Speedway: Best Gas Brand in the Land

What do Microsoft, Google, Coca-Cola, M&Ms, Sony, Harley-Davidson, Southwest Airlines and Speedway have in common? They are the best brands in the nation in their respective categories according to the 2009 EquiTrend® Brand Study conducted by Harris Interactive®. This renowned annual online study measures the bonds that exist between consumers and brands.

"Speedway is proud to be the gasoline brand that U.S. consumers equate with a consistent exceptional customer experience," remarked Tony Kenney, president of Speedway. "There are many highly respected brands within the gasoline industry and to be ranked as the very best in the place where it matters most - in the eyes of the customer - is truly a great honor."

This year, EquiTrend® measured 1,120 brands across 39 categories. Survey data is based upon such important brand tenets as Familiarity, Quality, Purchase Consideration, Brand Expectations, Distinctiveness and Trust. These measurements determine the brand's rank both among its competitors and in comparison to world-class brands across all categories. Harris Interactive® also added for 2009 another base measurement reflective of these economic times that measures the perceived value of a brand based upon the money a customer pays.

"Being the customers' first choice for value and convenience has been our vision at Speedway for as long as I can remember," Kenney pointed out, adding, "Our employees, and in particular our store associates who are the face of Speedway to almost 2.4 million customers a day, deserve the credit for building such strong connections and establishing such broad appeal and trust in the Speedway name. When we combine competitive pricing with exceptional customer service, plus the added value of our Speedy Rewards® program, we clearly are having a very positive impact on the motoring public."

For five consecutive quarters dating back to early 2008, Speedway has been rated as the best convenience store chain in terms of overall customer satisfaction in a national consumer perception survey conducted by Corporate Research International® through their website realpeopleratings.com. Ever-increasing customer appeal has also been reflected in SSA's very own Speedy Rewards® customer survey data, with record ratings quarter over quarter in 2008 and 2009 for such key metrics as Overall Satisfaction, Friendliness, Speed of Service, and Inside and Outside Cleanliness. And, Speedway continues to outpace the convenience store industry and, in particular the Midwest market, in fuel and merchandise sales.