QuickChek

QuickChek

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Convenience stores, Fuel stations, Fast food
Predecessor	Durling Farms (retail division)
Founded	1967 (1967) in Dunellen, New Jersey, United States
Fate	Acquired by Murphy USA
Headquarters	Whitehouse Station , United States
Area served	New Jersey, New York
Key people	Blake Segal (Head of QuickChek)
Products	Convenience store items, fuel, baked goods, coffee, sandwiches, lottery tickets, tobacco products
Owner	Murphy USA
Parent	Murphy USA
Website	www.quickchek.com

QuickChek is a convenience store network headquartered in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, operating 153 locations across New Jersey and New York. Established in 1967 with its inaugural outlet in Dunellen, New Jersey, the company has expanded into a well-known chain. Many outlets feature additional services such as pharmacies, fuel stations, and liquor sections.

Store formats vary from compact corner shops to larger convenience retail spaces. A significant number of these stores are situated in city environments, with the majority providing 24-hour service. Former pharmacy-equipped locations typically carried an assortment of health-related products and aids. Additionally, most stores are equipped with PNC Bank ATMs for customer convenience.

History

QuickChek began operations in 1967 as the retail division of Durling Farms, a business based in Whitehouse, New Jersey that had been delivering milk and fresh dairy products directly to customers since 1888. The very first QuickChek opened its doors at 419 North Avenue in Dunellen, New Jersey, followed by a second store by year-end in nearby New Market, within Piscataway Township.

Originally, QuickChek locations functioned as small supermarkets offering primarily grocery staples, snack items, deli selections, candy, milk, bread, soft drinks, medicinal products, some prepackaged meats, and limited fresh produce. In the 1990s, the chain began incorporating fuel services and shifted its emphasis toward snack foods, beverages, ready-to-eat meals, and gas station amenities. Despite this evolution, QuickChek outlets continue to stock essential groceries such as bread, milk, select grocery goods, frozen meals, as well as soft drinks and bottled water. They also provide freshly made sandwiches and an extensive range of snacks. Beverage offerings include coffee, frozen drinks branded as Quick Freeze, and sandwiches; certain locations additionally serve milkshakes and frozen cappuccinos. As is typical for convenience stores, QuickChek retails cigarettes and other tobacco products alongside lottery tickets. The availability of fuel has become a key attraction for many customers.

QuickChek also produces a line of baked goods, some prepared fresh on-site.

QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning

Each year, QuickChek organizes the hot-air balloon festival held in Readington, New Jersey, taking place during the final weekend of July. On-site, an outdoor QuickChek setup offers deli items and coffee service. Throughout the festival weekend, attendees can enjoy a variety of scheduled events and entertainment. The 2011 edition of QuickChek's balloon festival showcased performances by notable artists including Meat Loaf, Barenaked Ladies, and ABBA.

References in pop culture

The New Jersey punk rock group The Bouncing Souls composed a track titled "Quick Chek Girl," inspired by a female employee at a QuickChek store.

Additionally, another band from New Jersey, The Number Twelve Looks Like You, references QuickChek coffee in their song "The Garden's All Nighters" from the album Worse Than Alone, with the lyric: "Quick Chek coffee is cooling down."

Branchburg QuickChek incident

On January 26, 2010, a QuickChek employee in Branchburg, New Jersey, alerted law enforcement about an individual acting suspiciously inside the store. The clerk suspected the man was carrying something but was unsure of its nature. Authorities detained Lloyd Woodson and discovered a substantial cache of illegal weapons and ammunition both on his person and in his motel room. Among the items found were a detailed map of Fort Drum and a red-and-white patterned headdress resembling a keffiyeh commonly worn in parts of the Middle East. Woodson faced several state and federal charges related to weapons offenses. Branchburg Police Chief Brian Fitzgerald commended QuickChek staff members Linda Yannazzno and Michael Murray for their vigilance during the incident.

Acquisition by Murphy USA

On December 14, 2020, Murphy USA, headquartered in El Dorado, Arkansas, declared its intent to acquire QuickChek. The deal was finalized in January 2021. In September 2021, Blake Segal—previously Senior Vice President of Operations at Caesars Entertainment—was appointed as the Head of QuickChek.

External links

• Official website