The traditional petrol station is being reinvented. Across global markets, operators are strengthening food-to-go and grocery ranges, adding useful services and creating more appealing places to stop. This is helping forecourts attract motorists, EV drivers and local shoppers, while reducing their reliance on fuel. 

Buc-ee’s makes the journey worthwhile 

Buc-ee’s has taken the destination forecourt concept to another level. Its locations routinely span more than 50,000 sq. ft., with over 100 fuel pumps and high-capacity car washes. Foodservice sits at the heart of the experience. Its Texas Round Up serves freshly carved brisket and pulled pork, alongside warm kolaches, glazed nuts and fudge. A large jerky wall and extensive self-serve drinks offer add further choice. Around a third of the store is dedicated to general merchandise, including own-brand clothing, soft toys and travel mugs. Proprietary snacks such as Beaver Nuggets also extend the brand into ambient grocery. Together, these elements make the forecourt a destination rather than simply a place to refuel. 

Asian forecourts encourage longer dwell times 

At Esso forecourts in Singapore, Cold Storage On The Go brings greater interaction to convenience. Its noodles-on-the-go zone allows shoppers to choose instant noodles across different spice levels and prepare them at self-service hot water stations. Cold Storage also combines private-label essentials with products from local heritage brands. Ramen is also being used to create a more distinctive experience at CU Re:fuel in Pocheon, South Korea. The former forecourt has been transformed into a two-storey convenience destination, with a ramen library and meal preparation areas alongside a driver lounge and recliner seating. Both concepts show how Asian forecourts are using food and experience to encourage customers to stay for longer. 

Maxol targets more meal occasions 

Maxol is broadening the forecourt’s role by combining immediate food-to-go with options for later. At flagship locations such as Long Mile Road in Dublin, Zambrero, Burger King and Dunnes Stores operate alongside Maxol Deli and Rosa coffee. Seating and drive-thru facilities increase the range of occasions the site can serve. This allows Maxol to appeal to customers who want to stop and eat, commuters seeking speed and shoppers buying food to take home. The mix makes the site relevant across more parts of the day. 

Circle K offers food around the clock 

Circle K’s European forecourts show how foodservice can create a compelling reason to visit beyond fuel. Quality coffee, bakery products, hot food, chilled meals and snacks enable stores to serve different needs throughout the day. Clean, modern environments also make the sites more attractive to motorists and EV drivers. Circle K is testing food vending on forecourts, using automation to make convenient food available around the clock. This could help sites capture more missions outside traditional trading hours and respond to customers looking for food whenever they travel. 

bp adapts formats to local missions 

bp is rethinking what individual forecourts should offer, rather than applying one format everywhere. Pinkham Way in North London is one of four upgraded UK sites in a test-and-learn programme shaped around local customer needs. Pinkham Way and Budbrooke South focus on on-the-go missions, while Merrow and Poppleton target top-up shopping. At Pinkham Way, the refreshed wildbean cafe offers freshly made ciabattas, smoothies and barista-made coffee. A refined M&S Food range supports wider shopping missions, while self-checkouts allow customers to pay for fuel and shop items together. All four sites also provide EV charging. bp plans to extend the approach to up to 20 more locations if the formats prove successful. 

ORLEN creates a service ecosystem 

ORLEN in Poland demonstrates how forecourts can combine convenience and foodservice with a wider range of practical services. Its Stop.Cafe proposition offers coffee, bakery products, hot food and fresh meals at more than 2,000 locations. ORLEN VITAY connects visits through loyalty rewards, personalised discounts and app-based payments. EV charging, parcel collection, car washing and fleet support create additional reasons to stop. This wider ecosystem helps ORLEN serve travellers and local customers, making its forecourts relevant for a broader range of missions beyond refuelling. 

Varied food missions and services will drive growth 

These examples show there is no single model for the forecourt of the future. Buc-ee’s uses scale and distinctive products to create a destination, while Asian operators are using food and experience to encourage longer dwell times. Maxol and Circle K show how food can capture more occasions across the day, while bp adapts formats to local needs. ORLEN goes further by bringing food, loyalty and services together. The opportunity is no longer simply to make refuelling more convenient, but to give shoppers a reason to visit even when fuel is not their primary need.