The Midwest is Getting Robbed at the Gas Station.
There is, in fact, heaven here on Earth. And it’s in the form of a gas station.
If you are unfamiliar with the East Coast gas station chain Sheetz, I’ve never felt more sorry for someone. Sheetz is the epitome of everything a gas station should embody. There are:
Gas pumps (duh)
Made-to-order food (most commonly referred to as MTO)
Booze (most importantly)
Road trip snacks and drinks
Nice people
Essentially, it has everything you need and more from a gas station. As a previous Pennsylvania resident, I thought places like Sheetz and other gas stations like Wawa were an East Coast exclusive. However, upon further research, I’ve found out other areas of the United States have their equivalent of a Sheetz. It’s us Midwesterns that are getting robbed in the gas station world.
The World of Juiced-Up Gas Stations
It’s truly un-American that you can’t find somewhere like a Wawa or a Buc-ee’s (a fever dream if you’ve ever been in one) to enjoy during a road trip or before work. No shade to our beloved stations like Kwik Trip, Casey’s General Store or Kum & Go, but they are not delivering the level of experience that you can find at other gas stations across the U.S.
These gas stations are not places where you fear or only fill up on gas. They’re places you enjoy. Whether you’re driving to a cabin or heading to work in the morning, these gas stations deliver an experience that allows you to take a second and enjoy endless selections of cheap, delicious foods and drinks to enjoy. It doesn’t matter why you’re stopping; the only thing that matters is what you’ll find that will add joy and happiness to your journey.
A Midwest Gas Station
Midwestern gas stations tend to air on the clean and friendly side. I’ve never had a rude interaction at a Kwik Trip, and I can’t recall a scary bathroom experience. Plus, some gas stations have delicious baked goods to enjoy, particularly at Kwik Trip and Casey’s General Store, with goods like pizza, frosted cookies and mouth-watering donuts to pick from. But where is the made-to-order? Where is the booze? Where is the fun and the experience? The answer is not anywhere in the Midwest.
I think the solution lies in begging these large companies like Wawa to branch out to the Midwest or finding an innovative entrepreneur to deliver that high-quality, full-service gas station experience that we folks in the Midwest are craving… or at least I am!
I know that people living in Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa and other lovely states that make up the beautiful Midwestern region are loyal to their home states and very proud. Don’t take my words as critiques of the gas stations we currently have, but take it as fuel to bring up to your friends and family and have an intellectual conversation surrounding the gas station experience that we deserve. Although right now we are getting robbed in the gas station game, we are winning in other areas.
Our Midwest Winners
A winner: Culver’s
Culver’s is truly the Midwest's golden ticket to happiness. I’ve never once been sad when I’m in the drive-through waiting for my cheese curds and custard.
A winner: Meat and cheese shops
The second you see one of these bad boys on the side of the highway, you whip your car so hard into the exit lane that you nearly leave skid marks (especially if you’re a Wisconsinite). A store solely dedicated to meat and cheese is like a candy shop to a child, pure heaven. Plus, some stores sell booze, too–if you’re nice enough!
A winner: Grocery stores, period.
Although there are Publix and Wegman’s, Lunds and Byerly’s, Cub and Hy-vee are incredible grocery stores that offer impeccable customer service, organized aisles and most importantly, decently-priced groceries–which is hard to come by. Walking down clean and organized aisles during your weekly grocery trip is one of the simplest pleasures in life, and we are so thankful that we have that in our Midwestern grocery stores.
Our loser: Gas stations
Let’s band together as a region and fight for our right to kick-ass gas stations. We Midwesterners pride ourselves in our kind demeanor and strong work ethic, and it’s about time we are rewarded with a gas station that gives us the kind of experience we deserve during our gas breaks.
Tell us what your dream gas station looks like by tagging us on Instagram @pulltabsports.
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