How One's Perceptions are Shaped by Where One Lives

[GaryV]

The Admiral in Sault Ste Marie near the last I-75 exit has been rebranded as a Marathon.  The sign has "Admiral" under the big "M".

[Bruce]

Sinclair - never heard of it.

This one is surprising too.  I guess they're based out of Utah, but they still are around the Midwest quite a bit.  Never seen the green dinosaur?

Chris

Until recently, Sinclair hadn't even made it to Washington. Now there's a few of them popping up in the Seattle area, along with Marathon.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

How about these gas stations that I have never seen outside of Michigan?

Beacon & Bridge
Admiral
Holiday
Wesco
Krist

Just to name a few.

Is Holiday the same one that's ubiquitous in southern Minnesota?

Yeah it looks like it is. I included it in my list here because I haven't ever seen one outside of northern Michigan, mainly the U.P. I can't recall one anywhere in the Lower Peninsula. But it says they have over 600 locations in 10 states.

Holiday arguably remains the dominant gas station chain in the Twin Cities, and indisputably outside of the metro in most of Minnesota. Kwik Trip has made some inroads in the metro to heavy fanfare, but their on-the-ground presence in the Twin Cities so far has been strictly outer-suburban. A number of legacy Kwik Trip stores existed in Minnesota, mostly in the southeastern part of the state close to their La Crosse, WI headquarters but a couple in the Twin Cities metro's orbit (I-494/County 6 in Plymouth, I-35/County 19 in Stacy)

[Max Rockatansky]

If you're from Illinois I suppose you somehow fall into the delusion that it is a masterpiece of geographic variance.

[hbelkins]

QT is in the southeast. KT is in the upper midwest -- and to me seems to be more of a smaller full-lines grocery store with gas pumps and some C-store items, based on my limited experience with them.

I'm guessing we'll be hitting some KTs in our trip across the UP and US 2 westward toward Glacier.

If we're talking about perceptions of gas stations based on where we live, around here it's Speedway sets the price for everyone else.

[andrepoiy]

We have

Esso

Petro-Canada

those are the large ones...

then we have a few smaller ones:

Shell

Ultramar

[SkyPesos]

QT is in the southeast. KT is in the upper midwest -- and to me seems to be more of a smaller full-lines grocery store with gas pumps and some C-store items, based on my limited experience with them.

I'm guessing we'll be hitting some KTs in our trip across the UP and US 2 westward toward Glacier.

If we're talking about perceptions of gas stations based on where we live, around here it's Speedway sets the price for everyone else.

Are Kansas City and St Louis considered southeast now? QT is one of the most common gas station chains in those two cities.

[7/8]

We have

Esso

Petro-Canada

those are the large ones...

then we have a few smaller ones:

Shell

Ultramar

A few others: Canadian Tire Gas, Pioneer, Husky, Mobil. I'd also put Shell as a big chain here.

[Flint1979]

The Admiral in Sault Ste Marie near the last I-75 exit has been rebranded as a Marathon.  The sign has "Admiral" under the big "M".

Most of them have been rebranded as a co-brand of Marathon they still have the Admiral name as part of the name of the station though.

Like this one not too far from my house.
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.4159502,-84.0756847,3a,40.2y,319.65h,89.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjhwR9MkVlD1pyZwUnVjWmA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[Flint1979]

How about these gas stations that I have never seen outside of Michigan?

Beacon & Bridge
Admiral
Holiday
Wesco
Krist

Just to name a few.

Is Holiday the same one that's ubiquitous in southern Minnesota?

Yeah it looks like it is. I included it in my list here because I haven't ever seen one outside of northern Michigan, mainly the U.P. I can't recall one anywhere in the Lower Peninsula. But it says they have over 600 locations in 10 states.

Holiday arguably remains the dominant gas station chain in the Twin Cities, and indisputably outside of the metro in most of Minnesota. Kwik Trip has made some inroads in the metro to heavy fanfare, but their on-the-ground presence in the Twin Cities so far has been strictly outer-suburban. A number of legacy Kwik Trip stores existed in Minnesota, mostly in the southeastern part of the state close to their La Crosse, WI headquarters but a couple in the Twin Cities metro's orbit (I-494/County 6 in Plymouth, I-35/County 19 in Stacy)

The one when I was there years ago that I remember was Super America which was part of Marathon then I see it was rebranded as Speedway which Marathon used to own until they sold them 7-11 last year.

[Flint1979]

I'll give you a gas station chain that you won't find outside of the Lansing, Michigan area and that is Quality Dairy which is commonly called just QD.

[SEWIGuy]

QuikTrip - is this the same as Kwik Trip? I have heard of and been to the latter, mostly because it's so common in Minnesota.

Ah, only someone who travels to Minnesota would ask that!   [emoji3]

No, they aren't.

Kwik Trip is the best gas station around.  I will go out of my way to stop there.

What makes it the best?

1. Clean stores with clean bathrooms
2. Friendly employees - I can't recall having a poor customer experience at a Kwik Trip
3. I will never eat fresh food or a take home meal from a gas station except a KT.  It is fresh, healthy and tastes good.  They make everything themselves.

https://www.kwiktrip.com/vertical-integration

https://www.kwiktrip.com/takehomemeals

4. Great locations.  They are experts at mapping growth and placing stations early, so they generally are the most convenient and easy to get in and out.

[Flint1979]

QT is in the southeast. KT is in the upper midwest -- and to me seems to be more of a smaller full-lines grocery store with gas pumps and some C-store items, based on my limited experience with them.

