BOULDER, Colo. – QuikTrip is where consumers prefer to stop for gas, food and other conveniences, according to a new study by Market Force Information. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based retailer was voted the most popular convenience store chain among the more than 7,600 study participants, followed by Wawa, RaceTrac, Speedway and Arco/ampm.

“QuikTrip has done an exceptional job differentiating itself in customer service. Its focus on delivering a welcoming and efficient customer experience led it to stand out in satisfaction-driven categories including friendly associates and great service,” said Janet Eden-Harris, chief marketing officer for Market Force, in a press release. “Given its success in these areas, it was little surprise to see QuikTrip claim the title of most popular convenience store chain.”

The study was designed to uncover which convenience store chains consumers frequent the most, as well as why they prefer one to another. Market Force first calculated the favorites based on total votes, and then factored in the number of locations for each chain for a weighted view of the results.

Of the 45 chains studied, 7-Eleven and Shell initially amassed the highest number of votes, which can be attributed to the fact that they have more than 10,000 locations in North America. However, when viewed as a calculation of votes per location, QuikTrip ranked first.

Market Force found that consumers place a high value on the customer experience — from appearance to amenities — when visiting a convenience store. Store cleanliness, in particular, plays an important role in their decision about where to stop and shop. When asked what they like most about their favorite convenience store chain, cleanliness was named more than any other factor. Friendly service ranked second, amenities ranked third, coffee quality was fourth and great service was fifth.

“The top-five factors relate to fundamental customer experience, and that’s no surprise to the best players in the industry,” said Eden-Harris. “Convenience store customers are on the go and in a hurry, but they will proactively drive to a store that provides a pleasant environment — clean, friendly, great food and service. The payoff for convenience store operators is that consumers shop longer and spend more. If stores can excel in these areas, they’ll see customers make a point to return again and again.”

Prepared- and fast-food sales are steadily increasing in convenience stores across the United States and Canada, and store operators are taking note by expanding their food and seating options. In addition, product selection and pricing are growing in importance and present a sizeable opportunity for store operators to stand apart from the pack.

When Market Force looked at food and product attributes for the top-rated convenience store chains, QuikTrip and Wawa ranked first and second in nearly every category, with Wawa only dropping in promotions. Speedtrac took the top spot in promotions with 36%, followed by QuikTrip with 35%, RaceTrac with 26% and Wawa with 22%.

QuikTrip was a clear leader in merchandise selection (48%) and in and merchandise prices (35%). It slightly edged out Wawa in food quality and fell second to Wawa in food selection.

Casey’s General Store and RaceTrac performed consistently well in most categories, with RaceTrac placing in the top five across the board. ExxonMobil made a showing in the merchandise prices category, and BP for promotions.

More than a quarter of consumers are willing to drive past competitors to shop at their favorite convenience store brand, and 17% said that they always choose their favorite brand over other competitive brands, even if the competitor’s price is a little lower. This is all especially true for QuikTrip, Wawa, Speedway, RaceTrac and Arco/ampm. Forty-eight percent of survey respondents said they’d drive past a competitor to shop at QuikTrip, 46% said they’d do so for Wawa, 35% for Speedway, 34% for RaceTrac and 28% for Arco/ampm.