Commuters Hunger For Healthier Trackside Fare

Back in April, Jerry Carney set out to determine what commuters most wanted from his concession stands at the Darien and Noroton Heights train stations. Though he had operated the two shops for seven years, business had been down lately, and Carney was looking for a way to turn things around.

"We wanted a way to reach out to the commuter and have him give us some leadership," Carney said. "He knows what he wants, but we don't."

So he commissioned an online poll through SurveyMonkey, giving commuters a chance at winning a month of free coffee and newspapers in exchange for answering six questions about the stands' offerings. The result?

"Really what they want—spelled large—is health. ... I want healthier muffins, I want healthier drinks, I want fresh food," Carney said.

Carney's options may be somewhat limited in that area—without a more elaborate facility, regulations don't allow him to cook food on site—but he said he's looking into better refrigeration to expand fresh food options beyond just fruit.

Describing the response to the survey as "stupendous," Carney said six winners had been selected, three from each station.

Beyond just health bars, Carney is hoping his stands can respond to shifting dynamics across the board, such as declining newspaper circulation and more competition in the breakfast market.

"The business is changing," Carney said. "Maybe we'll end up charging cell phones for them or selling cell phone batteries. We want to follow them."

The challenges he's facing are hardly isolated. A study released in March by research firm Mintel showed that while overall morning meal traffic was down at restaurants over 2009, the number of challengers had increased, with restaurants introducing some 450 new breakfast products to their menus.

"The average commuter probably has to drive by six, eight, ten places that sell coffee before he gets here," Carney said. "Every time you turn around, there's another company that has opened up, and they want the morning part of the business."

Meanwhile, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in April that newspaper circulations had declined 9 percent year over year, reflecting a long-running trend of more consumers choosing to get their news via computer and mobile device. Possibly symptomatic of that: Carney said almost none of the feedback he received pertained to publications sold at the stand.

Carney noted two bright spots, however: coffee sales have held steady, and the number of commuters coming through hasn't declined noticeably. Just as he was describing the survey results Friday morning, a man slipped into the Noroton Heights shop after closing time asking to buy a copy of the Darien Times.

"It's a gift. Take it," Carney said. "But that commits you to buy your morning coffee here for life," he joked.

Carney's stands, rented from the town, are open from 4:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.