NACS Show Attendance Again Tops 25,000

Overall, 25,572 attendees from 74 countries and territories were at the 2026 NACS Show, which took place October 6-9 in Las Vegas. This year’s tally was more than 400 attendees higher than last year, making this the second highest attended NACS Show ever. It also was the third consecutive year that NACS Show attendance topped 25,000.

Expo Delivers New Products, Category Excitement

Organized around five broad categories (in-store merchandise, technology, facility operations, fuel equipment and services, foodservice), the 442,600-net-square-foot Expo featured 1,090 exhibitors, including 173 exhibitors in the New Exhibitor Area.

In addition, the NACS Future of Convenience pavilion showcased industry-specific, digital-first solutions developed for retailers to engage customers, protect their business and boost revenue. Hundreds of retailers held discussions and meetings with NACS staff for more information on TruAge® and THRIVR™. 

Education Sessions Draw Big Crowds

The NACS Show’s 56 Education Sessions, designed by retailers for retailers, had strong attendance counts, with a cumulative 11,438 attendees, averaging more than 230 attendees per session. Six Education Sessions had more than 400 attendees. Most Education Sessions will be available for audio/slide recording purchase in the coming weeks. 

General Sessions Highlight the Breadth of the Industry

Attendees also packed the 3,200-seat Paradise Event Center for three days of NACS Show General Sessions. 

NACS 2025-26 Chairman Annie Gauthier, CFO/Co-CEO of St. Romain Oil Company LLC (dba Y-Not Stop), opened the October 6 General Session by encouraging attendees to seek out the “happy accidents”—unexpected encounters and opportunities that can propel a business forward. During the NACS Show, they might be more aptly described as “happy NACS-idents,” she noted. Lindsay Shookus, the legendary former Saturday Night Live producer, followed Gauthier with lessons and stories from the acclaimed variety series.

The spotlight was on community in the October 7 General Session. Lonnie McQuirter, 2026-27 NACS chairman and director of operations at 36 Lyn Refuel Station, focused on the industry’s importance to communities. “We’re not just conducting transactions, we’re cultivating relationships,” he noted. 

McQuirter was followed by NACS Foundation Executive Director Kevin O’Connell, who delivered a powerful tribute to everyday heroes in announcing the NACS Foundation’s First Responder of the Year awards. More than 600 nominations from 47 states were submitted for the awards, and three first responders were recognized:

• Karen Shepherd (Pattonsburg, Missouri), the overall winner, nominated by The Gas Spot (InConvenience Inc.)
• Carl Nielsen (Fremont, Nebraska), nominated by Sapp Bros. Travel Centers
• Sergeant Ryan Sheridan and his K9 partner, Dembe (Charlottesville, Virginia), nominated by Tiger Fuel

The October 7 General Session concluded with Shookus returning to moderate a laugh-filled conversation with award-winning actor, writer and producer Jason Sudeikis.

On October 8, the focus in the General Session was squarely on the industry. NACS President & CEO Frank Gleeson introduced “Advancing Convenience 2030,” a strategic framework approved earlier in the week by the NACS Board of Directors. “We are shifting NACS from being the leading trade association to the platform that powers convenience and fuel retailing,” Gleeson said.

The day concluded with Ideas 2 Go videos that showcased how retailers are reinventing convenience, especially around food. Also featured was a bonus video that gave an inside look at the June grand opening of Dolly Parton’s Tennessean Travel Stop. The other videos will be available online in the coming weeks.

Bringing the Industry Together

During the NACS Show, a variety of NACS boards and committees convened to advance the industry. Lonnie McQuirter, director of operations for 36 Lyn Refuel Station (Minneapolis, Minnesota), was named the 2026-27 NACS chairman, and Kevin LeMoyne, senior vice president, customer leadership at The Coca-Cola Company, was named the 2026-27 Chairman of the NACS Supplier Board, among other announcements.

During the Global Colleagues Reception, leaders from OXXO Mexico were recognized with the NACS Convenience Store of the Year Award Latin America for the company’s first travel center, located in Majalca, Chihuahua.

Within the Cool New Products Preview Room, attendees scanned QR codes through the NACS Show mobile app for each of the 342 products on display. In addition, the Convenience Catalyst section of the Cool New Products Preview Room provided retailers with a unique look at products and services that are relatively new to the convenience channel. Overall, over 9,000 product scans were logged by attendees. The top 10 most-scanned products were:

1. Kraft Mac & Cheese Cheesy Ramen (Kraft Heinz) 
2. Forest Food Fumang Propitious Mango, Taoqi Peach Breeze Ice Cream (Ultimate Sales & Services)
3. Frazil Fizz (Frazil)
4. Self-Serve Bakery Display by Palram 4U (Palram 4U)
5. New Pretzilla Soft Pretzel Bite Grab and Go Cups (Pretzilla)
6. Bakery Self-Serve Countertop Display Case – 18 SKU (Palram 4U)
7. CigarBros Humidor with Freshbox (CigarBros USA Inc.)
8. Retail Ready Fudge and Nuts (Fudgeamentals)
9. Ready High Protein Bar (Ready)
10. Little Joe Family of Air Fresheners - Little Dog Pup Cat Duck Joe (Little Joe - Drive Int. USA)

At the close of the 2026 NACS Show, the NACS Foundation, Vontier and Foodrecovery.org recovered surplus food from the Expo to help fight food insecurity in the Las Vegas area through the NACS Foundation’s Neighborhood Nourish program. More than 100 volunteers collected 95,000 pounds of food that was donated to five local charities. The NACS Foundation also awarded 18 scholarships at a Future Fund reception in the Keurig Dr Pepper booth.

The 2027 NACS Show will take place October 5-8 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta; sign up to be notified when registration opens. NACS also has more than a dozen other meetings planned over the next 12 months, including the December 2-3 Future of Mobility Summit in Charlotte, North Carolina, jointly developed by NACS and the Transportation Energy Institute.