrip/Sheetz/Wawa (80), Kwik Trip and Murphy USA (79), and Buc-ee's, Maverik, Pilot, RaceTrac, and Shell (77). Notably, Kwik Trip experienced the largest decline, dropping six points from last year's score. Love's, Cumberland Farms, and Sunoco each fell five points.
Conspicuously absent from the list are warehouse giants Costco and Sam's Club. However, their business model requires customers to enter the store to purchase food and beverages, rather than accessing them directly from the fuel pump, which places them outside the traditional convenience store category.
The ACSI's findings highlight shifting consumer preferences, with regional grocery-affiliated fuel stations gaining ground over dedicated convenience chains. As the sector evolves, these satisfaction metrics could influence how retailers invest in their offerings.
For context, the broader retail landscape has seen its own controversies, such as pushback on digital price tags in some grocery stores. Meanwhile, political debates over consumer policies continue, but the ACSI report focuses purely on customer experience.
