New York State Thruway

[kalvado]

Same issue exists on I-95 (New England Twy. and Connecticut Tpk.) From the NYC line north to New Haven, exits are closely spaced like an urban expressway even though it's a long haul route.

Any highway passing near the urban core would be in the same boat. not too many places can afford separate lanes for through traffic. A bypass or beltway tends to start accumulating more development turning into a dual purpose as well
Coming back to Thruway, exits 23-24 are sort of bypass, but through traffic is limited.

[Rothman]

Through traffic is limited?

[kalvado]

Through traffic is limited?

Compared to what goes through Syracuse? I would think so.

[webny99]

Through traffic is limited?

Compared to what goes through Syracuse? I would think so.

Definitely not if including both I-87 and I-90. Just I-87 alone probably has more than I-81 thru Syracuse.

[Rothman]

Through traffic is limited?

Compared to what goes through Syracuse? I would think so.

Through traffic is limited?

Compared to what goes through Syracuse? I would think so.

Definitely not if including both I-87 and I-90. Just I-87 alone probably has more than I-81 thru Syracuse.

^This.

Traffic to the east drops off surely further south.

But between 23 and 24?  That's quite busy with long haul traffic.

[02 Park Ave]

On my recent journey to Cambridge NY I stopped at a Thruway service area in each direction.

Going north I stopped at New Baltimore.  It was a good size with adequate seating.  This service area serves those traveling in both directions.  The parking location though definitely favors those traveling southbound.  Ethanol free gasoline was available at a pump separate from the main pumps.  It was identified as "100% gasoline" and had an octane rating of 91.

Heading back to southern New Jersey I stopped at Ulster.  It wasn't that crowded but the Panda Express® was closed; this was on Sunday.  The Burger King® was a disappointment.  Touch screen ordering had to be done and payment required use of a credit card.  So much for those wanting to have it their way and pay with cash.

[SignBridge]

On my recent journey to Cambridge NY I stopped at a Thruway service area in each direction.

Going north I stopped at New Baltimore.  It was a good size with adequate seating.  This service area serves those traveling in both directions.  The parking location though definitely favors those traveling southbound.  Ethanol free gasoline was available at a pump separate from the main pumps.  It was identified as "100% gasoline" and had an octane rating of 91.

Heading back to southern New Jersey I stopped at Ulster.  It wasn't that crowded but the Panda Express® was closed; this was on Sunday.  The Burger King® was a disappointment.  Touch screen ordering had to be done and payment required use of a credit card.  So much for those wanting to have it their way and pay with cash.

Let me get this straight: Burger King on the Thruway doesn't accept United States Currency as payment for a burger ? Are they friggin' kidding ? Guess they won't be in business much longer.

[webny99]

So much for those wanting to have it their way and pay with cash.

You rule for this comment. 

[Rothman]

On my recent journey to Cambridge NY I stopped at a Thruway service area in each direction.

Going north I stopped at New Baltimore.  It was a good size with adequate seating.  This service area serves those traveling in both directions.  The parking location though definitely favors those traveling southbound.  Ethanol free gasoline was available at a pump separate from the main pumps.  It was identified as "100% gasoline" and had an octane rating of 91.

Heading back to southern New Jersey I stopped at Ulster.  It wasn't that crowded but the Panda Express® was closed; this was on Sunday.  The Burger King® was a disappointment.  Touch screen ordering had to be done and payment required use of a credit card.  So much for those wanting to have it their way and pay with cash.

Let me get this straight: Burger King on the Thruway doesn't accept United States Currency as payment for a burger ? Are they friggin' kidding ? Guess they won't be in business much longer.

Wut.  My bet is that they'll be in business for quite a while.

[SignBridge]

On my recent journey to Cambridge NY I stopped at a Thruway service area in each direction.

Going north I stopped at New Baltimore.  It was a good size with adequate seating.  This service area serves those traveling in both directions.  The parking location though definitely favors those traveling southbound.  Ethanol free gasoline was available at a pump separate from the main pumps.  It was identified as "100% gasoline" and had an octane rating of 91.

Heading back to southern New Jersey I stopped at Ulster.  It wasn't that crowded but the Panda Express® was closed; this was on Sunday.  The Burger King® was a disappointment.  Touch screen ordering had to be done and payment required use of a credit card.  So much for those wanting to have it their way and pay with cash.

