As digital transformation accelerates across industries, the fuel and convenience retail sector has emerged as a leader in adopting contactless technologies. From mobile ordering and payment at the pump to seamless in-store pickup, these innovations are redefining what it means to deliver a frictionless, safe, and efficient experience for customers on the go. For quick service restaurants (QSRs) and dining brands, the rapid evolution in fuel and convenience retail offers a wealth of best practices and operational insights that can be adapted to further enhance their own contactless journeys.
In fuel and convenience retail, contactless solutions have quickly become the new baseline for customer interactions. Mobile apps now enable customers to locate nearby stations, reserve a pump, and pay for fuel without ever leaving their vehicle. This not only enhances safety and hygiene but also reduces wait times and increases throughput during peak hours. The convenience store itself is evolving into a hub for digital collection and returns, where customers can order snacks, beverages, or essentials via mobile chat or messenger apps, book a collection slot, and notify staff upon arrival. Integrated employee apps ensure that in-store workers are immediately alerted, allowing them to prepare orders and manage real-time changes efficiently.
Key features of these solutions include:
The result is a collection and return process that is not only safer but also significantly more efficient. Customer preference for these experiences is overwhelming, with a vast majority indicating they would choose contactless collection over traditional walk-in methods.
The adoption of contactless collection and payment technologies delivers tangible benefits for both retailers and customers:
Contactless technologies are not just about efficiency—they are a gateway to deeper customer engagement. By capturing data at every touchpoint, retailers can:
This data-driven approach enables micro-segmentation and dynamic campaigns that drive engagement, repeat visits, and increased basket size.
QSRs and dining brands can draw several key lessons from the fuel and convenience sector’s contactless transformation:
Fuel retailers have excelled at integrating digital and physical experiences, ensuring that mobile apps, in-store systems, and employee workflows are connected. Restaurants can similarly unify their digital ordering, payment, and pickup processes—whether for drive-thru, curbside, or in-store collection—so that customers enjoy a seamless journey regardless of channel.
The ability to reschedule pickups, notify staff of arrival, and manage real-time changes is central to the fuel retail experience. QSRs can adopt similar real-time communication tools, such as geofencing and automated notifications, to optimize order handoff and reduce wait times, enhancing both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Fuel retailers leverage data from contactless interactions to deliver targeted offers and loyalty rewards. Restaurants can harness their own digital touchpoints to build unified customer profiles, enabling personalized marketing, dynamic menu recommendations, and loyalty programs that drive repeat business.
Fuel and convenience retailers have demonstrated the value of rapidly deployable, scalable contactless solutions that can be tailored to local needs. QSRs should prioritize cloud-native, modular platforms that allow for quick rollout of new features and easy adaptation to changing consumer behaviors or regulatory requirements.
Clear communication of health and safety measures, combined with reliable, user-friendly digital services, has helped fuel retailers build trust and loyalty. Restaurants can similarly reinforce their commitment to safety through transparent messaging and robust contactless experiences.
To successfully adapt these lessons, QSRs should:
As digital transformation continues to blur the boundaries between online and offline experiences, QSRs that embrace contactless technologies will be best positioned to meet evolving consumer demands and capture new market opportunities. By learning from the rapid innovation in fuel and convenience retail, restaurants can deliver frictionless, integrated experiences that drive loyalty, operational efficiency, and growth.
At Publicis Sapient, we partner with brands across industries to design and implement contactless solutions that deliver measurable business results. The future of dining—and retail—is contactless, connected, and customer-centric. Now is the time for QSRs to lead the way.