A gas station franchise is almost always a convenience store franchise too. Fuel brings drivers in, but the margin on a gallon is thin and swings with wholesale prices, so most of a station’s profit comes from the store: drinks, snacks, tobacco, lottery and, more and more, hot food and coffee made on site. Some brands franchise a station or store the franchisor already owns, so the owner runs it and shares the gross profit rather than paying a royalty on sales; others convert a station the owner already has to their name.
Convenience stores without pumps cost less to open, and highway travel centers for truck drivers are the largest and costliest format. The cheapest way in is a food counter: pizza, chicken or tacos sold from a branded counter inside an existing store, which adds sales without a new building.
The gas station franchises
Gas stations with a convenience store
| Brand | Cost to open | Locations | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle KA Circle K franchisee runs a convenience store, often with fuel.$1.47M–$2.87M | $1.47M–$2.87M | 6,071 | – |
| Holiday StationstoresA convenience store and fuel station selling gasoline, groceries, food service items and general merchandise.$3.36M–$7.74M | $3.36M–$7.74M | 538 | +7 |
| RacewayA fuel station and convenience store operating under the Raceway name.$198K–$585K | $198K–$585K | 237 | +24 |
| Dash InA convenience store, often with fuel and a car wash that the franchisee manages for the franchisor.$120K–$680K | $120K–$680K | 55 | +1 |
| Nick and MoesA convenience store with a gas station and Nick and Moes fried chicken counter, or a convenience store with a liquor store.$2.29M–$3.2M | $2.29M–$3.2M | 5 | −1 |
| Gulf C-StoreA Gulf-branded convenience store at a Gulf fuel station, converted from the owner's existing store.$148K–$652K | $148K–$652K | 0 | 0 |
| APlusAn APlus convenience store, usually alongside a Sunoco fuel station, selling snacks, drinks, groceries and other everyday items.$240K–$727K | $240K–$727K | – | – |
Convenience stores
| Brand | Cost to open | Locations | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-ElevenAn extended-hours convenience store selling fresh and hot food, drinks and everyday goods, with an optional in-store restaurant.$165K–$1.62M | $165K–$1.62M | 8,303 | −502 |
| Family FareAn extended-hours convenience store selling groceries, snacks, drinks and everyday items, often with fuel.$30K–$1.17M | $30K–$1.17M | 102 | – |
| Farm StoresA drive-thru grocery store selling milk, bread, eggs, coffee and everyday items, under the Farm Stores or Swiss Farms name.$145K–$249K | $145K–$249K | 44 | – |
| Street CornerA Street Corner franchisee operates a convenience store selling prepared and packaged foods, drinks and everyday goods.$128K–$596K | $128K–$596K | 24 | −10 |
| Handy PantryA convenience store selling groceries, beer, dairy, breakfast items, cold cuts and household basics.$141K–$216K | $141K–$216K | 11 | 0 |
| Teja MartA neighborhood convenience store.$55K–$132K | $55K–$132K | 2 | – |
Travel centers
| Brand | Cost to open | Locations | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| TravelCenters of AmericaA highway travel center offering fuel, truck services, food and traveler amenities.$8.08M–$54.1M | $8.08M–$54.1M | 186 | +11 |
| Petro Stopping CentersA highway travel center for professional drivers with fuel, a store, dining and truck services.$12.4M–$56.7M | $12.4M–$56.7M | 77 | +1 |
Food counters added to a store
| Brand | Cost to open | Locations | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Roman's PizzaA pizza counter added to convenience stores, hospitals, universities and other places with existing customer traffic.$32K–$228K | $32K–$228K | 2,872 | – |
| Chester's ChickenA fried chicken counter inside a convenience store, supermarket or other host business, serving Chester's breaded chicken and sides.$28K–$307K | $28K–$307K | 918 | −163 |
| Champs ChickenA fried chicken counter added to an existing business such as a convenience store or grocery, selling chicken, sides and other menu items.$9K–$349K | $9K–$349K | 416 | – |
| Hangar 54 PizzaA pizza counter added to an existing business such as a convenience store, selling pizza and other menu items.$9K–$349K | $9K–$349K | 45 | – |
| BluTacoA taco and Mexican food counter added to an existing business such as a convenience store.$9K–$349K | $9K–$349K | 34 | – |
What gas station franchises cost to open
The typical brand here costs $143K at the low end of its estimate and $624K at the high end. The lowest starting cost is Chester's Chicken’s, from $28K. Use each brand’s full range for budgeting: the low end is a small site in a cheaper market.
| Kind | Brands | Typical cost to open |
|---|---|---|
| Gas stations with a convenience store | 7 | $240K–$727K |
| Convenience stores | 6 | $134K–$422K |
| Travel centers | 2 | $10.3M–$55.4M |
| Food counters added to a store | 5 | $9K–$349K |
At a fuel site, the pumps, underground tanks and canopy are the costliest items, and many estimates price them separately or leave them to the property owner, so check what a brand’s range includes. Inside, coolers, shelving and a food counter come next. Opening inventory is a bigger share than in most franchises because the shelves must be full from the first day.
Fees and royalties
The typical franchise fee is $25K and the typical royalty 5.5% of sales. Of these brands, 14 charge a flat, tiered or other royalty instead of one percentage. Royalties come off sales before rent, wages or loan payments. The fees and royalties guide compares industries.
What locations sell
Of these brands, 2 publish a comparable yearly sales figure per location. Sales are before costs, so they say nothing on their own about profit.
| Brand | Yearly sales | Sales ÷ cost |
|---|---|---|
| TravelCenters of America12 months ended December 31, 2025, 9 locations | $11.6M | 0.4× |
| Farm Stores2022, 38 locations | $824K | 4.2× |
Which gas station franchises are growing
Of the 11 brands with three years of location figures, 5 grew from 2023 to 2025 and 4 shrank, a net change of −632 locations between them. On the SBA Franchise Directory are 4 of the 20, so SBA-backed loans are open to them.
Before you buy
Read how the brand takes its share. Several large chains charge a split of the store’s gross profit and set the prices, the suppliers and the hours, which leaves the owner with less control than in most franchises. For a fuel brand, read the supply contract as closely as the franchise agreement: how fuel is priced to you, the minimum gallons you must buy and how long you are tied in. Ask what a typical owner keeps after wages, which for a store open around the clock are the largest cost, and how much of the profit comes from inside sales.
Tanks also carry environmental duties. Ask who owns them, who pays for leak monitoring and insurance, and what happens to a cleanup bill if a tank fails.
Questions
How do gas station franchisors get paid?
Several of the largest charge a share of the store's gross profit instead of a royalty on sales, because they own or lease the site and supply most of the stock. Others charge a percentage of sales or a flat fee, and fuel brands earn much of their money through the fuel supply contract, on every gallon you buy from them. Check each brand's page for how its fee is set.
Can I add a food franchise to my gas station?
Yes. Pizza, fried chicken and taco brands sell counter programs for existing stores, often for less than a typical small franchise, because the store supplies the space, the staff and the customers. The brand will check your store's traffic and kitchen space, and you need local food permits.