Let me get this straight: Burger King on the Thruway doesn't accept United States Currency as payment for a burger ? Are they friggin' kidding ? Guess they won't be in business much longer.

Wut.  My bet is that they'll be in business for quite a while.

Well they might. But it absolutely blows my mind that any retail business in America can or would refuse to accept United States Currency (cash) as payment for a retail product.

[Rothman]

On my recent journey to Cambridge NY I stopped at a Thruway service area in each direction.

Going north I stopped at New Baltimore.  It was a good size with adequate seating.  This service area serves those traveling in both directions.  The parking location though definitely favors those traveling southbound.  Ethanol free gasoline was available at a pump separate from the main pumps.  It was identified as "100% gasoline" and had an octane rating of 91.

Heading back to southern New Jersey I stopped at Ulster.  It wasn't that crowded but the Panda Express® was closed; this was on Sunday.  The Burger King® was a disappointment.  Touch screen ordering had to be done and payment required use of a credit card.  So much for those wanting to have it their way and pay with cash.

Let me get this straight: Burger King on the Thruway doesn't accept United States Currency as payment for a burger ? Are they friggin' kidding ? Guess they won't be in business much longer.

Wut.  My bet is that they'll be in business for quite a while.

Well they might. But it absolutely blows my mind that any retail business in America can or would refuse to accept United States Currency (cash) as payment for a retail product.

It's a brave new world.  I mean, some of our biggest businesses are online retail and they don't accept cash.

[wanderer2575]

On my recent journey to Cambridge NY I stopped at a Thruway service area in each direction.

Going north I stopped at New Baltimore.  It was a good size with adequate seating.  This service area serves those traveling in both directions.  The parking location though definitely favors those traveling southbound.  Ethanol free gasoline was available at a pump separate from the main pumps.  It was identified as "100% gasoline" and had an octane rating of 91.

Heading back to southern New Jersey I stopped at Ulster.  It wasn't that crowded but the Panda Express® was closed; this was on Sunday.  The Burger King® was a disappointment.  Touch screen ordering had to be done and payment required use of a credit card.  So much for those wanting to have it their way and pay with cash.

Let me get this straight: Burger King on the Thruway doesn't accept United States Currency as payment for a burger ? Are they friggin' kidding ? Guess they won't be in business much longer.

Wut.  My bet is that they'll be in business for quite a while.

Well they might. But it absolutely blows my mind that any retail business in America can or would refuse to accept United States Currency (cash) as payment for a retail product.

So you haven't been to a major sports or entertainment venue lately.  Most MLB ballparks and many other arenas/stadiums have gone cashless with tickets, parking, and concessions.  (Sorry, I don't mean to derail the thread.)

[froggie]

On my recent journey to Cambridge NY I stopped at a Thruway service area in each direction.

Going north I stopped at New Baltimore.  It was a good size with adequate seating.  This service area serves those traveling in both directions.  The parking location though definitely favors those traveling southbound.  Ethanol free gasoline was available at a pump separate from the main pumps.  It was identified as "100% gasoline" and had an octane rating of 91.

Heading back to southern New Jersey I stopped at Ulster.  It wasn't that crowded but the Panda Express® was closed; this was on Sunday.  The Burger King® was a disappointment.  Touch screen ordering had to be done and payment required use of a credit card.  So much for those wanting to have it their way and pay with cash.

Let me get this straight: Burger King on the Thruway doesn't accept United States Currency as payment for a burger ? Are they friggin' kidding ? Guess they won't be in business much longer.

Wut.  My bet is that they'll be in business for quite a while.

Well they might. But it absolutely blows my mind that any retail business in America can or would refuse to accept United States Currency (cash) as payment for a retail product.

While I agree that businesses should still take cash, I don't think they're going to lose much.  At the particular "retail business" that I work at, approximately 90% of sales are paid for via some sort of card or electronic payment.

[Flyer78]

At the Burger King on the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike, you can pay cash at the counter, but they clearly prefer you use the kiosks. Perhaps living with Wawa (and those with Sheetz, Royal Farms) has made it not seem weird to order food this way - I find it faster then decoding the proper way to tell a clerk how and what I want.)

