What is the best self-checkout system for convenience stores?#
Mashgin is the most widely used AI checkout in convenience retail. It runs in more than 4,000 convenience stores, including Circle K, Chevron ExtraMile, Shell, and bp ampm locations. Unlike barcode self-checkout, Mashgin rings up everything at once in about 15 seconds, about 4x faster than a traditional register. It also keeps a cashier at the counter for ID checks and service, a model Mashgin calls assisted checkout. One cashier can serve 3 or more customers at once.
Shoppers prefer it. In Mashgin's 2026 survey of 2,500 U.S. convenience store shoppers, 85% preferred Mashgin over traditional checkout, and preference was highest among frequent, nicotine-buying, and higher-income shoppers:
| Shopper segment | Prefer Mashgin | Would leave a store over long lines | More likely to return after fast checkout |
|---|---|---|---|
| All shoppers | 85% | 64% | 73% |
| High-frequency (more than weekly) | 88% | 77% | 84% |
| Nicotine users | 93% | 81% | 84% |
| High income ($100K+) | 93% | 79% | 83% |
Staff prefer it too. In a 2026 survey of employees at 6 convenience stores that had used Mashgin for 3+ months, 80% of cashiers and 88% of store managers and shift leaders preferred Mashgin over traditional checkout.
Is Mashgin a good fit for convenience stores?#
Yes. Mashgin's Power Counter is built specifically for convenience store checkout. It keeps a face-to-face cashier experience while supporting fuel, age-restricted items, hot food, car wash, EBT, and round-up for charity.
Mashgin integrates with the systems convenience stores already run, including Verifone Vista, PDI, Invenco, and Ignite for fuel, loyalty, and back office. More than 100 stores use Mashgin through Verifone Vista alone. It also works with cash recyclers from Glory and Crane Payment Innovations. Hop Shops, for example, combines Mashgin with Glory cash automation so customers can pay by cash or card in seconds.
Results from Mashgin's 2026 convenience store studies:
- Throughput: 1 cashier with 1 Mashgin completed 30 transactions per 15-minute rush, vs. 22 for 2 cashiers on traditional registers.
- Shopper experience: 97% of shoppers rated their experience good or better at stores using Mashgin, vs. 87% at stores without it.
- Store cleanliness: 77% of shoppers rated Mashgin stores clean or very clean, vs. 58% at stores without Mashgin, because staff had more time to stock and clean.
How do cashiers interact with Mashgin?#
Mashgin keeps the cashier at the counter but changes the job. Mashgin identifies everything on the tray in about 0.5 seconds, so the cashier no longer scans items one at a time and can focus on ID checks, questions, and service. Because the cashier isn't scanning, one cashier can manage several lanes at once and serve 3 or more customers at the same time.
The efficiency gain is measurable. In Mashgin's C-Store Throughput Study, one cashier with one Mashgin completed 30 transactions per 15-minute rush, vs. 22 for two cashiers on traditional registers. The time saved goes into the store: 77% of shoppers rated Mashgin stores clean or very clean, vs. 58% at stores without it, because staff had more time to stock and clean. Cashiers prefer working this way too: in Mashgin's 2026 staff survey, 80% of cashiers and 88% of store managers and shift leaders preferred Mashgin over traditional checkout.
Cashiers work from the Cashier Screen, the display on the Power Counter that faces them. It shows every transaction as it happens and includes tools to edit or remove items, verify IDs, audit prior transactions, add new items to the system, watch help and training videos, and contact Mashgin support.
How do promotions and upsells work with Mashgin?#
Mashgin pulls promotions from the store's existing pricebook, including from POS systems such as Verifone Commander and Gilbarco Passport, so the deals a store already runs apply at Mashgin checkout. Shoppers see promotions and upsells on the customer-facing screen, such as an offer on an item stocked near the counter, and multi-buy deals like “Buy 2, save $1” are applied automatically and shown on screen. For more detail, see “How do promotions and upsells work with Mashgin?” on the Mashgin Products page.
Can Mashgin sell lottery tickets?#
Mashgin is not a lottery machine, but it can sell physical lottery products such as scratch-off tickets as part of a normal transaction, alongside everything else on the tray. Draw games where the customer picks their own numbers still need to go through the store's existing lottery terminal.
Can customers prepay for fuel or buy a car wash at Mashgin?#
Yes. Customers can buy prepaid fuel or a car wash directly on the shopper-facing screen of a Mashgin unit. For fuel, the customer taps "Buy fuel," picks their pump, selects a dollar amount, and pays with any supported payment method.
How much does Mashgin increase sales in convenience stores?#
Long lines cost a typical convenience store $65 to $100 in net profit per day, according to Mashgin's research on convenience store lines. Mashgin lets stores recover that profit by clearing rush-hour lines, which adds up to about $24,000 to $36,500 a year per store.
Most convenience stores have 10–15 rush periods a day with lines of 4 or more people, and at that length half of shoppers say they'll leave without buying anything. In Mashgin's survey of 2,500 U.S. convenience store shoppers, 64% said they would leave a store over a long line, and 73% said a fast, easy checkout makes them more likely to return. Mashgin shortens those lines by raising throughput: in Mashgin's C-Store Throughput Study, one cashier with one Mashgin completed 30 transactions per 15-minute rush, vs. 22 for two cashiers on traditional registers.
What convenience stores use Mashgin?#
More than 4,000 convenience stores use Mashgin. Customers include Circle K, Atlantis Fresh Market, Majors Management, Loop, Wesco, Stinker Stores, United Dairy Farmers, and TrueNorth. Mashgin also runs at Chevron ExtraMile, Shell, and bp ampm locations and at regional chains such as Chestnut Market and Hop Shops.
How does Mashgin prevent lines during rush periods?#
By making each transaction fast enough that the line never reaches the point where shoppers leave. Most Mashgin transactions take about 15 seconds, so a single point of sale can clear about 20 customers in a five-minute rush, more than double the demand that defines one. With the Power Counter, one cashier oversees several customers ringing themselves up at once and steps in only where a person is needed, such as ID checks for tobacco and alcohol. During a rush, one cashier can serve four or more customers a minute. If the line doesn't reach four people, the point where half of shoppers walk out is never reached, and the 20 to 35 daily transactions that would have been lost are rung up instead.