QuikTrip's Snackle Gets Starring Role in Sitcom

TULSA, Okla. — QuikTrip Corp. (QT) is going back to the 1990s to promote its Snackle line. 

The retailer created a full-length, 30-minute '90s throwback sitcom titled “Snackle Steals the Show.” The episode will be available for streaming on QuikTrip’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube pages, as well DeejayKnight’s Twitch livestream, on Friday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. Central Standard Time. The episode will also air Jan. 29 on several television stations across markets QT serves. 

“We are always trying to find disruptive ways to highlight how QuikTrip is more than a gas station,” Chad Graham, the convenience store chain's marketing strategy manager, told Convenience Store News. “With the popularity of many of the ‘90s television shows and how they continue to garner new fans through streaming platforms, we thought this could be a fun way to play up our Snackle campaign with our QT fans.” 

The sitcom includes references to QT’s Snackle, a term the retailer coined in 2020 and defined as "part snack, part meal" in the form of a perfectly satisfying food or drink from QuikTrip. A Snackle can take on many forms and taste profiles, giving it the unique ability to satisfy any craving at any time. QT Snackles can include anything from a Big Q drink or vanilla cone, to a grilled cheese sandwich, QT Kitchens fresh pretzel, or a slice of pizza.

According to Graham, QT selected a ‘90s-themed sitcom because Snackle has become a QuikTrip staple just like sitcoms were a staple of the 1990s.

“Creating a ‘90s-themed sitcom where ‘Snackle Steals the Show’ allows us to have fun with Snackle in a lighthearted, entertaining way,” he said.

While watching the episode, viewers will see several references to popular sitcoms of the era. “The intent was to play off a variety of our ‘90s sitcom favorites,” Graham noted. “We hope our fans will find references to some of their favorite sitcoms from that time period, whether they watched them in the ‘90s or the reruns that are on air today.”

QT teamed up with "Saturday Night Live" director Paul Briganti to create the program.

“During the creative process with our agency, VMLY&R, we requested concepts from a pool of directors to see how they would bring ‘Snackle Steals the Show’ to life. In the end, we felt Paul Briganti did a great job of helping us visualize how his comic relief approach would be applied to the concept,” Graham relayed.

The planning process leading up to the actual shoot took several months, while the shoot itself only took a week. The postproduction required more time to bring the right scenes together to make the stories come along.

“Finding the actors is always one of the most fun parts of doing projects like these,” Graham told CSNews. “Talent agencies work with our agency and then we go back and forth on selecting what talent we believe would be the best fit for each role.”

The best part about the project for QT is connecting with customers in a new format, with the ability to be creative and have fun while showcasing its Snackle campaign.

“Our hope is that the public will enjoy the episode and engage with us in a fun way,” Graham concluded. “Our customers love Snackle, and we hope they are entertained by the ‘90s nostalgia of ‘Snackle Steals the Show.’ We’ve also created some fun merchandise that brings back the ‘90s nostalgia and look forward to sharing that in the near future.”

Tulsa-based QuikTrip operates more than 900 convenience stores across 14 states.