Why do food and petrol always cost more along a motorway ?

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Polo

It's called a 'captive audience'

zifi1957

Although I essentially agree with the sentiments of the other answerers here - there are however two other major points to consider:
1. The 'trade' these stations have is very transitory, a bit like the seaside resorts -most of their business is done through passing trade during the summer months. Because of this they have to up their stock, their supplies, their staff, the openings of their facilities, availablility of all their facilities at the drop of a hat (almost)..... This in turn means a sharp rise in their overheads and costs to meet this immediate need, for a short period of time - we would complain about them if they ran out of tea/coffee, didn't have any sandwiches left, the toilets were only cleaned once a week.....
2. As mentioned, their biggest asset/need is staff to serve and service the people who use these stations - many of these individuals are only summer workers anyway, students and others, who are only available in numbers during the summer months. Additionally, it may be the only work they can find due to their lack of completed qualifications and sufficient 'experience'.: They expect to be paid (however paltry this may be).

So you see, we need and want them along our motorways, even if we don't like their prices very much - many people would be stuck if they didn't exist at all - not everyone like the greasy-jo diners that used to exist - and in order to make themselves viable for 12 months of the year - not just the six months of March to September - they have to make their money very fast in a very short time.

Having said all that - I believe the service we are provided with could be greatly improved, attitudes of staff could be better and I still resent the excuse for a scrape of butter and the curled up whatever it is that's supposed to represent a sandwich!

michael b

Because there is no competition for miles around.

Avalon

cos usually the services stations are out of the way and ot takes longer to get the stuff there

AHK

service stations use the reasons 'convenience for the motorist' and due to 'increased transport costs bringing these services to the motorists'.......crooks!

service stations generally are in the middle of nowhere though

taxed till i die,

Two reasons that i can think of ,one is that they are open 24/7,higher cost wages,etc and two that you are on a motorway and you are too lazy to turn off and look for somewhere cheaper then rejoin motorway

Jimmy Jones

Becuase motorists will need either food or petrol at one point and will look to gain as much profit as possible

Robert k

cos its a needed thing for travlers that way they can charge what they like with in reason and people will have no choice other than pay

pete h

Because the government screwed over the operators for extortionate rent and rates, which they have to recoup from
motorists!

Maid Angela

First you are a captive market if you need petrol there is only one place to get in the service area. Second because the government know that they charge a lot of rent to the service providers which keeps the prices high.
Although I think lately there seems to be more competition creeping with some service areas advertising cheaper prices to stop you driving on to the next station

Dover Soles

"Captive Audience" are the words to explain it.

Simple case of supply and demand.

People use motorways because they're fast than other roads, so they also don't want to waste time coming off the motorway to look for petrol and food. It's more convenient and faster to use whats on the motorway.

In instances where people are running too low on petrol, they have little choice but to use what's there and have to pay the extortionate prices or risk breaking down!

The service station big wigs know this and will charge what they can get away with (ie, if people are willing to pay the prices, they'll carry on charging them)

MAKE SURE YOU FILL UP BEFORE DRIVING ONTO THE MOTORWAY AND STOCK UP WITH SNACKS FROM A SUPERMARKET!!!!

If more people did this, there'd be less customers so perhaps they'd consider lowering their prices....

Vickezo

because people have no choice but to pay it so they are cashing in.

aaltonen

It's a seller's market = captive audience! How many service areas are there, say, between London and Birmingham (I reckon about 3), and how many cars and trucks driving that route daily (about a zillion)?

vinodh

just because it does

Sutter-Cane

because stupid people never fill up with food and petrol before they begin their journey...

pat.rob00 Chef U.K.

The greedy gits know that not only does it get boring on motorway travel but you have to stop for the toilets. They cash in on this by overcharging on food because people wont take detour to feed. What ever happened to the value in " i need to spend a penny " more like twenty quid now.

Dotty

Because they've "got you". It's the same with food on trains, they cost an arm and a leg. The government should stop this kind of thing.

dennis s

its called supply and demand. at motorways, there is a high demand for these food outlets and for petrol where going to a tesco, further away into towns and cities would be cheaper but not convenient- this is why they charge so much as it is dificult to go to a tesco in a town. with ppl willing to pay and going off route, time consuming its a dead end senario.

sam tyler

becoz their robbing gits,and they know you havnt got a choice

Hayley

service stations provide a service to motorists, and it is more convenient than finding a supermarket, so therefore to make the most out of the convenience they offer they charge more because it increases profit.

umph

because no-one wants to stray far from the motorway to eat, then join the queue to get back on the motorway, so they accept getting ripped off instead

Catmandoo.

Because we are a nation of muppet`s who put up with it and don`t think to take food with us on a long journey or leave the motorway to fill up along the way. So dont blame the service areas if they screw as much money out of you as they can !

gerbiltamer

I think it's because they believe that the motorist is a sitting target. I seem to recall the govt trying to do something about this, but I've heard no more.

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