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This campaign’s message is deceptively simple: your vehicle may need fuel, but so do you. Whether it’s a fountain drink, a snack, or simply a quiet seat, Speedway is positioning itself as more than just a pit stop. Through August, Big Gulps are practically being handed out at just a dollar, and that’s just the beginning.
They’ve gone all in—TV ads, social media blitzes, streaming campaigns. The goal? To remind Americans that Speedway is offering more than gasoline. It’s offering a pause in your day.
This isn’t a gimmick. It’s a calculated move aimed at a booming market. Last year, the convenience store industry grew by more than 2,200 new locations—outpacing every other retail category in the country. And the tide is turning when it comes to what people are buying. Prepared food has officially overtaken cigarettes as the top-selling category.
Let that sink in.
In other words, gas stations are no longer about cigarettes and scratch-offs. They’re becoming fast-food joints, coffee stops, and now—according to Speedway—a place to reset your day.
“With ‘Fill Up’, we’re reminding our customers that Speedway is more than a stop to fill your tank – it’s a convenient pause where customers can recharge and gear up for whatever is ahead,” Jarratt said.
That’s not empty corporate talk. It’s a challenge to every other player in the market.
Here’s why this matters. A staggering 67% of Americans visit a convenience store at least once a week. Nearly 40% go twice a week or more. This isn’t an occasional emergency pit stop anymore. It’s part of the routine.
And with 93% of customers saying they’ll stick with businesses that offer good service, Speedway’s gamble might pay off big.
The traditional model—get ‘em in, get ‘em out—is on life support. Speedway is placing its chips on hospitality, comfort, and customer retention.
It helps that they’ve got 3,800 stores across 36 states to experiment with. Ever since 7-Eleven scooped up Speedway from Marathon in 2021, people have wondered when the real reinvention would begin.
Now, we’re seeing it unfold—and rival companies are watching with sweaty palms.
This campaign might not immediately skyrocket profits. But that’s not the point. It’s about redefining what Americans expect when they stop for gas. It’s about elevating the experience from a chore to a choice.
Instead of racing to the bottom with cheaper fuel prices, Speedway is racing to the top—competing on customer care, emotional connection, and something every American desperately craves: a moment of peace.
The real question now is whether the rest of the industry can catch up. Other brands might slap together their own version of the “Fill Up” message. But recreating the mindset? The vision? The long-term commitment to treating customers like more than walking wallets?
That’s much harder to replicate.
Speedway isn’t just changing a campaign. They’re changing the rules of the road.
And in doing so, they’ve made every other gas station nervous.
