Oregon Gas Stations

[vonfirmath]

I've lived in Oregon most of my life and have never seen or heard of anyone tipping at the gas station. Our gas is significantly cheaper than California's and often cheaper than other states around us. The only place I ever have to wait is at Costco, but never for more than a few minutes. At Costco, you can swipe your own card because they use a PIN.

 

That's different then. When I lived in WA, we'd avoid getting gas in Oregon because it was cheaper in WA.

[Venia]

CA gas is also more expensive because of all the taxes they add on. Fed tax + state tax + local sales tax + ust tax = about 70 cents on the gallon. As a comparison, OR is about 50 cents on the gallon and WA is around 55 cents. My folks just moved to OR from CA and they were doubly pleased at paying less and getting full service!

[InterestingCase]

The guy stand around and waited for a tip. We thought since service was rendered, tip was expected by the guy.

We went to gas stations in Medford, Eugene, Ashland, Mt Hood and we tipped. Maybe it's our California license plate proclaiming us as tourists making people wait for tips?

 I have never seen this either, and I have lived in Oregon for 40+ years.

[Pink and Green Mom]

I grew up in NJ and remember driving to college in SC for the first time by myself and needing gas somewhere in VA.  I pulled up to the gas station and just sat there having an "uh oh" moment.  Some nice southern boy took pity on me and taught me how to pump my own gas.  My parents were mortified that they hadn't taught me how to put gas in the car before that.

[Ali in OR]

I moved from CA to OR in my twenties and have lived here 20+ years. Taxes seem to affect price per gallon more than full service. When we road-trip down to CA, it's always more expensive to fill up down there.

 

I don't mind full-serve at a well-run gas station. Costco is great. Fred Meyer is great. But it can be very frustrating at a poorly-staffed or staffed-by-the-clueless gas station. Costco can fill your tank no matter which side the gas cap is on. Our local Safeway usually has the cheapest gas in town, but they do not staff one person on every island and they can't swing the nozzle over to the far side of the car, so you have to get into the longer line sometimes because you have no choice. It's frustrating to sit there and wait while they go make change for someone, chit-chat, or just move slowly. The Californian in me just wants to jump out and get the gas going. So if you value using your time efficiently it can be a little frustrating.

 

Oh, and I've never seen or heard of anyone tipping!

[mom2bee]

I've been to NJ but we must not have gotten gas there because I don't remember ever seeing a Full Service station before, it would be memorable to me because of the quirkiness about it.

 

It is so neat to learn what things are out there and how our view of 'normal' effects us and shapes our expectations. What a neat thread!

[twoxcell]

I was born in Oregon and have lived here my entire life. I have never heard of anyone tipping at a gas station. Gas stations vary in size and how you pay. Most stations have a credit card machine built into the pump and the attendant swipes it for you. At Costco you have to get out and swipe your card and enter your pin number. At Arco you have to go inside and pay with cash before the attendant will start the pump. They have the machines set up to stop either when full or at the dollar amount requested. The attendant bounce back and forth between cars. Topping off is illegal in Oregon and all gas has 10% ethanol unless you go to a place that sells regular gas as a specialty. Prices vary around the state but from my experience are cheaper than most places in neighboring states.

[gardenmom5]

 

I don't mind full-serve at a well-run gas station. Costco is great. Fred Meyer is great. But it can be very frustrating at a poorly-staffed or staffed-by-the-clueless gas station. Costco can fill your tank no matter which side the gas cap is on

 

that can also have to do with the length of the hose.  costco has always been generous with the size of their parking spaces - and having extra long hoses so it doesn't matter which side your gas cap is on.  but I have been places where their hoses are much shorter.

[Mergath]

This is so weird to read, I didn't realize full service gas stations actually still existed.  I would feel a bit silly sitting there while someone else pumped my gas.

[Wheres Toto]

Oh yeah, I forgot to add - I haven't heard about anyone tipping for gas since I was a kid in the 70's or 80's.  It's just not expected around here.

 

Our regular gas stations - BP, Shell, Exxon - sometimes have a credit and a cash price (but you get the credit price if you use their credit card) and even the credit price will be cheaper than neighboring states.  I just drove to Maryland a couple weeks ago and it was quite a difference.    But, we also have a bunch of gas stations that are cash only now and they tend to be at least 5 or 10 cents less a gallon than the big chains.  And of course, all of them are full service.

[HRAAB]

I am old enough to remember when there were only full service stations.  When some stations added a self-service section, people complained. There is one station down the road from us that pumps gas for you on Wednesdays; it's full service day.  :laugh:

 

We travel in Oregon frequently.  I like letting someone else pump the gas.  Dh prefers to do it himself since he feels they never top it off properly.  We've never felt uncomfortable handing our card to the employee, and we have never tipped.

[HRAAB]

I was born in Oregon and have lived here my entire life. I have never heard of anyone tipping at a gas station. Gas stations vary in size and how you pay. Most stations have a credit card machine built into the pump and the attendant swipes it for you. At Costco you have to get out and swipe your card and enter your pin number. At Arco you have to go inside and pay with cash before the attendant will start the pump. They have the machines set up to stop either when full or at the dollar amount requested. The attendant bounce back and forth between cars. Topping off is illegal in Oregon and all gas has 10% ethanol unless you go to a place that sells regular gas as a specialty. Prices vary around the state but from my experience are cheaper than most places in neighboring states.

 

Ah!  I'm going to be sure to tell dh that.

[bluemongoose]

I actually like it.  I like not having to get out of the car in bad weather or when kids are with me.

 

I have only had one bad experience, and I think it is more likely that the attendant was clueless rather than meaning me harm, but he certainly freaked me out. At the beginning he came to my window and I gave him my card and he swiped it and handed it back, everything was fine. However, when he came back to take out the nozzle and give me my receipt, instead of coming around to the drivers window again, he OPENED my passenger side door, leaned in over the (empty) passenger seat and handed me the receipt. I was alone, it was dusk, and his action really freaked me out. I had forgotten the car I was in doesn't auto lock the doors like the car that I usually drive does. I have been very careful to lock the doors before I go to get gas now.

[swimmermom3]

I live in Oregon and have for much of my life. Now see, I think it's creepy as a woman to have to get out of my car at midnight, walk across the lot into a convenience store and pay for gas and then stand out in the open while pumping the gas. Here, I hand the attendant my card; he takes two steps to the pump, runs my card through and hands it back to me. My hands never smell like fuel and I don't have to deal with the drunk in the store while I am paying for my gas. I cringe at the idea of my 21 year-old dd having to get out of her car at night. She's tiny and much better off staying in her car.

 

We've been on some trips where we've done self-serve late in the evening and have encountered some less than savory characters.

 

But perhaps self-serve is weird to me not just because I live in Oregon, but because I just passed the half century mark and attendants that pumped your gas and washed your windows were the norm.