Speed Drives the Visit, Rewards Drive the Return, Vontier Survey Finds

New national research shows Americans are redefining convenience‑store loyalty around two expectations at once: faster, more seamless transactions and small rewards that deliver an immediate emotional payoff.

RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New national research from Vontier (NYSE: VNT) reveals Americans are quietly rewriting the rules of roadside retail. Consumers are reshaping the convenience-store visit in real time – demanding less friction and more value in the experience.

A survey of more than 600 U.S. drivers shows that nearly half (47%) of respondents want the ability to purchase snacks, beverages and everyday essentials directly at the fuel pump or EV charger. This marks the rise of Order at the Pump – the ‘Amazon‑ification’ of the forecourt, where every pump is expected to behave like a drive‑thru without the lane, the window or the wait. What used to be a quick errand is becoming a near‑instant interaction.

But the story doesn’t end with speed. It begins with an interesting contradiction. Even as drivers look to bypass the store, they are not abandoning what the store provides. They want fewer steps, fewer delays and fewer interactions – but still expect the stop to feel rewarding, personal and worth returning to. Customers are separating the transaction from the experience and expecting both to be delivered in new ways.

This duality builds directly on Vontier’s earlier research, which found that frequent visitors are motivated by identity – by feeling known, recognized and at home. The new findings show that identity and efficiency are not competing forces, but complementary expectations that C‑store operators must address. Today's consumers expect operators to cater to two distinct types of visits seamlessly:

• a fast, low‑interaction mode when they’re in a hurry, and
• a reward‑seeking mode where recognition and small perks matter.

The operators who win will deliver both.

Speed remains non-negotiable. Over 90% of drivers spend less than ten minutes on site, and 44% spend fewer than five. Reliability is equally decisive: seven in ten drivers say dependable payment and fueling systems are extremely important in determining where they return.

Simultaneously, small, immediate rewards are rising in importance. More than half of drivers say free coffee or snacks make a loyalty program more appealing, with even stronger responses among Millennials and Gen Z. This dopamine perk signals that emotional rewards are becoming the new battleground for loyalty.

Taken together, these trends point to a new model of convenience retail in which the forecourt becomes the primary interface for the entire visit:

• Transactions must be fast and nearly invisible;
• loyalty must feel instant, personal and emotionally rewarding;
• stops are becoming shorter;
• the car is becoming the checkout point; and
• the experience remains something customers want to return to.

“Drivers are setting a new standard for routine stops,” said Mark Morelli, CEO of Vontier. “They expect the same speed and simplicity they get from digital experiences but still respond to the small details that make an in-store visit feel rewarding. The opportunity for retailers is to deliver both – fast, seamless transactions alongside experiences that customers actually look forward to.”

The survey findings illustrate how these expectations are reshaping convenience store loyalty across visit behavior, transaction flow and rewards.

Vontier’s portfolio of convenience retail and mobility technologies helps operators meet these expectations by connecting transactions, payments and loyalty across the forecourt and in‑store environment. By reducing friction at the pump and charger while enabling integrated rewards, Vontier solutions allow retailers to deliver faster visits without losing the elements that create repeat behavior.

As convenience retail continues to evolve, the operators who succeed will be those who can resolve the central tension of the modern visit: making it shorter, simpler and more rewarding at the same time.

About Vontier

Vontier (NYSE: VNT) is a global industrial technology company uniting productivity, automation and multi-energy technologies to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving, more connected mobility ecosystem. Leveraging leading market positions, decades of domain expertise and unparalleled portfolio breadth, Vontier powers the way the world moves - delivering smart, safe and sustainable solutions to our customers and the planet. Vontier has a culture of continuous improvement and innovation worldwide. Additional information about Vontier is available on the Company’s website at www.vontier.com.