I think they got bought by Circle K and are being gradually rebranded.
Regional Only multi-location gas station chains near you?
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Sheetz has expanded so far from Altoona that it no longer fits the "regional" definition like the ones that in the first post. I know they've expanded as far south as North Carolina, but there is none here in South Carolina where we are seeing the Parkers and Refuel building around here. Circle K doesn't usually have much of a kitchen but there are lots of stations/convenience stores here (Charleston, SC).Ah Sheetz, it's like a religion to us here in PA.
There's a "battle" in between Sheetz, WaWa, and Rutter's in PA. I do notice there's a bunch of WaWa's popping up in my part of PA. I might be shootin' out the hip here, but I thought there used to be some gentleman's agreement where Sheetz and WaWa wouldn't infringe on each others area. Now in 2025 they're strategically placing them right next to Sheetz locations.
(I grew up about 20 miles from Altoona, PA and remember the original Sheetz. Now every town in western and central PA has a Sheetz and often two). My family sold land in my hometown where they built the Sheetz (and it is a big one).
Cola has several now. They will be creeping your way I would imagine.
Could be, they have one on Orangeburg.
QT may not care but I think we have a lot more competition than Cola though. Like I said we have Spinx, Parkers, Enmark, ReFuel. The fuel terminal I believe is still run by Sunoco here, and Sunoco has partnered with 7-Eleven so there converting all those stores to 7elev with Sunoco gas, so we have a ton of those too.
I should keep track of how many gas station brands I can guy in my travels around the Southeast. Everyone needs a hobby.
Rock Hill was like that. We had Circle K's on every corner and 5 or so 7-11's as well as BP's and I don't know how many Shell stations. QT moved in and now I think we have 5 in Rock Hill and one off of every exit between Rock Hill and Charlotte, and 2 off of exit 90 right on the NC line. 1 is 500 yards west of the exit, the other is about 1500 yards east of the exit. They be determined.
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
And it shows. QT selling a 16 oz plastic bottle of diet coke for $3.39 plus tax.
QT went from being a really nice convenience store, to a business growth plan based on customers being fools.
At some point in time, I suspect customers being fools on daily purchases of soft drinks and tobacco will come to a end on a macro basis.
After seeing the prices of soft drinks at QT two days ago, I will never walk into a QT for the rest of my life. Not to worry, I am still a fool, but not a QT fool.
Someone mentioned Rotten Robbie. It's kind of a weird brand. Very much generic, but possibly gives franchise owners an identity other than coming up with a name and a color scheme.
https://rottenrobbie.com/
There's another weird name for a regional brand - Terrible Herbst.
https://www.terribles.com/
OK - missed where someone mentioned it.
I've been seeing some gas stations branded as "Grand Gas". It's the kind of sign where if you saw it for the first time it seems like it would be the only one. But I can do a lookup and there are clearly different locations with the same graphics and color scheme.
https://rottenrobbie.com/
There's another weird name for a regional brand - Terrible Herbst.
https://www.terribles.com/
OK - missed where someone mentioned it.
I've been seeing some gas stations branded as "Grand Gas". It's the kind of sign where if you saw it for the first time it seems like it would be the only one. But I can do a lookup and there are clearly different locations with the same graphics and color scheme.
I assume there goal is to push you to the soda fountain. But there not cheap either. Neither is the coffee, but its pretty good for a gas station so I buy occasionally - I think a medium is $1.99.
Hard to beat there made to order wrap. But they will need to start frying chicken if they want any traction around here
I remember back when Circle K was 79 cents for the large Styrofoam cup - and that wasn't that long ago. Luckily I gave most soda up quite a while ago.
Casey's has one of the better deals going at $ .89 for their 24 oz cup. Circle K may have their own summer sale going too. Saw the offerings while I was in NC. Sam's Club provides a consistent good price at $ .88 for 30 oz or so.
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
As a guy who ate out every single meal for the past 217 days, I can promise you the quality control on the product dispensed by a commercial soda fountain dispenser is more likely than not to be anywhere near the same quality as a soda from a bottle or can. Years ago quality control in commercial soda dispensers was deeply monitored, this is not the case today.I assume there goal is to push you to the soda fountain. But there not cheap either. Neither is the coffee, but its pretty good for a gas station so I buy occasionally - I think a medium is $1.99.
