Convenience Stores When Traveling
- Thread starter urb1
- Start date
it depends on the store for me. If it is a nice, clean store, I'll usually get something. If it is in a shady place or is dirty, I'll use the restroom and get out of there.
It really depends on the store/location. Busy store along the interstate, not neccessarily. Small store off a highway, yeah.
Typically when I'm travelling I'm timing bathroom stops with fuel/food stops anyways so it's kind of a moot point.
Typically when I'm travelling I'm timing bathroom stops with fuel/food stops anyways so it's kind of a moot point.
Does filling up with gas count? I have no problem doing that, even if I'm paying at the pump. Otherwise I'm not a big snacker while driving. Won't drink a lot either to avoid more frequent bathroom breaks, only compromise is if I need caffeine.
If I'm stopping I usually either top off the gas or grab a snack/drink.
Good. In that case, yes I do always buy something. I will change my vote. I don't think I ever stop strictly to use the restroom. I hold it until I have another reason to stop.
Back in the ancient days of my youth, there really weren’t many convenience stores or rest areas and gas stations were where everyone stopped to use the restroom, so it just seems like part of the deal there. The few convenience stores around, you would mostly have to ask to use the employee restroom behind the counter.
I have never really thought about it, but I think we always buy something. With kids, stopping isn’t always something that can be controlled, but even if it starts as a bathroom only stop, those same damn kids want something out of it, so I think we always get something.
I have a general rule to not buy anything at convenience stores. If I go inside it's to pee. If I'm traveling I'll stop at a grocery store if I really need anything.
I don't think the attendants care, but I always buy something because it seems polite.
^ Yeah, this. Stopped in January at a station/store in Waterloo. Was buying gas but went to pee first....lotto coffee earlier. Bathroom was dirty as heck. Had a sign over the toilet saying to hold down the lever for a period of time to make it work. The air hand drier had the cover off and all of the wiring and screw fittings to connect them to motor were exposed. Used my own bottle of hand sanitizer. And, went back outside and pump won't take any of my cards. So, **** them and drove on.
Not pee room related but station related:
Next stop was the rest area north of Mason City, now fuel was true need. Pump there worked for about .25 gallon and just stopped , not the auto fill/stop function, it just stopped and won't pump. Thought **** this **** and drove 200 yards to another station. Pull up to first pump and sign "Out of Order". Try another lane, double sides and pumps on BOTH side have out of order signs but smaller so I am parked and out of my car before I see the fine print. . Huge station so try a third lane and to the left, out of order but to my right was an actual functioning pump! Glory to the petro gods! Did go inside to buy coffee, picked the next to smallest size from the new ubiquitous coffee machines and put my travel cup in. Over flowed it and made a huge ******* mess. Now the coffee gods have turned on me so hightail it back to Minnesota. Based on this I am just assuming everything in Iowa is pretty much broken.
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We had a 10 drive with a four year old and an almost two year old in diapers. Told the older kid to tell us as soon as he felt the need to go, so he asked to go every time he saw a store. Younger kid cried incessantly unless we played the same Barney tape over and over. Even worse, the destination was in-laws.
Just another excuse to buy my addiction (Diet Mt Dew)...which sets up an endless cycle of stopping at another convenience store to use the restroom...in which I buy another Diet Mt Dew...
Yeah, I almost always fill up regardless of how much gas I have and make sure to not leave a mess (used paper towels make it in the garbage bin etc). But I feel zero obligation to buy anything inside.
I voted no, but if I'm in the middle of nowhere and the store is empty I'll always chat up the female staff
Give them some slick, city talk and whatnot. Oh...and a Snickers bar. Gotta buy those.
Give them some slick, city talk and whatnot. Oh...and a Snickers bar. Gotta buy those.