Why more customers are skipping McMuffins for gas station grub

Fast-food chains are losing their breakfast customers to an unlikely source: gas stations and convenience stores.

Turns out, more and more Americans are getting their morning start by heading to the pump, or their local 7-Eleven, as consumers—hit with skyrocketing prices, inflation, and an overall higher cost of living—are tightening their spending and eating out less.

New data from market research firm Circana found visits to “food-forward convenience stores” increased a whopping 9% for the quarter ending in July, while fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s saw a 1% increase in in-store morning traffic for that same period, as reported by CNBC.

“Food-forward convenience stores” include Pennsylvania-based Wawa, whose coffee bars and pre-made breakfast sandwich are a major draw in the Mi