SunStop,
the convenience store subsidiary of Southwest
Georgia Oil Co. (SWGA Oil),
is stepping confidently into the family dinner market with its new “Feed the
Fam — $5 After 5” campaign — a deal that proves the modern C-store is no
longer just a pit stop; it’s a mealtime destination.
The
promotion, available Monday through Friday, offers families a
made-from-scratch, home-style dinner for just $5 per person —
including two chicken tenders or legs, two sides, and a roll,
with rotating daily specials such as baked spaghetti, chicken pot pie,
chicken alfredo, and meatloaf.
Sides
include comfort favorites like mac & cheese, collard greens, mashed
potatoes, and tater logs — signaling that SunStop understands what
working families crave most: value, comfort, and convenience.
“We’re
proud to offer made-from-scratch meals at a price families can afford,” said Michelle
Weckstein, Director of Food & Beverage Brands for SWGA Oil. “It’s about
giving families a wholesome option they can feel good about.”
How Other C-Stores Set the Table for Foodservice Success
SunStop
joins an elite circle of convenience chains that have proven foodservice is the
real profit driver of the C-store sector.
Wawa
1. Hoagies
Built an Empire — Wawa transformed from gas stop to destination
dining through its made-to-order hoagies and fresh coffee program, now
driving more than 60% of in-store sales.
2. Family
Bundles During COVID — Wawa’s “Family Meal Bundles”
(featuring chicken strips, sides, and mac & cheese) were a pandemic hit
that persisted post-COVID, anchoring the chain’s dinner appeal.
Sheetz
1. MTO
(Made-to-Order) Customization — Sheetz proved that convenience can
be culinary, offering burgers, wraps, salads, and breakfast all day —
designed fresh, fast, and fun.
2. Family
Box Meals — Their mix-and-match meal boxes
became go-to options for families, demonstrating that convenience and community
dining can coexist beautifully.
7-Eleven
1. 7-Eleven
Kitchen & Hot-to-Go — With pizza, wings, and sandwiches
baked on-site, 7-Eleven blurred the line between fast food and grocery.
2. Delivery
Partnerships — Through Uber Eats and DoorDash,
7-Eleven brought ready-to-eat convenience straight to the dinner table,
expanding its share of the “What’s for dinner?” market.
Why SunStop’s Family Meal Deal Will Work
1. Price
Meets Pain Point – With food inflation still squeezing
wallets, 72% of families report cutting back on restaurant dining (Technomic
2025). SunStop’s $5 offer delivers restaurant-style food at drive-thru value.
2. Southern
Comfort, Done Right – Fried chicken, collards, and baked
casseroles are regionally beloved dishes. By leaning into local comfort
food, SunStop taps emotional and cultural cues that build loyalty.
3. Convenience
Reimagined – With over 70 stores across
Georgia and Florida, SunStop is perfectly positioned to serve both
commuters and local families who see C-stores as an everyday food source.
4. Foodservice
= Profit Engine – According to NACS,
foodservice now drives 36% of total in-store sales and over 57% of
gross profit margin, making it the fastest-growing category in convenience
retail.
Grocerant Guru® Data-Driven Insights: The Mealtime Shift
The
Grocerant Guru®
has been tracking the explosive rise of the Grocerant Meal — defined as “Ready-2-Eat”
or “Heat-N-Eat” meals sold in grocery stores, C-stores, and
nontraditional outlets. Current data shows this trend is transforming all
three mealtimes:
Breakfast
·
48% of breakfast meals
purchased outside the home are now Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat, driven by
portable sandwiches, burritos, and bakery items (NPD/IRI 2024).
·
C-stores own this daypart,
with 7-Eleven, Wawa, and Casey’s leading growth in breakfast food sales — up 10.8%
year-over-year.
Lunch
·
52% of all lunch
occasions** now fall under the grocerant category — customers are choosing
grab-and-go wraps, bowls, and hot meals over full-service dining (Technomic’s
“Center Store Revamp” 2025).
·
For Millennials and Gen Z, lunch “from
a convenience store” is now viewed as on par with fast-casual, thanks to
better quality and variety.
Dinner
·
57% of all dinners
purchased outside the home are Ready-2-Eat or Heat-N-Eat meals, often
replacing traditional restaurant visits (NPD Foodservice Monitor 2025).
·
This is where SunStop’s new program
fits perfectly: families want the comfort of home-cooked food, the speed
of fast food, and the price of convenience.
Grocerant Guru® Forecast: Convenience Is the New Kitchen
“We’ve
passed the tipping point,” says the Grocerant Guru®,
noting that 50%+ of all meals today are grocerant meals. “Consumers
aren’t cooking less out of laziness — they’re redefining what ‘cooking at
home’ means.”
1. Time-starved
consumers (especially dual-income families) are
replacing meal prep with curated convenience.
2. Perceived
freshness and quality now drive purchase intent more than
price alone.
3. C-store
kitchens are the new frontier — filling the
gap between grocery stores and restaurants.
The
Ready-2-Eat / Heat-N-Eat category is forecasted to grow another 8%
annually through 2028, making it one of the most dynamic sectors in food
retail.
Think About This
SunStop’s
“Feed the Fam — $5 After 5” program is more than a meal deal; it’s a strategic
step into the future of food retail. By combining price, quality, and
convenience, SunStop isn’t just serving dinner — it’s serving the next
evolution of dining.
If
Wawa, Sheetz, and 7-Eleven proved that C-stores can be credible kitchens,
SunStop just proved that they can also be the family dinner table.
Let’s Build a Partnership for Growth
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for the right partner to drive sales and amplify your marketing
impact? Success leaves clues—and we may have the exact insight you
need to propel your business forward.
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innovative food marketing and business development strategies with Foodservice
Solutions®.
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