NACS Show Draws 25,572 to Las Vegas
The 2026 convenience industry expo in Las Vegas drew attendees from 74 countries as in-store transactions declined.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Retail
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Have you stopped stopping at convenience stores when you buy gas?
The 2026 NACS Show drew 25,572 attendees from 74 countries to the Las Vegas Convention Center from Oct. 6-9, the second-highest attendance in the show's history. The gathering came as convenience store transactions fell 4.5% in the first half of 2026 compared with a year earlier.
Why it matters
The show's attendance and exhibitor count reflect the scale of the convenience store industry, which posted $818 billion in sales in 2025, even as transaction volumes softened. For Las Vegas, the event reinforces the city's role as a host for major trade shows.
The show featured 1,090 exhibitors across a 442,600-net-square-foot expo, while the U.S. convenience store industry operates nearly 152,000 stores. Transactions fell roughly 1,100 per store on average in the first half of 2026, according to the figures cited.
The players
NACS
NACS is the trade association representing convenience and fuel retailers, with 1,000 member companies operating more than 400,000 stores in 50-plus countries.
Jason Sudeikis
Jason Sudeikis is an actor and comedian who appeared in a conversation moderated by Lindsay Shookus at the show.
The details
The show ran Oct. 6-9 in the Central and North Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, organized around in-store merchandise, technology, facility operations, fuel equipment and services, and foodservice. Attendees used the show's mobile app to scan QR codes for information on 342 products in the Cool New Products Preview Room.
Timeline
Oct. 6, 2026: Opening general session with Annie Gauthier and Lindsay Shookus at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.
Oct. 7, 2026: Shookus moderated a conversation with Jason Sudeikis.
Oct. 6-9, 2026: NACS Show held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Market Landscape
Attendance above 25,000 for the third consecutive year shows continued industry engagement at NACS events even as transactions declined 4.5% in the first half of 2026. The gap between event turnout and in-store traffic suggests retailers are investing in expansion and technology while adjusting to softer customer visit volumes.
Shoppers may see continued changes in convenience store offerings as retailers showcase new products and technology at the show. The 4.5% transaction decline suggests fewer routine store visits, which could affect product availability and promotions.
The takeaway
Convenience retailers are balancing strong industry scale against falling transaction volumes, making product innovation and in-store technology central to competing for customers.
What happens next
The 2027 NACS Show will take place Oct. 5-8 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Further reading
For more on the sector, see Retail coverage of Las Vegas.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Trade Show News Network.
Live Poll
Have you stopped stopping at convenience stores when you buy gas?
