Motorway service station 'rip offs'

[JonRB]

Telegraph said:

Motorway service station 'rip offs'
Motorists have been warned that they are being "ripped off" if they rely on motorway service stations for petrol and other necessities.

(Source: Daily Telegraph)

Well, blimey. Gosh, really? Motorway service stations are a rip off? Talk about breaking news! Who would have thought it, eh?

[Use Psychology]

nevermind petrol, i had to buy a car from one once.

[MX7]

Near the Motorways: Affordable Alternatives to Service Stations

[D1bram]

They're not a rip off, you're paying for the convenience and relatively high running costs of operating the facility (how many people stop to use the loo but don't buy anything?).

Don't like the prices, then plan ahead and don't buy from them.

The press love non-stories don't they?

[JonRB]

D1bram said:

They're not a rip off, you're paying for the convenience and relatively high running costs of operating the facility (how many people stop to use the loo but don't buy anything?).

Don't like the prices, then plan ahead and don't buy from them.

The press love non-stories don't they?

Convenience or captive market?

Anyway, quite aside from this, it's also a non-story because it's always been so. I remember stopping at services in the 1970's where my parents would refuse to buy stuff because "the prices are ridiculously high". Hence the sarcasm of my OP (in case it was lost)

[Cock Womble 7]

What annoys me is the fact that if you buy a meal from a KFC/BK/McDonalds at a motorway services, you're paying way over the high street price.

What's their justification for this?

It can't be that motorway services are harder to deliver to - they're next to a friggin' motorway FFS.


It's quite simply a "captive audience" thing - you're on the motorway and you fancy a bite to eat, so you'll pay whatever they charge.

[TonyHetherington]

Why are the facilities so much more expensive? I can't believe the licence to operate there is any more, or less, expensive than to operate smack bang in the middle of a high street - and yet obviously comparable prices (eg mcd's meal) are significantly higher at a motorway.

[JonRB]

Cock Womble 7 said:

It's quite simply a "captive audience" thing - you're on the motorway and you fancy a bite to eat, so you'll pay whatever they charge.

Indeed. And it's always been so too. Same for cinemas.

Anyway, the point of my post was that the Telegraph article is so laughably "stating the bleeding obvious" that I had to draw attention to it.

I mean, seriously, if my experience of them being a rip-off goes back 35 years then it's hardly news, is it? Regardless of the reasons / excuses / justifications.

[GregE240]

JonRB said:

Anyway, the point of my post was that the Telegraph article is so laughably "stating the bleeding obvious" that I had to draw attention to it.

And you did it twice, as if to draw even more attention to it. Even though it is a "laughable" article. Did you want to make it three times?

[chrisdk]

Use Psychology said:

nevermind petrol, i had to buy a car from one once.

Yeah and those designer "sample" leather jackets don't come cheap either, do they ?

[Subbeh]

I'll often buy a few things but then carry out a 'dirty protest' on my visit to the toilets to even things out a bit.


the above may not be true

[PintOfKittens]

TonyHetherington said:

Why are the facilities so much more expensive? I can't believe the licence to operate there is any more, or less, expensive than to operate smack bang in the middle of a high street - and yet obviously comparable prices (eg mcd's meal) are significantly higher at a motorway.

Basically, they have to pay for the whole service station. The cost of the sliproads, all the roads, buildings etc, have to be paid for - they simply cant charge highstreet prices and pay all that off AND make a profit...

[ralphrj]

I'm sure this has been covered before but the high cost of fuel and food at motorway services is a result of the high operating costs which in turn is (mainly) a result of the regulations governing motorway services.

For example:

1. Motorway service areas (MSA) must be open 24 hours a day,
2. MSA must provide free toilets,
3. MSA must provide free short term parking,
4. MSA must have food facilities open 24 hours (I think it also has to be hot food).

[tucks]

its the only place i can find that still sells Orangina in a glass bottle(shake the bottle wake the tase apparently). i thrive on that nector.


its does however cost me a trip to taunton dean services(an hour and a halfs drive) and a re-mortgauge of my house to be able to affprd it.
well worth it though.

[JonRB]

GregE240 said:

Did you want to make it three times?

Sure, ok. If you want.

[soxboy]

I always thought the MaccyD's were the same price as the high street, whereas KFC/ Burger King were a lot more. They're better now they have Waitrose and M&S at them, but as the OP says, it is a bit of a non story.

Thankfully the jazz mags are the same price as everywhere else.....

[Hudson]

Leicester services rake it in, they're the first (if i remember correctly) service station on the way back from download festival. Cooked food, toilets, running water and a roof? its like paradise after 5 days in a tent

[christofmccracke]

you pay for the convenience,
it is expensive,but so are most petrol stations

[funkyrobot]

soxboy said:

Thankfully the jazz mags are the same price as everywhere else.....

A lot of that stuff is free on the internet now, you know.

[thetapeworm]

M&S shops seem to buck the trend on this - their services shop prices are the same as the local store ones as far as I can tell. OK that's probably higher than a conventional supermarket to start with but I'd rather pay £2 for an egg sandwich than £4.50 in the services shop next door.