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QuikTrip (abbreviated QT) is a Tulsa-based chain of convenience stores 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.^[1] QuikTrip promotes its gasoline as "high-quality" through guaranteeing it. In 2005 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.)^[2] QuikTrip stores are known for a wider-than-normal selection of fountain drinks, gourmet sandwiches, and grill items.

QuikTrip locations are larger than the average gas station, offering anywhere from 6 to 28 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".

Stores and locations[link]

QuikTrip operates 604 stores^[3], which are concentrated in the following 10 United States areas:

• Georgia: Atlanta (124 stores)
• Arizona: Phoenix/Tucson (92 stores)
• Texas: Dallas/Fort Worth (90 stores)
• Kansas/Missouri: Kansas City (76 stores)
• Missouri/Illinois: St. Louis (73 stores)
• Oklahoma: Tulsa (67 stores)
• Kansas: Wichita (38 stores)
• Iowa/Nebraska: Des Moines/Omaha (35 stores)
• Carolinas: Greenville/Spartanburg/Charlotte (9 stores)

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.^{[original research?]}. 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.^[4] 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.^[5]

Highlights[link]

Exterior of a QuikTrip store in Des Moines, Iowa

Quik Trip

• In recent years, QuikTrip has been consistently listed among Fortune'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^[6] QuikTrip often uses this fact in recruiting new employees. QuikTrip also ranked 32nd on Forbes magazine's list of largest private companies in 2005.^[7].

• 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 Jones, 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 Center in Kansas City, Missouri. This unit only operates during arena events.

• QT opened its 500th store in May 2008 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. 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, Texas for naming rights to the Grand Prairie AirHogs 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 Center 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 agreement" between Chester Cadieux and the owner of the 7-11 store chain in Oklahoma City not to compete in each other's markets.^[8] 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[link]

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[link]

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.

References[link]

External links[link]

• 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.