QuikTrip
Encyclopedia
QuikTrip is a Tulsa-based chain of convenience store
s primarily found in the Midwestern and Southern United States
.
The first QuikTrip was opened in 1958 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
by Chester Cadieux and Burt B. Holmes. QuikTrip promotes its gasoline
as "high-quality" and offers a money-back guarantee. In 2004 QuikTrip and Chevron
were the first two retailers to earn a "Top Tier" rating from General Motors, BMW
, Honda
, Volkswagen
, Audi
, and Toyota. (The "Top Tier" rating exceeds the United States Environmental Protection Agency
's standards for gasoline additives.) QuikTrip stores are known for a wider-than-normal selection of fountain drink
s, gourmet sandwiches, and grill items.
QuikTrip locations are larger than the average gas station, offering anywhere from 6 to 24 gas pumps and a large retail space inside. All stores are owned and operated by the company and have a uniform layout: to the right of the doors is the candy and grocery items, and the coolers housing bottled soda and alcohol; and to the left is the snack display, fountain drinks (including coffee and frozen drinks), the hot food area (comprising Kent Beef Hot Dogs, Chicken Taquitos, Pepperjack Cheese Taquitos, Steak Taquitos, Buffalo Chicken Bites, Johnsonville Brats, Corn dogs, and Jalapeno Cheese Dogs), the coolers with cold sandwiches inside and the microwaves
for frozen products. QuikTrip sells Freezoni, a frozen drink comparable to 7-11's Slurpee. Front and center is the checkstand, which usually has space for two or three employees and three to five POS
registers. Some stores have a slightly different layout, oftentimes with the arrangement of the store being "mirrored".
In the Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta metro areas, QuikTrip competes head to head with RaceTrac
, an Atlanta-based convenience store chain that is very similar to QuikTrip inside and out. Both chains tend to have new clean facilities with abundant on-site lighting, a large convenience area.. In many cases, the two competitors are located directly across the street or on opposite street corners from one another. Because the company operates stores in Iowa and holds the trademarks to the name within that state, competing chain Kwik Trip
uses a different name for their stores in the state, Kwik Star.
In 2007, QuikTrip also operates a store within the Sprint Center
in Kansas City. This location provides only concessions and not gasoline.
In 2011, QuikTrip purchased a former Dillons
grocery store in Wichita, Kansas
. Currently QuikTrip is using it for storage. Future plans for this particular property have not yet been determined.
Quik Trip
With the completion of the Dallas/Fort Worth facility, the line of products are available in all current markets.
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
s primarily found in the Midwestern and Southern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The first QuikTrip was opened in 1958 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
by Chester Cadieux and Burt B. Holmes. QuikTrip promotes its gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
as "high-quality" and offers a money-back guarantee. In 2004 QuikTrip and Chevron
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
were the first two retailers to earn a "Top Tier" rating from General Motors, BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
, Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
, Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
, Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
, and Toyota. (The "Top Tier" rating exceeds the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
's standards for gasoline additives.) QuikTrip stores are known for a wider-than-normal selection of fountain drink
Fountain drink
A fountain drink is a soft drink, prepared locally from a supply of flavored sweetened syrup, carbon dioxide, and water, either manually, in a device called a soda fountain, or in a vending machine which is essentially an automated soda fountain that is operated using a soda gun...
s, gourmet sandwiches, and grill items.
QuikTrip locations are larger than the average gas station, offering anywhere from 6 to 24 gas pumps and a large retail space inside. All stores are owned and operated by the company and have a uniform layout: to the right of the doors is the candy and grocery items, and the coolers housing bottled soda and alcohol; and to the left is the snack display, fountain drinks (including coffee and frozen drinks), the hot food area (comprising Kent Beef Hot Dogs, Chicken Taquitos, Pepperjack Cheese Taquitos, Steak Taquitos, Buffalo Chicken Bites, Johnsonville Brats, Corn dogs, and Jalapeno Cheese Dogs), the coolers with cold sandwiches inside and the microwaves
Microwave oven
A microwave oven is a kitchen appliance that heats food by dielectric heating, using microwave radiation to heat polarized molecules within the food...
for frozen products. QuikTrip sells Freezoni, a frozen drink comparable to 7-11's Slurpee. Front and center is the checkstand, which usually has space for two or three employees and three to five POS
Point of sale
Point of sale or checkout is the location where a transaction occurs...
registers. Some stores have a slightly different layout, oftentimes with the arrangement of the store being "mirrored".
