Casey's offering pizza delivery from Hiawatha store April 1

Casey's General Stores will begin offering pizza delivery from its Hiawatha convenience store on April 1, the first location in the Corridor to provide the service.

Ankeny-based Casey's, which began offering pizza delivery at a single store in 2010, will charge a $2 delivery fee with a minimum purchase of $10 required. The store at 780 N. Center Point Rd. also will deliver bread sticks and two-liter beverages.

Casey's will offer delivery between 4:30 and 10 p.m. Delivery drivers will accept major credit cards, cash and check as payment.

Casey's owns and operates more than 1,700 stores in 14 states. Bill Walljasper, Casey's senior vice president and chief financial officer, interviewed in August, said prepared foods represents about 8 percent of the company's total revenue, but nearly 30 percent of its gross profit.

Casey's expanded delivery to 230 stores by the end of October and will have converted 50 more to delivery including the Hiawatha store.

Casey's Chairman and CEO Robert Myers said the company expects to increase prepared food and fountain same-store sales by 11 percent this fiscal year, with an average margin of 61.1 percent.

"This category continues to benefit from three primary operating initiatives - expanded hours, pizza delivery and major store remodels," Myers said. "The margin continues to exceed our annual goal, primarily due to an increase in pizza sales."