In 1963, the first convenience store never closed its doors, operating 24/7 in Las Vegas. Soon, other c-stores followed, and 24/7 convenience stores became part of the retail landscape in the United States and beyond. In fact, nearly all of Japan’s convenience stores, called konbinis, stay open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In the U.S., travel centers catering to truck drivers like Love’s Travel Stops and Pilot Flying J have long been open all the time, but other convenience store chains also find never closing to be an added value to their customers.
“Convenience stores by their very nature are essential to their communities, providing food, fuel and drinks to travelers and locals alike,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives. “Stores near highways and those close to factories, hospitals and warehouses with 24/7 operations are more likely to be open 24 hours to serve those workers and to prep for the next day’s morning rush.”
Convenience retailers take seriously their mission to serve their communities and that can mean operating 24/7. “Our mission at RaceTrac is to make people’s lives simpler and more enjoyable,” said Eric Ritter, executive director of store support for RaceTrac. The Atlanta-based chain has more than 500 locations throughout the south. “To do that, we believe we need to be available for our guests to get ‘Whatever Gets Them Going,’ regardless of the hour.”
“Our customers like that we’re there for them, whether they’re leaving early on a family road trip or coming off work from a warehouse job,” said JT McGlynn, director of operations for The PRIDE Stores Inc., owned by Parent Petroleum Inc. and based in St. Charles, Illinois. The majority of overnight customers include truckers and warehouse workers who stop by daily for drinks, snacks and fuel. “Our customers count on us to be open when other stores are closed,” McGlynn said.
WHY 24 HOURS
The reasons for operating 24/7 are similar for these retailers. “RaceTrac has maintained 24/7 operations at most of our stores for well over 20 years now,” said Ritter. “While we constantly assess and adjust (where needed) what critical tasks are performed on what shifts, we have not made major adjustments to our hours.”
While we do close our foodservice or quick-service restaurants overnight, we still have fresh grab-and-go items available, along with all the other products stocked at each store."
RaceTrac makes its round-the-clock operations work by establishing standardized training, effective scheduling, good processes and a safety-first mindset. “This allows us to maintain our facilities while still serving guests regardless of the hour,” Ritter said.
All 16 of The PRIDE Stores operate 24/7. “We’re always available for the customer, and we are always ready for the next day,” said McGlynn. In recent years, he’s seen a handful of other c-stores cease 24/7 operations in the Chicago area, but it’s not something PRIDE has considered. “We try to take convenience to the next level by making it a priority that we are there to serve our community,” McGlynn said. “And that includes being open all the time for our customers.”
McGlynn pointed out the need for overnight shift workers to have a place to pick up food or fuel when going to or getting off work. “While we do close our foodservice or quick-service restaurants overnight, we still have fresh grab-and-go items available, along with all the other products stocked at each store,” he said. All coffee and fountain drinks are also available during all hours of operation.
Rutter’s has operated nearly every store 24 hours for a long time. “We make 24-hour operations work by having great management and employees in our stores,” said Chris Hartman, senior director of fuels, forecourt, advertising and construction for Rutter’s. “In this day and age, being open 24 hours is a competitive advantage that makes us a destination stop in customers’ minds no matter the time.”
THE 24-HOUR CHALLENGE
Never closing presents its own unique set of circumstances for retailers. For example, The PRIDE Stores sometimes struggles with finding enough workers for the overnight shift. “While the majority of our overnight staff we’ve had for years, finding new workers for the third shift can be difficult at times,” McGlynn said. While some stores have a single staffer on-site overnight, others have two or more employees on staff and security.
For PRIDE, the third shift is key to its overall operations. “Our third shift is really about getting ready for the next day’s business—we see it as a very important position,” McGlynn said. “When you have the right third shift, it sets you up for a more successful morning.”
RaceTrac pays close attention to store volume and traffic, as well as which items are for sale and when, especially overnight. “In many cases, our third shifts are a little slower, and we take on more detailed cleaning activities. In order to set our teams up for success, we have to make some adjustments at sites that have heavier overnight traffic,” Ritter said. “This could be as simple as increasing our staffing overnight or shifting the cleaning schedule on a critical piece of equipment to a slower time of day.”
We make 24-hour operations work by having great management and employees in our stores."
SAFETY FIRST
All these retailers say security is vital to ensuring the safety of both customers and employees. Both RaceTrac and PRIDE have professional security at designated locations, as well as safety procedures in place to protect their workers and customers.
“We have strict policies in place to keep our teams safe at all locations,” Ritter said. Those policies include telling employees to stay inside the building and locking the doors and serving customers through a window if a worker is alone or feels unsafe. “We also provide personal panic alarms for our managers to wear, which directly contact local authorities if activated.”
In addition, PRIDE and RaceTrac proactively seek to develop relationships with local law enforcement within the communities they serve by providing free fountain and coffee drinks to police and other emergency workers. (For more on store security, see “Security Check” in the September issue.)
OVERNIGHT STAFFING
These retailers say that having the right people working overnight makes a huge difference. Many third-shift workers have been with PRIDE Stores for many years. “You have to make them part of the employee community and keep them engaged,” McGlynn said. “You want them to know they are not the forgotten shift but an integral part of the business.”
PRIDE Stores has managers update the third-shift workers in person at least once a week to be sure the employees are aware of any companywide sales or employee policy updates. “I’m a big believer you get out what you put in, which means the more tasks and programs you let people be a part of, the better employee retention you’ll have,” McGlynn said. “For example, we make sure they are assessed for raises and annual wage reviews the same way as our other employees.”
RaceTrac recognizes not every employee is suited to overnight work. “It’s generally more difficult to find team members who are an ideal fit for overnight work,” Ritter said. “It’s also challenging to handle unexpected callouts, as fewer people are readily available to come in at a moment’s notice to pick up a shift overnight.”
That said, RaceTrac has found the overnight schedule to work well for many people’s lives better than day shifts for the flexibility it affords for handling daytime commitments. The chain also pays higher rates for overnight workers.
Rutter’s also incentivizes the third shift with additional pay to help with staffing. “We see the overnight shift as giving job opportunities to more people, including those who are furthering their education during the day and are looking to work as well,” Hartman said. “For Rutter’s, being open 24 hours gives customers another reason to say, ‘Rutter’s ... Why Go Anywhere Else?’”
A 24-HOUR FUTURE
Retailers considering 24/7 operations should ensure they have the right security policies in place as well as an overall idea of specific overnight tasks, such as deep cleaning foodservice machines or prepping for the morning rush. “We’ve always viewed the third shift as the foundation of our business,” McGlynn said. “We don’t measure the success of our overnight shifts by sales numbers alone—we view it as essential to getting our stores ready for the next day,” he said.
“More than anything, it’s really about being there for our guests whenever they need us,” Ritter pointed out. “That’s what convenience is all about.”