Stores and locations
QuikTrip operates 584 stores, which are concentrated in the following 12 United States areas:- GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
: AtlantaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
(122 stores) - TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
: Dallas/Fort WorthDallas/Fort Worth MetroplexThe Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
(87 stores) - ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
: PhoenixPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
/TucsonTucson, ArizonaTucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
(87 stores) - KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
/MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
: Kansas CityKansas City Metropolitan AreaThe Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
(76 stores) - MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
/IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
: St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
(73 stores) - OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
: TulsaTulsa, OklahomaTulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
(66 stores) - KansasKansasKansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
: WichitaWichita, KansasWichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
(38 stores) - IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
/NebraskaNebraskaNebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
: Des MoinesDes Moines, IowaDes Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
/OmahaOmaha, NebraskaOmaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
(34 stores) - Carolinas: SpartanburgSpartanburg, South CarolinathgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
/GreenvilleGreenville, South Carolina-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
/CharlotteCharlotte, North CarolinaCharlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
(2 stores)
In the Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta metro areas, QuikTrip competes head to head with RaceTrac
RaceTrac
RaceTrac Petroleum, Inc., is a corporation that operates a chain of gasoline stations and convenience stores across the Southern United States. The firm is Georgia’s third largest private company, with sales of $8 billion in 2009.-History:...
, an Atlanta-based convenience store chain that is very similar to QuikTrip inside and out. Both chains tend to have new clean facilities with abundant on-site lighting, a large convenience area.. In many cases, the two competitors are located directly across the street or on opposite street corners from one another. Because the company operates stores in Iowa and holds the trademarks to the name within that state, competing chain Kwik Trip
Kwik Trip
Kwik Trip/Kwik Star is a chain of convenience stores founded in 1965 with locations throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota under the name Kwik Trip, and in northeast Iowa under the name Kwik Star . The company also operates stores under the name Hearty Platter and Tobacco Outlet Plus. Kwik Trip, Inc...
uses a different name for their stores in the state, Kwik Star.
In 2007, QuikTrip also operates a store within the Sprint Center
Sprint Center
Sprint Center is a large, multi-use indoor arena in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The building is located at 14th Street and Grand Boulevard, on the east side of the Power & Light District...
in Kansas City. This location provides only concessions and not gasoline.
In 2011, QuikTrip purchased a former Dillons
Dillons
Dillons is a grocery supermarket chain based in Hutchinson, Kansas, and is a division of The Kroger Company. Other banners under Dillon Stores Division include Gerbes in Missouri, Baker's in Omaha, Nebraska and a Food 4 Less store in Fremont, Nebraska...
grocery store in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
. Currently QuikTrip is using it for storage. Future plans for this particular property have not yet been determined.
Highlights
- In recent years, QuikTrip has been consistently listed among FortuneFortune (magazine)Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. Founded by Henry Luce in 1930, the publishing business, consisting of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, grew to become Time Warner. In turn, AOL grew as it acquired Time Warner in 2000 when Time Warner was the world's largest...
's 100 Best Companies to Work For. The January 2006 version of the rankings placed QT at #21, ninth among companies classified as "mid-size.", for 2008 QT was ranked 27 in Fortune's top 100 list QuikTrip often uses this fact in recruiting new employees. QuikTrip also ranked 32nd on ForbesForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine's list of largest private companies in 2005..
