Love’s Travel Stops is entering 2026 with a focus on growth and reinvestment in its nationwide network of amenities to provide an unmatched experience for travelers, professional truck drivers, RVers, EV customers and local communities. New and remodeled locations, updated technologies and the same strong commitment to providing products and amenities customers want will lead the way for the travel stop brand.
“Our 2026 priorities reflect what has always mattered at Love’s, delivering a best-in-class customer experience every time, no matter the part of our business,” said Shane Wharton, president of Love’s. “This year, growth means new and updated locations, expanded food and snack options, added amenities for RVers and continued reinvestment in the business through a stronger loyalty program and updated technologies — all focused on strengthening Love’s brand to drive customer value.”
Network growth
In 2026, Love’s plans to invest $700 million in building new locations and remodeling existing ones under its newly named Road Ahead Plan. Under this initiative, more than half of Love’s locations will be newly constructed or remodeled by 2035. New this year, Love’s will close locations that are being remodeled to complete construction faster while still offering amenities like fuel, restrooms and light food and drinks to customers via a mobile building. In 2026, the Road Ahead Plan includes 20 new locations and updates to 35 existing locations.
With existing and new locations, Love’s continues its support of professional truck drivers by providing amenities and services that support them. The company will continue to address parking challenges by adding parking spaces that are free for customers and by helping customers get back on the road quickly with roadside assistance and its network of truck care locations. In 2026, Love’s will add 1,500 truck parking spaces for a total of more than 52,000 spaces by the end of the year. Additionally, two new truck care locations and four truck washes will open in 2026.
For RVers, Love’s plans to open 23 new RV Stops, which will add 150 RV hookups to its network. With these additions, the RV network will include more than 140 locations and 2,000 hookups across the country offering a consistent and convenient experience. Love’s will also begin selling RV tires and batteries for the first time this spring. The new products will be available at 79 locations that have truck care and RV hookups.
Love’s will continue growing its network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers and hydrogen and CNG stations through Love’s Alternative Energy (LAE). Last year, Love’s rebranded Trillium Energy Solutions to LAE, strengthening the company’s commitment to providing alternative fueling solutions under the Love’s brand. Love’s will continue expanding its EV charging network through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) grants program with the installation of 100 new EV stalls in 2026. The company plans to deploy fast chargers at approximately 150 locations over the next several years, reinforcing its dedication to supporting the growing EV market.
Updated loyalty rewards
Love’s will launch a next-level loyalty experience with an enhanced Love’s Rewards program. Slated to be introduced later in February, the Love’s Rewards program will now allow casual customers to start earning points per dollar spent inside the store and on gas and auto-diesel. Additionally, all customers will now be able to earn even more points than before, including extra points per dollar for Love’s branded products and Love’s Fresh Kitchen items. This program will provide much needed value for the traveling public and enable Love’s to provide relevant offers to all drivers throughout their journey.
Love’s Rewards will also support the previously announced Love’s Media Group, the first retail media network designed specifically for America’s travel stops and the first to reach professional truck drivers at scale. Love’s Media Group’s efforts will ramp up this year by transforming Love’s physical and digital assets into a unified advertising platform spanning the entire customer journey – from fuel pump screens and in-store digital signage to the Love’s Rewards loyalty program offers and Love’s mobile app.
New technologies
Last year, Love’s expanded how customers get their food by introducing order-ahead capabilities at Arby’s, Hardee’s, Taco John’s, Bojangles and Carl’s Jr., along with intelligent kiosks to Arby’s, enhancing customer experience and making it faster and easier to get food on the go. This year, Love’s will expand the use of intelligent kiosks to additional restaurant concepts.
New food options
The company will also continue to expand its food offerings. Along with hot and fresh offerings from Love’s Fresh Kitchen, the company continues to be one of the largest quick service restaurant operators in the country, offering more than 20 different concepts giving customers access to the food they know and crave. Love’s will welcome its first Whataburger in the beginning of 2026, adding another iconic brand to its growing lineup of food choices.
Heartwell Renewables
Construction of Heartwell Renewables, a new state-of-the-art renewable diesel refinery in Hastings, Nebraska, is expected to be completed later this year. Renewable diesel is a low emissions fuel, utilized throughout the U.S. by Love’s trucking customers. The refinery will employ approximately 70 people and initially produce 80 million gallons of renewable diesel annually. Heartwell is a multi-feedstock capable facility that can utilize waste fats and oils, cover crops and vegetable oils as well to produce the renewable diesel fuel. Tallow, a rendered animal fat co-product following protein processing, is expected to serve as the main form of feedstock.
To learn more about Love’s and its offerings, or to apply for a job, visit loves.com
