I Found the #1 Gas Station in America! | Food Theory on the Road

[@arielpaez8959]

I'm actually surprised of the planning this roadtrip required. One trip got enough material for a lot of episodes. Whoever planned the logistics has my respect, congrats

[@homerman76]

Truly getting the most out of his family road trip (which is very understandable, moving across the country can be a pain, so anything fun you can do in between can really help in that process.)

[@Pwn3dbyth3n00b]

Gotta make a trip like this a business expense.

[@Ron322]

I mean, with Wawa, it has to be DEAD in the store for your order to be ready fast. When they're busy, sometimes they're like 3 screens behind PLUS the pizza now they have to make...and only having 2 people in deli to do it, 1 person in beverage, 1 register person and 1 manager on duty.

[@RobertJW]

​@@Ron322 So Wawa's bean counters are making its customers suffer by understaffing their locations.

[@lrfcowper]

As someone who worked for three years at a Love's, nothing sits on their roller grill for long. It's all timed and tossed on a regular basis. The coffee, too, is regularly emptied and refilled. We had a beans-to-cup station as well with more varieties than we could offer in the big dispensers. The franchise has mystery shoppers that make regular surprise inspections, and the company isn't afraid to demote and transfer store managers who aren't maintaining the store to brand standards. So I'm not surprised your roller grill hotdog was fresh and juicy and the coffee good as well.

[@bannankev]

I do like stopping at Loves while driving from Texas to Florida fairly regularly 😂 thanks for the confirmation! 💜

[@GrumpyWolfTech]

I drive from Oregon to Texas once a year and visit MANY Loves along the way, with how many customers they usually have in there I can't imagine the food sitting long before someone buys it anyway.

[@AshleyKuehn-s5c]

Agreed. As someone who's been an operations Manager for Love's for 3 yrs, the food is surprisingly good so long as we stay on top of our team. It may be generally more expensive but the app gives so many discounts

[@lrfcowper]

@@GrumpyWolfTech During the day, yeah, not a lot needs to be tossed. It's more a matter of making sure they're getting filled regularly. But being a 24-hour place where the only folks getting food at 3am are truckers and the nearby warehouse workers having "lunch", it gets tricky working out how much to put out to meet inconsistent demand while also not wasting too much. I worked there through lockdown, and that was even trickier (For a while there, the usually self-serve food and drink area was staffed and roped off, and customers weren't permitted to get their own stuff).

[@dawnthegoblin]

Loves has a mystic place in my heart from years of road trips between NorCal and soCal where we'd always stop for gas and bathroom breaks

[@InsertCleverName06]

Imagine not counting the most important factor - Bathrooms!

[@Kainum]

This is food theory bro. Not after-food theory 😂

[@InsertCleverName06]

@@Kainum 😂 That great lol. FR I generally judge whether I want to eat something made at a gas station by the state of the bathroom. If they’re properly cleaning their restroom they’re for sure cleaning the kitchen. If the restrooms look like they get cleaned once a month, I generally think it’s a 50/50 chance they’re properly cleaning the kitchen. I know that’s not factually correct, but that’s the way my mind sees it 🤷🏽‍♂️. Unless it’s Taco Bell then there’s a whole other reason for bad restrooms. (FYI, I don’t immediately go to gas station bathrooms and grade it to determine whether I’m buying something there. That’s taking it waaay too far😆😬)

[@MCOM252-nh8mb]

We already know it's Buc-ee's

[@KipsterMc]

@@MCOM252-nh8mb Including a Buc-ee's in the ranking of gas station restrooms is a unfair towards all other gas stations. Buc-ee's restrooms are just way too good

[@CynthiaMcG]

Buc-ee's has the cleanest bathrooms.

[@LycanLink]

I love the hosts Matt got to replace him, but I REALLY miss the intro theme songs. :(

[@Theorybot-i8t]

Yeah

[@Yjoat]

Yup

[@umaperi4842]

Ya why didn’t they keep them😢

[@umaperi4842]

Ya why didn’t they keep them 😢

[@KipsterMc]

As a frequent Buc-ee's visitor, I personally gotta give the win to them. Not just for how high quality their food is, but also for how much variety there is, with tons of options for drinks, meats (both the sandwiches and the cuts of meat you can buy per pound), pastries, candy, chips, ice cream, and all sorts of other snacks. You can pretty much get a three course meal plus a ton of snacks for the road when visiting Buc-ee's. I will say though that I've never seen a coffee cup there that was damaged the way the one in this Theory was. Could've just been a one-off error

[@KipsterMc]

Also, while I've never tried any of the Buc-ee's hot sauces (one day I eventually will), I'm still giving them extra points for having their own hot sauces available to buy (If you can't tell, I like hot sauce)

[@seancannon2193]

Most people: "I'm moving across the country so I need to transfer locations and I'll need a week off." Santi: "I'm moving across the country so I can get several weeks of work in during the drive."

