Casey's

Casey's isn't your typical gas station-it's basically the Midwest's best-kept secret that's not really secret anymore. Started back in 1968 in tiny Boone, Iowa, this convenience store chain has grown into something pretty remarkable: America's third-largest convenience retailer and, get this, the fifth-largest pizza chain in the country.

Yeah, you read that right. Pizza. From a gas station.

But here's the thing-Casey's pizza isn't some sad, heat-lamp afterthought. They're making it from scratch, with hand-rolled dough and real mozzarella, right there in the store. And they've got some wild varieties too, like breakfast pizza (eggs, cheese, and sausage on pizza dough) and their famous taco pizza that's become a regional obsession. With over 2,600 locations across 20 states, they're selling enough pizza to rival actual pizza chains.

What makes Casey's different is how they've positioned themselves in small-town America. About two-thirds of their stores are in communities with fewer than 20,000 people-places where Casey's might be the only game in town for gas, groceries, and a hot meal. They're not just convenient; they're essential.

The company's been on a serious expansion tear lately, acquiring hundreds of stores and pushing into new states like Texas, Alabama, and Florida. They've got this interesting approach where they're not trying to be everything to everyone-they're just trying to be really, really good at being the neighborhood spot where you can grab fuel, snacks, and surprisingly decent food.

Their rewards program has over 8.5 million members, which tells you something about customer loyalty. When you're dealing with 766 million guest transactions a year, you're clearly doing something right. And with their recent rebranding (they dropped "General Stores" from most signage) and push into retail media with Casey's Access, they're showing they're not content to just coast on their small-town success.