CNBC Marathon dives into the world of convenience stores. One of America’s largest convenience store chains, Wawa, has gained a cultlike following in its home markets of Philadelphia and South Jersey due to its sharp focus on food and customer service. Its revenue is estimated to have more than doubled since 2014, and its workforce has grown nearly 90% since 2016 as it rapidly expands to other areas of the country. So, can the nearly $19 billion convenience chain take on major chains and local players like 7-Eleven, Buc-ee's and Casey's General Stores? America's largest convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, is going through a major transformation. Its new CEO, Stephen Dacus, wants to make its stores more like its Japanese locations where the focus will be on freshly made food. Watch the video to learn more about how parent company Seven & i Holdings is investing billions to give a makeover to the home of the Slurpee and Big Gulp. Casey’s General Stores is the third-largest convenience store chain by size and the fifth-largest pizza chain in the U.S. Aside from its focus on food service, the company has carved out a niche by going after small towns with populations of 20,000 people or less. Its share price has grown nearly 200% between September 2020 and September 2025. Can the Iowa convenience giant keep its impressive momentum? This CNBC Marathon examines the future of convenience retail and what it will take for the industry’s biggest players to stay ahead. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:10: How Wawa Is Beating Fast Food Companies At Their Own Game (Published October 2025) 10:33: Why U.S. 7-Elevens Are Adopting Japan’s Playbook (October 2025) 19:13: How Casey’s Became One of America’s Biggest Pizza Chains (Published September 2025) Produced by: Natalie Rice Edited by: Mike Heffron, Evan Lee Miller, Nic Golden Henry Additional Camera: Jason Reginato, Emily Park, Mallory Brangan, Gabriel Cortes Senior Director of Video: Tala Hadavi Additional Editing: Isabel Iino Additional Footage: AP Photos & Newsroom, Getty Images, United Dairy Farmers, Wawa, WCAU, 7-Eleven, Casey’s General Stores, Seven & i Holdings Additional Sources: Pitchbook » Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC » Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video and more. Want to get ahead at work with AI? Sign up for CNBC's new online course, Beyond the Basics: How to Use AI to Supercharge Your Work. Learn advanced AI skills like building custom GPTs and using AI agents to boost your productivity today. Sign up today: https://cnb.cx/4qKBe6H Connect with CNBC News Online Get the latest news: https://www.cnbc.com/ Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: https://cnb.cx/LinkedInCNBC Follow CNBC News on Instagram: https://cnb.cx/InstagramCNBC Follow CNBC News on Facebook: https://cnb.cx/LikeCNBC Follow CNBC on Threads: https://cnb.cx/threads Follow CNBC News on X: https://cnb.cx/FollowCNBC Follow CNBC on WhatsApp: https://cnb.cx/WhatsAppCNBC #CNBC Why Americans Are Obsessed With These Convenience Stores
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I want one in Reno, Nevada!
Amazing
you dont k ow how good you have it. i cant even buy food after 8pm -.-
Really interesting to see how different the playbooks are across these brands. Wawa leaning into food and service, 7-Eleven trying to upgrade quality, and Casey’s owning small-town markets with pizza all point to the same idea: convenience stores are not really about fuel anymore. They are becoming food destinations and daily routine stops. The ones that win seem to be the ones that pick a lane and execute it really well instead of trying to be everything.
Amazing episode!
5:09 Such a pet peave of mine. Companies all around the board aren't given the hours or labor to make their customers feel like family. It takes spending money and these convenient stores only staff one maybe 2 employee per shift
😱 We’re flat broken !!!! “ Home made coffee “
2:18 "perfecting" is a strong word.
Why doesnt 711 check up on their franchise owners? I thought it was only in NY the places are gross, but it looks like its national.
I travel a lot for work and my opinion: I’m pretty turned off of food from gas stations, outside of a bag of chips and a soda, and it’s because of my impression of their bathrooms. If it’s one that I know is usually dirty like 7-Eleven, I don’t care if they have the Japanese egg sandwiches when I know I don’t want to even step foot in those bathrooms. I will actively avoid these stations. I’m a big fan of Bucees, as I’ve never been to a dirty one. Lots of workers working, and I always pick up their sandwiches and snacks made in store. Workers have hairnets and gloves, and the work stations appear clean. I know people are constantly coming in, and know their food has to be fresh to replace the inventory being bought. To add, I’m a young woman, so for safety as well, I am very cautious of where I stop. If no Bucees on the drive, I have good experiences with QTs and Love’s.
Nothing screams soul-death like excitement over a convenience store
They don’t have any of these places in Syracuse, NY, where I live lol.
If you're from SE Pennsylvania, you know that Wawa isn't just a convenience store, it's a part of our local culture.
17:46 to stop the board from sliding, place either a nonslip pad or damp kitchen or paper towel under the board
I do miss Wawa since I moved to the west coast.
I work in a facility that has a contract with wawa and many different gas stations for a custom product within their stores and we are CRANKING them out for wawas popping up around the country. I'd love to visit one, I've never been.
Just got back from Japan a month ago and 7-11 there actually makes me want to go back because they use fresh ingredients and actually care about their customers. But I think it’s also the respect & demeanor of the average Japanese citizen that keeps the facade of those stores excellent.
Quick Trip and Buckee are only ones that excite me.
I enjoy ure videos keep it up ,, im awaiting your Rwanda 🇷🇼 video planning to visit soon
South Jersey born and raised. Wawa hasn’t been good since they stopped being an actual deli. Now their hoagies are only a step above subway.