Customer Experience

PAR Technology survey: Convenience store shoppers favor faster checkout but want human assistance

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October 13, 2026

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Convenience store customers are increasingly comfortable with artificial intelligence-powered technology, particularly when it speeds up checkout, but many still want access to employees, according to a report from PAR Technology.

The company's 2026 industry survey of 1,000 U.S. adults found 80% of respondents reported encountering AI in convenience stores, most commonly through self-checkout kiosks. More than half, 55%, identified faster checkout as a preferred application of AI, while 33% said improved checkout speed could persuade them to switch convenience stores.

The survey also found growing interest in personalized promotions, although consumers expressed limits on how retailers should use their information. Fifty-seven percent would trust AI to recommend offers based on previous purchases, and 34% identified personalized coupons as a desirable application. However, only 25% expressed similar enthusiasm for offers based on broader personal information, such as location or travel patterns. Parents with children younger than 25 living at home were generally more receptive to AI, with 91% reporting exposure to the technology, compared with 74% of respondents without children at home.

Despite the interest in automation, maintaining human interaction remains important. Half of respondents said a convenience store becomes overly automated when customers cannot easily reach an employee, while 40% identified transparency as their leading factor in trusting AI. PAR Technology CEO Savneet Singh said retailers must balance efficiency and personalization with customer trust. The company said the findings underscore opportunities for convenience retailers to improve checkout, inventory management and loyalty programs without eliminating personal service.