Many consider Costco the best place to get gas in the United States, a new survey suggests.
Survey respondents said that the bulk retailer’s gas station was considered the cleanest and cheapest of the nation’s major options, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
However, Buc-ee’s is considered a Texas icon and is known for its customer service.
The energy company Payless Power recently conducted a survey of favorite gas stations, and Buc-ee’s was number two after Costco.
Also on the list were Love’s, Shell, 7-11, Wawa, Speedway, Mobil, and Circle K, among others.
By contrast, America’s most hated gas stations, according to the survey, were Exxon, Texaco, Valero, Phillips 66, Sunoco, and Citgo, among others.
When asked how they choose where to fill up, 58% of respondents said that they always go to their favorite gas station, 26% said they go to whatever is closest to their location, and 16% said that they go to whichever station has the lowest price.
Respondents said they would be willing to travel more than 21 minutes to fill up at a Buc-ee’s, compared to only 14 minutes for a Shell gas station.
Ninety percent of respondents said Buc-ee’s had the friendliest service.
“Customers are looking for much more in a gas station than cheap gas,” Payless Power said in its survey release. “While price is important, a clean station with quality food and customer service alone could earn a healthy following.”
Another factor was food that was just as good as it was cheap, according to the survey. And if a customer is more likely to switch to another gas station, the survey reported, it would be because of good quality fuel instead of simply better food.
In terms of gas prices, Buc-ee’s only lags behind Wawa, the East Coast chain of gas stations.
Payless Power’s survey included thousands of respondents with a particular emphasis on preferences in various areas.
“Between cleanliness, price, food quality, and customer service, only two stations — Costco and Buc-ee’s — made the top five in all four categories,” said Payless Power. Buc-ee’s food quality came in only second to Wawa.
Also surprising was the amount of time that customers spend at gas stations. Overall, customers spend an average of 20 minutes, with Gulf customers spending the longest average time — 24 minutes — and Wawa customers spending the shortest average time –16 minutes.
