Well, I suppose if you're going to DRINK it...

[protege]

Wait, I'm confused. They have the card swipe things on the pumps, but they still make you pay INSIDE? I don't get it. Paying is paying.

That's how I've seen it. To do it their way, actually takes longer. Not much, but some of those areas you really don't want to be in if you can help it

I suppose there are possible logical explanations. Like that is how the pumps came, and the stations chooses not to use the swipes. Or they have had some sort of problems with people using those swipes. Who knows? It does sound odd, though.

I suppose the pumps could have come that way, but still. Some of those stations have actually disabled the swipes. It's a bit annoying to see that they work fine one day, and then get cut off the next.

[cinema guy]

Wait, I'm confused. They have the card swipe things on the pumps, but they still make you pay INSIDE? I don't get it. Paying is paying.

Maybe they just want the business that impulse buys generate when the customers go inside.

[MergedLoki]

I never understood why gas pumps work before you pay. Out here you have to pay first before it even turns on.

There's a few gas stations i've seen here that are either pay @ pump first using debit or credit. OR pump and then pay inside.

But those are getting rarer most now are all pay first (either @ pump or inside) and THEN pump.

I've never understood the drive offs.

woooo u got away with $50 of gas... and those lil things called CAMERAS that every gas station (at least every one i've seen) has. So now they, and therefore the cops, have your lisence plate and congrats you're a thief and will be charged with theft.

[Racket_Man]

A good many of the places around me have a pay inside after pumping policy; but then, these places also have LOTS of cameras

you would be surprised. the chain of gas stations I worked for LOVED drive offs as a tax write off loss. we were "allowed" one external camera (took 2.5 minutes to do a complete round of all of the pumps with a few zooms in the mix) but had like 10 cameras inside (5 just on the clerks alone).

one of our stations had the dubious pleasure of being having the highest drive off percentage in the chain. and what did the woners do you ask???????? NOTHING

plus IF we did get a plate number the local cops were really reluctant to do anything even though my state has the "drive off without paying for your gas and loose your license" type of law. the cops ALWAY treated us as IF the drive off were OUR (the clerks) problem. hmmmmm it is STILL stealing esp if it is intentional (most of the time). they just did not want to be "our collection" agency or enforcer

by their logic I guess I could walk out of the local Best Buy with a big screen flat panel TV.. "BUT I WAS intentding to pay for it whiiiiinnnnnnnneeeeeee"

[bean]

I suppose the pumps could have come that way, but still. Some of those stations have actually disabled the swipes. It's a bit annoying to see that they work fine one day, and then get cut off the next.

They may be a mom and pop operation that gets a discounted transaction rate for using the processor's own equipment, instead of using the store point of sale system.

That's how it was explained to me at a gas station I go to occasionally anyway. They do have the card readers enabled, but if you use a card inside he runs it through a stand alone card machine, instead of the Verifone Ruby point of sale system.

Doesn't make much sense to me, personally. You'd think the processor would be happy not to lease their customer (the store) equipment.

As for EBT cards having cash benefits - I don't think the Texas lonestar card will let you use it at an ATM, but our card readers have 2 options when those cards are used. "Electronic Foodstamps" and "EBT (Cash)". About half of them will mistakenly hit the EBT cash option, which locks my register up if it comes back declined (supervisor has to bring a key over to unlock it... stupid).

[Can I have a cheeseburger]

Pump-then-pay is still the prevelant gas-pumping system in Ontario. Although the option of pay-then-pump exists and many customers use it, pump-then-pay is available at virtually every gas station. The only exception are the locally-owned independent full-serve gas bars, which tend to be in smaller communities.

[MergedLoki]

Pump-then-pay is still the prevelant gas-pumping system in Ontario. Although the option of pay-then-pump exists and many customers use it, pump-then-pay is available at virtually every gas station. The only exception are the locally-owned independent full-serve gas bars, which tend to be in smaller communities.

Must depend where you live. Cuz I'm in ONT and about 90% of the gas stations I pass to/from work are all pay THEN pump.