Retail Foodservice Roundup: Dolly Parton gets into c-store biz, summer drink promos and more

Watch out, Buc-ee’s; here comes Dolly’s

There’s now an official opening date for the “first of many planned locations” of Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop, a food-forward convenience-store concept from music legend Dolly Parton.  

The store, located in Cornersville, Tennessee, about an hour south of Nashville, is slated to open June 24.  

Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop will feature barbecue from DLY BBQ and coffee from Dolly’s Cup of Ambition Coffee, as well as a full-service, sit-down café and restaurant, the company said.  

“It’s built on the belief that every traveler deserves comfort, good food and a genuine welcome,” the retailer said.  

The store is a partnership between Parton; her manager, Danny Nozell; and Gregory Sachs, who has owned and operated the Tennessean Travel Stop brand for nearly a decade. 

C-stores square off against QSRs on beverage sales, innovation 

If you spent any time at the National Restaurant Association Show recently, your visit likely included many restroom trips. We’ve never seen so many beverages sampled on the Show floor.  

Innovation in the form of dirty sodas, energy drinks, functional beverages and more has been a hot topic in the restaurant space for some time now. And convenience stores, long beverage destinations themselves, clearly don’t want to be left out of the beverage boom.  

7-Eleven is offering up a Slurpee Drink Happy Hour this summer, with large drinks selling for $1 every Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The limited-time deal is the chain’s way of touting the run-up to Slurpee Day, which is (of course) held each year on July 11. 

Slush brand Frazil, which has thousands of its machines inside convenience stores, announced the return of Free Frazil Friday starting June 5. To take part in the deal, customers can visit any participating c-store, fill a small Frazil cup and scan it at the register for a free drink. Free Frazil Friday runs through June 26.  

Stripes officially blends into the 7-Eleven family

C-store giant 7-Eleven bought the 204-unit Stripes chain for $1 billion in 2024. The retailer wrapped up the full integration of the brand a couple of weeks ago, including foodservice operations.  

The acquisition from parent company Sunoco included the c-stores as well as Laredo Taco Company restaurants.  

All of the acquired stores now have 7-Eleven offerings like Slurpees and roller grill hot hogs, as well as renovated restaurants.