Just a couple of generations ago, the convenience store was just that - a place of convenience. You paid for your gas there, maybe you picked up some overpriced milk, a newspaper and some sub-par coffee to keep you going.

Even just a generation ago, convenience stores hadn’t changed much. Along with your milk, maybe you grabbed some bread and ice cream. The sub-par coffee was maybe (maybe) on-par, but just barely.

Today’s convenience stores aren’t just keeping up in terms of convenience, they’ve come so far that they actually deserve a new name as they dig deep to grab a chunk of the premium food market share from some pretty big names.

How have convenience stores done this? They starting by adding a brand to their location. They added partners who were looking for ways to grow their market share that broke out of traditional methods. That’s how we ended up with Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s and Subway next to convenience store counters across America. The growth was nice for both the convenience store and the QSR brand.

But then something happened that nobody really expected. Convenience store began wondering why they needed to have another brand in their store in the first place. Around the time of the recession, convenience store operators began to get more aggressive about their on-the-go food offerings, letting go of their bare-bones interiors and grabbing hold of the possibilities that came with better options for customers.

This food-forward mentality has propelled convenience stores to directly compete with the likes of Starbucks and a few others. Not directly mind you, but when it comes to fresh-baked items and gourmet coffee, convenience stores are giving big brands a real run for their money.

And then there’s the made-to-order and dining environments that you find at some of the larger u.S. convenience store. Sheetz, a Pennsylvania-based convenience retailer is becoming well-known for the quality of its made-to-order menu items. They started out their efforts with a renewed mindset by simply offering fresh fruits, yogurt and sandwiches in their locations. Fast-forward to present time and most Sheetz locations have a dedicated barista and a full-service kitchen along with custom LED screens to help with ordering and customer service.

Even stalwart brands like 7-Eleven are expanding into a healthier landscape to grab their share of the market.

With a focus on staying convenient and boosting the quality and quantity of their offerings, convenience stores in the USA are quickly upping their game to compete with brands that probably never saw the competition coming. And with convenience comes an almost never-ending flow of foot traffic, which is something most QSR brands can’t attest to.