One in Six Americans Has Worked at a C-store

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — One in six American adults has worked in a convenience store, gas station or corner store, and found that their job gave them valuable experience in how to work with people and how to operate a business.

The recent national consumer survey by NACS, the Association for Convenience Fuel & Retailing, also found that less than a quarter of those surveyed (17 percent) said they have worked at a c-store, gas station or corner store. Of that total: 91 percent said they learned how to work with people; 86 percent said the experience they gained was valuable; and 82 percent said that they learned about how businesses are run.

Approximately 71 percent of those who worked at a c-store said they would recommend this type of work to others, especially as a first job. On the same hand, Americans who worked at a c-store as a first job are equally as positive about the experience, with 83 percent who said the work experience was valuable and 74 percent who said the wages they earned were consistent with the level of experience.

Americans who had a c-store job in college noted educational value and flexible hours as job benefits. Of those surveyed, 90 percent said they learned a lot about how businesses are run and 81 percent said the job offered a flexible work schedule that allowed them to schedule work around other things in life.

Adult Americans who had never worked in a c-store were equally positive about the job opportunities available at c-stores, as well. Overall, 85 percent said c-stores are great summer jobs for high school or college students, and 83 percent said c-stores offer good first jobs for those looking to enter the workforce.

Additionally, they said they see c-store jobs as a potential path toward managing or owning a small business. More than two in three non-c-store employees (71 percent) agreed that it is common for workers who work hard to become managers or eventually own their own businesses.

“Convenience stores conduct more than 160 million customer transactions a day and fuel 80 percent of the vehicles on the roads today. None of this would be possible without the 2.5 million employees who serve busy Americans every day — and around the clock. These jobs also provide opportunities — whether to gain valuable business experience as you earn an income, or to eventually grow your own small business,” said NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives Jeff Lenard. 

The NACS survey was conducted online by Penn Schoen Berland. During September, it surveyed 1,111 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month.