Hard to beat there made to order wrap. But they will need to start frying chicken if they want any traction around here
I remember back when Circle K was 79 cents for the large Styrofoam cup - and that wasn't that long ago. Luckily I gave most soda up quite a while ago.
Dodge's Southern Style gas stations/convenience stores are known more for their fried chicken and JoJo's (potato wedges) than their fuel. Typically competitive with other lower cost gas stations like WaWa and Royal Farms, but not as nice inside.
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GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
Ate many chicken meals from the Dodge location just outside of Ft Knox.
One unique feature Dodge offers is cash checking .....
There are some convenience store brands attached to gas stations that are regional. One around here is called "Loop Neighborhood Markets". Looked it up and they're operated by a company called AU Energy LLC.
I haven't seen one that wasn't part of a Shell gas station. Here's a photo from their website:
We opened our first Loop store in Santa Clara in June 2013 and we’ve now expanded to 50+ locations throughout the Bay Area, Sacramento and Southern California.
I haven't seen one that wasn't part of a Shell gas station. Here's a photo from their website:
They look very nice, and Shell Top Tier gas to boot.There are some convenience store brands attached to gas stations that are regional. One around here is called "Loop Neighborhood Markets". Looked it up and they're operated by a company called AU Energy LLC.
We opened our first Loop store in Santa Clara in June 2013 and we’ve now expanded to 50+ locations throughout the Bay Area, Sacramento and Southern California.
I haven't seen one that wasn't part of a Shell gas station. Here's a photo from their website:
I've gone inside a few of their stores. They tend to be kind of big inside. I've seen gas station convenience stores that were large, but I think just as a matter of the brand, they like having large stores.
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Way back about 1998 a Sunoco station in Rock Hill SC ( Dave lyle and I-77 ) had a dedicated pump with racing gas!
At about 3 tanks in my old Harley that blue gas some how killed the stock carb! Looked like it melted the rubber parts and the gas turn off petcock swelled and stuck 1/2 way on and off but thats when Country the old Harley dealer ( RIP my old friend ) suggested Marvel Mystery Oil!
I replaced the carb with a S&S Super E and on Country's advice I added a few OZ of MMO with fresh gas and my gas turn off O-ring became slick as glass and fixed itself! However, to this day if I don't add a few oz of MMO with EVERY tank gas that turnoff will start to stick again.
I been away from Rock Hill 25+ years now but last visit I noticed all new Gas Stations, Back in the day David with Express Mart owned most everything!
I like their tea..... I refill my own cup for a buck.30
I also burned a lot of their gas when they were running the .25/gallon if you use the app to pay. They ran that promo for 3 months I believe. I burn approximately 30 gallons per week. it saved me 7ish bucks a tank. I still get a nickel off if I pay through the app. Sometimes a dime. Sometimes I go through 40 gallons. I drive a LOT
A 20oz Coke is like 2.99 at the cheapest I've seen around here. I refuse to buy them. Anywhere.
I disagree on anyone giving up on tobacco because it's higher in gas stations. Is it higher in gas stations? I smoked for 10 years and tapped out when they went over $2/pack
I totally get your disdain and refusal to shop QT over the coke. I refuse to frequent MANY establishment I once frequented because prices are just ridiculous. For example, I love a McDonald's Filet O Fish. It takes two to satisfy me. I refuse to buy a Filet as it's about 4.99 each. I can get a filet meal for 6 bucks on the app, but I don't want a meal. I want a pair o fish sandwiches.
EDIT - QT also sells brisket sandwiches and wraps. They are pretty decent for something that comes in a bag frozen. They think they are worth 5 bucks, maybe it's 6. I refuse to buy them too. When they first started selling them they were 2 bucks I think? Maybe 2.50. I ate a few at that price.
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The Circle K next to Waffle House on Cherry Road also sold pump 100 octane racing gas when it first opened. I had an '83 Trans Am that made about 380 hp to the wheels. I was a sucker for that hundo for a while. Heck. it was something like 5 bucks a gallon back then and I got 12 mpg in that car if I BABIED it. Playing with it - about 5 or 6 TOPS.
My BIL's painted airplanes out at the airport in Salisbury NC. They had to drain the AV gas (same stuff) from the planes before they painted them. I ran it in my Jeep Grand and brought home many a 5 gallon container of that AV gas. I'd time my jeep so that it was near bone dry when I pulled into the airport lol. They couldn't put the AV gas back in the planes. They both ran it full time in all of their vehicles as long as the drums had AV gas in them.
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