I'm guessing we'll be hitting some KTs in our trip across the UP and US 2 westward toward Glacier.

If we're talking about perceptions of gas stations based on where we live, around here it's Speedway sets the price for everyone else.

Speedway used to do that in Michigan too but lately it's been Admiral that has gone up in price first. Like you'd ride around Saginaw and see $3.04 or something on most stations maybe a few cents higher then all Admiral stations are at $3.29 even Speedway is still at a lower price. Then the next day every one else goes up in price.

[Flint1979]

QuikTrip - is this the same as Kwik Trip? I have heard of and been to the latter, mostly because it's so common in Minnesota.

Ah, only someone who travels to Minnesota would ask that!   

No, they aren't.

Isn't Kwik Trip the one that has a different name in Iowa and Illinois just to avoid confusion with Quick Trip?

[Flint1979]

QT is in the southeast. KT is in the upper midwest -- and to me seems to be more of a smaller full-lines grocery store with gas pumps and some C-store items, based on my limited experience with them.

I'm guessing we'll be hitting some KTs in our trip across the UP and US 2 westward toward Glacier.

If we're talking about perceptions of gas stations based on where we live, around here it's Speedway sets the price for everyone else.

Are Kansas City and St Louis considered southeast now? QT is one of the most common gas station chains in those two cities.

Quick Trip is based in Oklahoma so I'm not sure how it's just in the SE. It's not I'd say it's in the Midwestern, Southern and Southeast United States.

[formulanone]

Sinclair - never heard of it.

This one is surprising too.  I guess they're based out of Utah, but they still are around the Midwest quite a bit.  Never seen the green dinosaur?

Chris

Oddly, one appeared in mid-central Tennessee (Street View/Google hasn't updated it). I'd always heard about them but never saw one until I'd first visited Iowa. I've seen them in Mountain West and Midwest locations.

Perceptions from living in Florida for 30 years distorts a lot of things; weather and living in the US cul-de-sac probably has a lot to do with that. Travel has upended and untwisted a lot of those perceptions, and moving 8 years ago also gives me a different outlook...It's supposed to do that!

[TheHighwayMan3561]

QuikTrip - is this the same as Kwik Trip? I have heard of and been to the latter, mostly because it's so common in Minnesota.

Ah, only someone who travels to Minnesota would ask that!   

No, they aren't.

snip

Isn't Kwik Trip the one that has a different name in Iowa and Illinois just to avoid confusion with Quick Trip?

In Iowa, yes, they go by Kwik Star. I think they only entered Illinois within the last few months but I don't think I heard what their name is there.

[Flint1979]

QuikTrip - is this the same as Kwik Trip? I have heard of and been to the latter, mostly because it's so common in Minnesota.

Ah, only someone who travels to Minnesota would ask that!   

No, they aren't.

snip

Isn't Kwik Trip the one that has a different name in Iowa and Illinois just to avoid confusion with Quick Trip?

In Iowa, yes, they go by Kwik Star. I think they only entered Illinois within the last few months but I don't think I heard what their name is there.

I think it's also Kwik Star, I was trying to think of the other name they used and that's it Kwik Star. I'd say they have a presence around the Quad Cities area. I've seen a Kwik Trip in Illinois though I thought.

[Flint1979]

I've heard of Sinclair. They have a green dinosaur on their signs.

[HighwayStar]

My favorite has to be the Kum and Go. A stop at one of those is sure provide hours of spontaneous quips for any road trip crew. 

[zachary_amaryllis]

Sinclair - never heard of it.

This one is surprising too.  I guess they're based out of Utah, but they still are around the Midwest quite a bit.  Never seen the green dinosaur?

I don't think so, no. Most of my Midwest travels have been in OH, MI, WI, MN, and ND and it doesn't look like there's many locations that far north (or east, in the case of OH and MI).

There were some in MN when I grew up there as a kid.  Not nearly as common as Super America or Fina (are those still around?), but they were there.

Chris

for some reason i thought sinclair was a wyoming/colorado thing. i know there's a sinclair wyoming, and i think there's a refinery there... well, there's some sort of industrial thingy there.. there is (or was? ...  i need to pay more attention when i'm driving) one in midtown fort collins.

[JayhawkCO]

for some reason i thought sinclair was a wyoming/colorado thing. i know there's a sinclair wyoming, and i think there's a refinery there... well, there's some sort of industrial thingy there.. there is (or was? ...  i need to pay more attention when i'm driving) one in midtown fort collins.

Definitely based out of SLC.  Probably why there are so many around here.

Chris

[hotdogPi]

I thought Sinclair was a TV thing...

[kphoger]

My favorite has to be the Kum and Go. A stop at one of those is sure provide hours of spontaneous quips for any road trip crew. 

Oh, I should have included that in my "top" list.  Kum and Go stations are always good.

[Rothman]

QuikTrip - is this the same as Kwik Trip? I have heard of and been to the latter, mostly because it's so common in Minnesota.

Ah, only someone who travels to Minnesota would ask that!   [emoji3]

No, they aren't.

Kwik Trip is the best gas station around.  I will go out of my way to stop there.

What makes it the best?

1. Clean stores with clean bathrooms
2. Friendly employees - I can't recall having a poor customer experience at a Kwik Trip
3. I will never eat fresh food or a take home meal from a gas station except a KT.  It is fresh, healthy and tastes good.  They make everything themselves.

https://www.kwiktrip.com/vertical-integration

https://www.kwiktrip.com/takehomemeals

4. Great locations.  They are experts at mapping growth and placing stations early, so they generally are the most convenient and easy to get in and out.

Thanks.