- QuikTrip had its own branded goods marketed from the 1970s-1980s, including QT Beer — QT for "Quittin' Time." The ad campaign would say that it was "It's QT Time Again," and would often show a dog named Lamar. The dog's owner was portrayed in television commercials by actor Ben JonesBen Jones (US)Ben Lewis Jones is an American actor, politician, playwright and essayist, probably best known for his role as Cooter Davenport in The Dukes of Hazzard. Jones was elected to be a member of the United States House of Representatives in 1988 and re-elected in 1990. He served for four years, until Jan...
, who often asked the dog, "Ain't that right, Lamar?"
- On October 10, 2007, as a founding partner, QT also began operating a location inside the Sprint CenterSprint CenterSprint Center is a large, multi-use indoor arena in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The building is located at 14th Street and Grand Boulevard, on the east side of the Power & Light District...
in Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. This unit only operates during arena events.
- QT opened its 500th store in May 2008 in Broken Arrow, OklahomaBroken Arrow, OklahomaBroken Arrow is a city located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, primarily in Tulsa County but also with a small section of the city in western Wagoner County. It is the largest suburb of Tulsa. According to the 2010 US Census, Broken Arrow has a population of 98,850 residents...
. Chester Cadieux reprised his role at the milestone store by ringing up the first customer, Burt Holmes who was the co-founder of QuikTrip.
- QuikTrip signed an agreement with the city of Grand Prairie, TexasGrand Prairie, TexasGrand Prairie is a city in Dallas, Ellis, and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas and is a part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Grand Prairie is a suburb of both Dallas and Fort Worth and had a population of 175,396 at the 2010 census.- History :The city of...
for naming rights to the Grand Prairie AirHogsGrand Prairie AirHogsThe Grand Prairie AirHogs are a professional baseball team based in Grand Prairie, Texas, in the United States. The AirHogs are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball , which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
new stadium, to be named QuikTrip Park. QT will have a booth at the stadium and within two years, will sell QT Kitchens products at the park for store price. The ballpark was voted best ballpark in the country in October 2008.
- The QuikTrip CenterTulsa Expo CenterThe Tulsa Expo Center, since 2007 also called the QuikTrip Center, is the center of the Tulsa State Fair and one of the largest clearspan buildings in the world. The Expo Center provides of column-free space under a cable-suspended roof...
convention center in Tulsa, Oklahoma which is the largest suspension [no interior pillars] building in the world.
- There is also a well-known "gentlemen's agreementGentlemen's agreementA gentlemen's agreement is an informal agreement between two or more parties. It may be written, oral, or simply understood as part of an unspoken agreement by convention or through mutually beneficial etiquette. The essence of a gentlemen's agreement is that it relies upon the honor of the parties...
" between Chester Cadieux and the owner of the 7-11 store chain in Oklahoma City not to compete in each other's markets. This is the reason that QuikTrip does not operate stores in Oklahoma City and that 7-11 does not operate stores in Tulsa.
Customer expedition
In an attempt to increase speed and improve customer service at Checkout, QuikTrip has begun asking customers to stand at the counter versus standing in a long line. Employees are taught at orientation to go provide assistance on an additional register when the customer to cashier ratio exceeds 3:1, and to direct customers to the closest available checkout.QT Kitchens
QuikTrip has begun an initiative of offering fresh food made daily at its own bakery and commissary referred to as QT Kitchens. The new offer includes fresh sandwiches, wraps, salads, fruit, and various pastries made and delivered daily.With the completion of the Dallas/Fort Worth facility, the line of products are available in all current markets.
External links
- QuikTrip's official website
- Forbes magazine profile
- Fortune magazine profile
- Voices of Oklahoma interview with Chester Cadieux. First person interview conducted with QuikTrip founder and author of From Lucky to Smart: Leadership Lessons from QuikTrip, Chester Cadieux on July 31, 2009. Original audio and transcript archived with Voices of Oklahoma oral history project.