Motorway rip-off pricing

rog2

I had to drive my daughter back to University yesterday, and I expect many on this forum will be doing the same over the next couple of weeks, so we will all be moaning about the prices, petrol, food, fags etc. that the Motorway Service Stations can get away with, in the interests of Supply and Demand.
There is, however a DFW alternative - as most of us already know, there are supermarkets close to most majopr motorway junctions, where you can save up to 10p a litre on fuel, and megabucks on food/drink. Most supermarkets produce maps or books showing the location of their stores, but if you are driving in unfamiliar territory it can be a bit tricky.

The following website, which I originally found through Steve Wright's website of the day, lists virtually every motorway junction in the UK and information on Food, Petrol, Supermarkets etc. located at, or just off the junction:

https://www.5minutesaway.co.uk

May be of some use to you.

laughing_cow

Cheers for that.

I visit my family 200 miles away every couple of months so each trip I'll stop at these places 3-4 times (car with small petrol tank!). The prices and poor quality food always astonish me. I now usually always try and stop at the ones with a branch of M+S Simply Food. Obviously M+S is not the cheapest place in the world, but the food appears to be the same price as in the normal stores and is decent quality. Last time I bought a M+S sandwich for about £1.70 - the same sandwich in the service station shop was £3.50 :eek: and it looked really grotty. They also sell fruit and healthier snacks than the rubbish in the shop

awaytogoyet

That's a really useful site - thanks to the OP.
I agree - Motorway Services should be avoided for everything (other than going to the loo!) - the prices are ridiculous & as you say food quality usually grim. Even the concessions, such as Burger King routinely charge much more than the High Street outlets.
Best if you can make all your own drinks, sarnies & pack all your own food.

Smashing

We always bring our own, or take a detour off the motorway for some quality pub grub.

tesuhoha

I drove my daughter back to uni last week, a journey of 350 miles. It normally takes more than one tank of petrol so to save money I filled up at Sainsburys before and then when the tank got down to almost half empty I topped it up again on the motorway and only filled up with half a tank of expensive petrol. Therefore I did the rest of the journey without having to stop and saved some money.

ReportInvestor

Thanks rog2 for the link, which I've book-marked for the fuel on very, very long journeys to Scotland.

For the other stuff, home made sandwiches and thermos flask coffee, consumed in the free carparks provided by these rip-off organisations, is surely the way to go.

rog2

ReportInvestor wrote:

Thanks rog2 for the link, which I've book-marked for the fuel on very, very long journeys to Scotland.

For the other stuff, home made sandwiches and thermos flask coffee, consumed in the free carparks provided by these rip-off organisations, is surely the way to go.

In an ideal world, of course. Yesterday, before we left, I asked my daughter what she would like in her sandwiches, but she said she didn't want anything as she had had breakfast and was 'a bit nervous' about her new flat, which she hadn,t seen. By the time we got to Birmingham (about half way) she had eaten my corned beef and piccalli sandwiches, completely finished my flask of coffee and the bottle of water. Luckily, we were able to pull off at junction 9, into MORRISONS, where I had already planned a fuel stop. I picked up a 'fresh made in store ham baguette, for £1.79 and grabbed a quick 80p coffeee - my daughter (who incidentelly is only a size 10) managed to polish off 3 sausage, egg, chips and beans - Total food spend £6.50.
The irony is that, when we arrived in Manchester, she asked me to stop in Tesco, as she wanted to buy a pizza for her supper. She asked me if I wanted anything and I said that if she bought a Cornish Pasty, I would eat that to save buying anything on the way home.
She came out, with her pizza, but told me there were no Cornish Pasties. However, she bought two cans of catfood, with the last of my money that I had given her, which, she informed me were no longer available at our local Tesco.
It was a long and hungry drive home, but at least the cats were happy this morning:rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Great thing - a university education!

Ms_Chocaholic

tesuhoha wrote:

I drove my daughter back to uni last week, a journey of 350 miles. It normally takes more than one tank of petrol so to save money I filled up at Sainsburys before and then when the tank got down to almost half empty I topped it up again on the motorway and only filled up with half a tank of expensive petrol. Therefore I did the rest of the journey without having to stop and saved some money.

Could you save a little money by taking some cheap fuel in a can with you (that's if you could find room for it in the car with all daughter's Uni stuff )

Lydia.42

Thanks - my OH and i are off to Scotland this week, so have a round trip of approx. 1200 miles. This will comein sooooo handy. We are already planning food and drinks to take with us.
L

KathrynPenguin

In defense of motorway service stations. They are required to pay for suitable access roads to be built, they have to open 24/7 365 days a year (and believe me on Xmas day when they are paying top dollar for staff they have naff all customers - I've been one!). They have to provide free toilet facilities to everybody and last of all they take coaches.

In my youth I played in a marching band and travelled extensively - often the only place we were able to stop was the service station - nowhere else would take a coach full of kids, with their packed lunches who just wanted to use the loo and not buy anything.

I'm sure they do profit, but probaby nowhere near as much as Tesco - who are indeed a cheaper alternative!

rog2

KathrynPenguin wrote:

In defense of motorway service stations. They are required to pay for suitable access roads to be built, they have to open 24/7 365 days a year (and believe me on Xmas day when they are paying top dollar for staff they have naff all customers - I've been one!). They have to provide free toilet facilities to everybody and last of all they take coaches.

In my youth I played in a marching band and travelled extensively - often the only place we were able to stop was the service station - nowhere else would take a coach full of kids, with their packed lunches who just wanted to use the loo and not buy anything.

I'm sure they do profit, but probaby nowhere near as much as Tesco - who are indeed a cheaper alternative!

Nobody says that they don't have a role, but they are really over the top with their prices. They are expensive - just look at those with concessions like Burger King and McDonalds' who have to pay exhorbitant rates for their franchise - I beleive that McDonald's pulled out of most of their motorway outlets because they were unable to charge high-street prices. In fact they have opened their own service area on the M65.
If the motorway service stations were to charge high street prices, then there would be no problem - we would all use them - but they don't.