but I want to fill it up part 2

[Roland]

If I recall correctly, I have mentioned this convenience store phenomenon before. Older customers come in the store sometimes after their debit card has been rejected at the pump. I ask the usual questions. What pump are you on? How much gas do you want?

I want to fill it up.

and then I have to explain that prepay doesn't work that way.

I had to have this conversation with a lady when I was in hour fricking 13 of a double shift I was pulling. Needless to say I wasn't at my customer servicey best at that point.

[jedimaster91]

I want to fill it up.

and then I have to explain that prepay doesn't work that way.

But man I wish it did. I know around how much my tank will need when I fill up, but I hate the guessing game. Either I don't get enough or I over estimate and have to go get change. There's one station near me that is notorious for being prepay only at certain times. Can't even pay with my card at the pump; I have to go inside and prepay. So when that happens, I just go to another station that doesn't have prepay at all. I'm a regular there and all the staff know me, so it doesn't usually take long to get approved for a cash fill. Then I can go in and get my coke all in the same transaction. I love it.

[wolfie]

So when that happens, I just go to another station that doesn't have prepay at all. I'm a regular there and all the staff know me, so it doesn't usually take long to get approved for a cash fill. Then I can go in and get my coke all in the same transaction. I love it.

Other station sounds like it gives its employees the opportunity to use their own judgment, rather than having inflexible rules. They recognize you as a regular (i.e. unlikely to pull a drive-off), so they authorize the pump for a post-pay. You also buy a high-margin item in addition to your gas. Win-win.

[Roland]

My store is the busiest one in my area, and that has kicked up a notch since gas prices went down. Add to that the fact that there are ten pumps....
Long way of saying I appreciate inflexibility in this case. I don't feel like dealing with drive offs on top of the stuff I already deal with.

[jedimaster91]

Other station sounds like it gives its employees the opportunity to use their own judgment, rather than having inflexible rules. They recognize you as a regular (i.e. unlikely to pull a drive-off), so they authorize the pump for a post-pay. You also buy a high-margin item in addition to your gas. Win-win.

Even before the staff started to recognize me, I'd get approved for the post pay. Someone would just write down my plate. Now I don't think they bother since they know I'm coming in for my coke.

I totally get having prepay rules during peak times when a lone employee doesn't have time to really watch the pumps. Or in sketchy parts of town, or in the middle of the night. Though I don't quite get why it's all prepay and pay at the pump isn't an option in some places. I was under the assumption that the programming in the pumps took care of the approval process automatically, but maybe I'm wrong there? I'm genuinely curious.

[Gilhelmi]

Gas, the only thing I can think of where they let you put it in a tank before you pay, and there is little to no way of getting it back out.

Honestly, I always saw gas station that did not have pre-pay as more than a little naive.

Before debit cards "Oh, I thought I had the cash, but I am short"
Debit card "Oh, I thought I had money in the account"
Credit card "Oh, it is maxed out?"
Few to none take checks anymore, gee I wonder why.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Luckily, most places we stop to get gas I can run my card at the pump, so filling it up is no problem.

Do have one place that only takes cash though . . . it's just a short block down the road from work and sometimes their price will be a few cents cheaper. Their pumps are old fashioned - you pay inside first, so I'll have to guess how much cash to get back at work before I stop there.

Otherwise, only other time I've had to prepay for a fill up, I simply left my debit card inside with the clerk (and this was at the Quick Stop near my house - they know me there.)

Seems simple to me: if I'm not sure how much it'll cost to fill it up and their pumps don't have the card readers, simply go inside and ask the clerk - and not be a bitch about it.