OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. -- This week, CSP Daily News launches an online addendum to the annual CSP/Service Intelligence Mystery Shop. Now in its 10th year, the mystery shop sends shoppers out to multiple convenience stores in 10 chains to rate employees’ dress, restroom cleanliness, soda-fountain functionality and much more, computing each shoppers survey scores to tally the best of the best.
This year, as previously announced, Cumberland Farms upset four-time winner Kwik Trip to grab the top spot, capitalizing on recent improvements designed to move the stores into the now. Cumberland Farms, a chain of 574 c-stores, scored well on restroom maintenance, food combo deals and dairy, among other areas and took the top spot for its coffee section, which achieved an overall score of 96%.
Kwik Trip, edged out by only four-tenths of a percent, achieved the top scores for dairy and food combos with a whopping 99.5% score.
But smaller chains got their licks in, as well:
- Pump N Pantry, a chain of 17 stores, earned a score of 100% for employees and restrooms.
- Nice N Easy, 1 78-store chain, saw a 98.0% score for fountain drinks.
- Rutter’s Farm Stores earned a 97.2% score for exterior cleanliness.
There are more highlights to discover! Click here for mystery-shop report cards on all 10 participants.