economy
Casey's quietly became America's fifth-largest pizza chain. Meet the Fortune 500 gas station Gen Z can't stop posting about
Drive through Iowa, Missouri or Illinois, and you’ll pass a Casey’s roughly every few exits. Midwesterners have come to know the red-roofed convenience store and gas station where people buy diesel, a bag of ice, a lottery ticket and, increasingly, a hot pizza. Maybe it’s one of their distinctive creations, like the taco pizza or the breakfast pizza.
TL;DR
- Casey's is the fifth-largest pizza chain in the U.S. by prepared food and beverage sales.
- The company primarily operates in small towns (under 20,000 population), creating a defensible market position.
- Casey's pizza business is growing despite a general decline in the U.S. pizza market.
- Social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube have boosted Casey's visibility and appeal to Gen Z.
- The company's strategy combines convenience store sales, merchandise, and food (especially pizza) into a "three legs of the stool" model.
- Casey's plans to expand significantly into Texas, a market with a large population and fewer competitors.
- The company keeps prices competitive, with prepared food and beverage margins significantly higher than overall margins.