Best-Rated Convenience Stores

See Our Ratings Methodology.

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Most Satisfied Customers | On the Run (OTR)

Aussies have rated On the Run as the top pick in Canstar Blue’s latest convenience store ratings, with five-star reviews in overall satisfaction, customer service, store layout & presentation, variety of products available for sale and convenience.

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How we rate convenience stores

Our review compares convenience stores on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which convenience store chain they think is best!


Canstar Blue surveyed 1,458 Australians for their feedback on convenience store chain(s) they have visited and made a purchase from in the last six months

  • The outcomes reported in these ratings are measured via accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics.


Respondents rate their satisfaction with their convenience store brand(s) from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
  • Overall satisfaction: measures consumer satisfaction with a convenience store brand as an individual score NOT a combined total of all criteria.
  • Value for money: the store provided a convenient shopping experience for the price of the products.
  • Customer service: the service provided by convenience store staff enhanced the shopping experience (i.e. staff were friendly and helpful.).
  • Store layout & presentation: the layout and signing of the shelves, cabinets, and ready-made food made it easy to navigate and find the right products quickly.
  • Variety of products available for sale: the convenience store stocked a wide range of products of different brands, prices, sizes, and types./li>
  • Convenience: the store provided a convenient shopping experience for the range of products and accessibility.

The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.

  • Overall satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
  • When we cannot determine a clear winner from the criteria for the Overall satisfaction rating, we will then look at the other criteria measured in the rating.
    • The brand with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and thus win the award. If a clear leader still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.


Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
  • On the Run
  • Coles Express
  • The Foodary
  • 7-Eleven
  • IGA X-press
  • Woolworths Metro

Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.


Best convenience store brands in Australia

  1. On the Run
  2. Coles Express
  3. The Foodary
  4. 7-Eleven
  5. IGA X-press
  6. Woolworths Metro

Not sure which convenience store to buy from? Check out our buying guide below.

1. On the Run


On the Run Logo

Ratings result

On the Run (OTR) achieved five stars for overall satisfaction, customer service, store layout & presentation, variety of products available for sale and convenience, with a four star rating for value for money.

Editor’s notes

On the Run (OTR) is a convenience store chain that operates with over 170 stores across South Australia and Victoria. OTR houses a number of smaller brands and food services within them like Guzman y Gomez, Oporto, Subway, Hungry Jacks, Krispy Kreme and more. It’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week offering both fuel and convenience. And if you’re after more convenience, you can use the OTR app, which allows you to pre-order meals, pay for fuel without physically going into the store, earn rewards and more, allowing you to make the most of your trip to the store.

2. Coles Express


Coles Express

Ratings result

Coles Express achieved a four star rating for overall satisfaction, value for money, customer service, store layout & presentation and variety of products available for sale and three stars for convenience.

Editor’s notes

Not to be confused with regular Coles supermarkets and specialised Coles Locals flagship stores, Coles Express is the supermarket’s chain of petrol stations and convenience stores with Shell Australia. Coles customers can get 4c off per litre and score eight Flybuys points per litre when filling up at participating Shell Coles Express service stations with a shopping docket. Coles Express also stocks all your grocery basics and essentials, including food, cold drinks, milk, ice cream, confectionery, savoury snacks, and takeaway coffee, using Coles brand Urban Brew. The store also sells firewood, ice, automotive supplies and accessories, and telco products.

3. The Foodary


The Foodary Logo

Ratings result

The Foodary received four star ratings for overall satisfaction, store layout & presentation, variety of products available for sale and convenience, with three star ratings for value for money and customer service.

Editor’s notes

The Foodary is a convenience and fuel chain attached to Ampol fuel stations. It offers a number of everyday essentials like bread, eggs and milk as well as sandwiches, ready made meals, snacks and drinks. The Foodary also offers delivery via UberEATS so you can enjoy your favourite convenience food at home, with car wash services also available at select locations.

4. 7-Eleven


Ratings result

7-Eleven received four star ratings for overall satisfaction, value for money, store layout & presentation and convenience, with three star ratings for customer service and variety of products available for sale.

Editor’s notes

7-Eleven is possibly one of the most popular convenience store chains throughout Australia and across the world. The chain offers fuel services at some locations, food and beverages, delivery of food from the convenience store and also have a partnered Velocity Frequent Flyer rewards program for Velocity members. It sells brands like Krispy Kreme, the iconic slurpee and Johnny’s Deli sandwiches, subs and burgers, making it a one-stop shop for all your road trip needs.

5. IGA X-press


IGA X-Press Logo

Ratings result

IGA X-press received a five star rating for customer service, four star ratings for overall satisfaction and convenience with three star ratings for value for money, store layout & presentation and variety of products available for sale.

Editor’s notes

IGA X-press, similarly to Coles Express or Woolworths Metro, offers some of the same products that IGA does just in a more limited variety. Some IGA X-press offer groceries, flowers, newsagent products, fruit and vegetables and even some takeaways like Subway. You can order food on UberEATS to be delivered to your home if you’re not looking to leave the house but want the same convenience.

6. Woolworths Metro


Woolworths Metro Logo

Ratings result

Woolworths Metro received three star ratings across the board for all categories including overall satisfaction, value for money, customer service, store layout & presentation, variety of products available for sale and convenience.

Editor’s notes

Woolworths Metro is another convenience version of the Woolworths Supermarket brand offering well known Woolies products at the convenience stores. You can find a range of gourmet salads, sandwiches, wraps and rolls, snacks and a variety of drinks from soft drinks to barista made coffees. Similarly to Woolworths, you can use your Everyday Rewards card to receive points from Woolworths Metro convenience stores.

Convenience store buying guide

What is a convenience store?

Convenience stores are a shop with extended opening hours, stocking a limited range of household goods and groceries. Some convenience stores will be open 24 hours a day and some may close around 11pm which means they tend to be the go-to choice for late night snacks or toilet paper runs.

Are convenience stores like supermarkets?

Convenience stores are similar to supermarkets in that they stock some similar essential items, however they do not stock a range of products that matches a supermarket. They are also different because they are open for extended hours as opposed to closing earlier in the evenings. Convenience stores also tend to cost more than supermarkets due to their extended trading hours and higher cost of trading (i.e. cost of electricity, staff and so on).

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About our consumer experts


kate-king-Canstar-150-150.png

Kate King: Home & Lifestyle Content Producer

This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Producer Kate King. Kate holds a Bachelor of Creative Industries from QUT majoring in Journalism and Media and Communications, and has written for a number of publications over the past five years.

 

Meet the Editorial Team

 

Samantha Howse: Consumer Research Specialist

Sam Howse Research Specialist

Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.

 

Meet the Research Team

Past ratings

Here are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s convenience store ratings:

  • 2022: Coles Express
  • 2021: SPAR

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