And adding to the list of other "no-cash" places, add most major hotels and airlines to the mix as well.

[SignBridge]

At the Burger King on the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike, you can pay cash at the counter, but they clearly prefer you use the kiosks. Perhaps living with Wawa (and those with Sheetz, Royal Farms) has made it not seem weird to order food this way - I find it faster then decoding the proper way to tell a clerk how and what I want.)




And adding to the list of other "no-cash" places, add most major hotels and airlines to the mix as well.

I can understand major hotels and airlines where you're talking about larger purchases in excess of $100. But a $10 or $20 dollar purchase of a fast-food meal at Burger King ? Really ???? Like the man said: "Come on people!"

[kalvado]

At the Burger King on the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike, you can pay cash at the counter, but they clearly prefer you use the kiosks. Perhaps living with Wawa (and those with Sheetz, Royal Farms) has made it not seem weird to order food this way - I find it faster then decoding the proper way to tell a clerk how and what I want.)




And adding to the list of other "no-cash" places, add most major hotels and airlines to the mix as well.

I can understand major hotels and airlines where you're talking about larger purchases in excess of $100. But a $10 or $20 dollar purchase of a fast-food meal at Burger King ? Really ???? Like the man said: "Come on people!"

Most likely they don't have people to man registers, and have a choice of either going all-kiosk or reducing kitchen capacity to take cash.
If they can run full throttle with kiosk orders only, then too bad for cash customers...

[SignBridge]

At the Burger King on the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike, you can pay cash at the counter, but they clearly prefer you use the kiosks. Perhaps living with Wawa (and those with Sheetz, Royal Farms) has made it not seem weird to order food this way - I find it faster then decoding the proper way to tell a clerk how and what I want.)




And adding to the list of other "no-cash" places, add most major hotels and airlines to the mix as well.

I can understand major hotels and airlines where you're talking about larger purchases in excess of $100. But a $10 or $20 dollar purchase of a fast-food meal at Burger King ? Really ???? Like the man said: "Come on people!"

Most likely they don't have people to man registers, and have a choice of either going all-kiosk or reducing kitchen capacity to take cash.
If they can run full throttle with kiosk orders only, then too bad for cash customers...

Well LOL If business is so good that Burger King can afford to turn cash customers away, then I guess the economy is in better shape than everybody says.........

[vdeane]

Well LOL If business is so good that Burger King can afford to turn cash customers away, then I guess the economy is in better shape than everybody says.........

How many people would only be willing to pay cash for their meal?  Probably not enough to meaningfully affect business, and in any case, the service areas tend to be swamped, so turning away business might even be a benefit to them (the service areas are so swamped that a standard wait time for your food at Panera Bread is around an hour).

[Rothman]

Can't believe people wait that long for Panera.  If there's any chain that is "You can get people to buy crud as long as its packaged prettily" it's Panera.

[jeffandnicole]

At the Burger King on the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike, you can pay cash at the counter, but they clearly prefer you use the kiosks. Perhaps living with Wawa (and those with Sheetz, Royal Farms) has made it not seem weird to order food this way - I find it faster then decoding the proper way to tell a clerk how and what I want.)




And adding to the list of other "no-cash" places, add most major hotels and airlines to the mix as well.

I can understand major hotels and airlines where you're talking about larger purchases in excess of $100. But a $10 or $20 dollar purchase of a fast-food meal at Burger King ? Really ???? Like the man said: "Come on people!"

Most likely they don't have people to man registers, and have a choice of either going all-kiosk or reducing kitchen capacity to take cash.
If they can run full throttle with kiosk orders only, then too bad for cash customers...

Well LOL If business is so good that Burger King can afford to turn cash customers away, then I guess the economy is in better shape than everybody says.........

Who says the economy isn't good?

You may want to find a new news station...

[vdeane]

Who says the economy isn't good?

You may want to find a new news station...

Indeed.  I heard that last year a lot of people were reporting that they themselves were doing fine, but that they expected that everyone else was doing poorly.  Seems like a lot of the pessimism on the economy was nothing more than baseless vibes.

[SignBridge]

Well not to get too far off topic here; a lot of people complaining about high food prices, etc. seem to equate inflation with a poor economy, even if it's actually two different things.