Gas stations are getting a luxury makeover as Beverly Hills prepares to welcome LA’s first high-end fueling stop: Maggie’s Refuel.

Inspired by Japan’s 7-Eleven culture and Italy’s Autogrill, food-tech entrepreneur Alex Canter wants to turn the routine pit stop into a five-star experience.

Named after Canter’s French bulldog mix, Maggie’s will pair elevated soft-serve and locally baked pastries with convenience-store staples like Diet Coke, Peanut M&M’s and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, according to Finally Offline. Slated to open in 2027, the station will also feature EV chargers to serve electric vehicle drivers.

The chain will also launch a mobile app offering loyalty points and rewards.

Online, reaction has been split. Some are eager to see convenience stores get a luxury upgrade, while others are questioning whether anyone really needs a five-star gas station.

“They [gas stations] have evolved to places where people want to hang out at and get food at… So, Maggie’s will take that to a whole new level but make it a luxury experience. But the real question is, do people want a luxury gas station?” said a Tiktoker.

A user on X joked, “we got Woke Buccee’s before GTA 6.”

Canter, the fourth-generation owner of Canter’s Deli on Fairfax Avenue, sold his virtual restaurant company Nextbite to hospitality mogul Sam Nazarian in 2023. Now, he wants to revamp the c-store experience for Angelenos.

“We see an opportunity to create something that’s very exciting, and something that people will want to go in and discover new treats and treat themselves,” Canter told CSP Daily News in 2025. “Hospitality is in my blood. I’m a big foodie.” 

Maggie’s concept draws inspiration from the Chicago-based urban café and convenience store chain Foxtrot Market. Canter said that his first visit to Foxtrot “blew his mind” and he’s been craving a similar experience since the chain closed down in 2024.

“I loved the idea of a modern convenience store, of something that was curated with emerging brands, and fun snacks products on the shelf … and the digital ordering capabilities—to be able to pick up a quick coffee and on the way to work, but also a bottle of wine and some flowers, I loved that concept,” he said, as reported by CSP.

Maggie’s Refuel has raised 2 million dollars in pre-seed funding from Matchstick Ventures, Mucker Capital, and Everywhere Ventures. It is backed by seasoned players of the business, including Jim Keyes, former president and CEO of 7-Eleven, and Meredith Sandland, a former Starbucks executive vice president.