Summer Holiday Travel Boosts Ice & Lottery Sales
NEWTON, Mass. — As the national economy continues to rebound from the COVID-19 crisis, Americans are hitting the road.
More than 47.7 million Americans will take to the nation's roadways and skies this Independence Day (July 1-5), as travel volumes are expected to nearly fully recover to pre-pandemic levels. This represents an increase of nearly 40 percent compared to last year, as Convenience Store News previously reported.
And, it wouldn't be a road trip without a stop for gas. So, convenience stores should prep for heavy traffic, both at the pump and in the store.
According to Paytronix data, holiday travelers who stop at a c-store to fuel up are more likely to buy ice, beer and lottery tickets.
Compared to the average weekday or weekend shopper, holiday travelers boost ice sales by 25 percent, followed by lottery tickets at 8 percent and alcohol at 6 percent.
Conversely, demand for foodservice falls dramatically as travelers head out of town, dropping about 29 percent. Grocery items and snacks also take a dip, falling 21 percent and 12 percent below average, respectively.
"To sum it up: Americans are ready to party this summer and might feel they’re owed some luck after a brutal 2020. C-stores can expect a rebound of the quintessential summer road trip this year, and would do well to stock up on the ice — stat," said Paytronix Marketing Specialist Kiera Blessing.
Newton-based Paytronix provides software as a service customer experience management solutions for restaurants and convenience stores.