[@kokocheez]

You need more likes 😁

[@BullPlop11]

This was a clever way to be able to write off the entire trip as a work expense.

[@apersunthathasaridiculousl1890]

Fr, bro saw some opportunities and took them all 😭

[@djduncan956]

300th like

[@laurenhawes7201]

I mean, at least he would have more time once moved to set up house... but I am concerned that these videos started before the hurricanes.

[@Piccolola]

In defense of Wawa, you just must have gone at the busiest time of the day. Seriously, its generally a 5-7-ish minute wait (unless they are understaffed...which can happen anywhere) they have an app so you can order ahead and have it ready when you get there, they can even bring it to your car so you don't have to get out. Also, their coffee is great! They make it all day and will make a fresh batch if you ask. The food is just about always really good. Also, the food is worth the wait! You should have gotten a hoagie for the road. -Philly girl who was raised on Wawa

[@smithfamily3814]

Agreed. He didn't mention any Sizzlis or the ready-made hot dogs $4/2. I can't take this review seriously.

[@StarlightCatGaming]

100% unless your hitting them at that 1pm lunch rush I've never waited more then 5 minutes. To be fair...my town is home to wawa HQ 😅 we all be indoctrinated

[@ケビン-k1d]

Yeah I’ve been to Wawa an embarrassingly amount of times but I’ve never waited even close to 15 minutes for a quesadilla

[@ellymyths]

YES THANK YOU! Wawa is really good and waiting even 15 minutes is 100% worth it

[@amberdawn5372]

Yeah I don’t think I’ve experienced a 10 minute wait even when the place is completely slammed. And they should also get bonus points for having made to order hot and cold specialty drinks beyond the drip options. Those are on par with or better than places like Starbucks and Dunkin and usually cheaper

[@JonBerry555]

Missing: *Casey's *Kwik Trip/Kwik Star *Pilot/Flying Js *Quick Trip (QT)

[@Coreyc04]

Maverik

[@saulshelly6174]

The sheer fact that he would Try and pass this video off as a "best gas stations in America" video and not include some of the most famous gas stations in America if not the world is completely unacceptable

[@AkariNozomi-tb9qc]

Don’t forget 7/11

[@Heirofthedevils]

And rutters

[@michaelbobic7135]

You're right, I was expecting Pilot, too.

[@nish5799]

As someone who used to work at a gas station that sold food, you REALLY cannot judge the food if it's not the same amount of busy at each place (with the exception of the made-to-order food). We had a certain amount of time that food was allowed to stay under the heat lamp, but when things were going fast we wouldn't even be able to keep track of when they were put on (our stickers did that for us, in case the rush ended and there were some left over). We would have to be CONSTANTLY making new food when we were hit with a rush, and the food quality fairly quickly degrades the longer it sits there. Like, Cumberland farm pizza is SO good if you can get it right after it comes out of the oven, but any time after that, when it's no longer fresh out of the oven and just slow roasting under a heat lamp, the quality tanks. I didn't notice if they went to each location during a rush, but if they didn't, oooooh boy the difference in quality will be way more noticeable

[@aaronjohns8077]

Wisconsin resident here. Kwik trip is honestly one of the best, and I’m not biased at all. But seriously, I think you need to do a part two and touch on all the ones you missed. Kwik trip/ Kwik star, same company different regional names Quik trip 7-11/ speedway Casey’s

[@joesmithels3337]

he missed all the Midwest gas stations 😔

[@gregg4964]

Team wi kwik trip too

[@koko6504]

that sounds like a lot of side tracking. He did enough with this as is.

[@aeroaro121075]

after he insulted Wisconsin in the cheese video he must come to Kwik Trip and eat cheese curds

[@Rehalee2000]

As a Texan. I can put buckees first and then qt (quik trip)

[@jacobclark9117]

I have a few things to say about the results. For context, im a truck driver familiar with all the major brands mentioned here. It doesnt suprise me that loves and buccees are the top 2. However, theres something id like to note about loves, in particular; it is a truck stop first and foremost, not a gas station. There is an important distinction in that there are very doffernt ammenities offered at truck stops, including typically a fast food restaurant, showers, sometimes a laundry station or a "drivers lounge" (tv room), as well as the obvious tractor trailer parking. But this also plays into why some of the items are both more expensive, and of higher quality. Truck drivers cant just park anywhere. Truck stops have a near defacto monopoly on a drivers ability to gather resources, and they use this to push prices higher. However, like with buccees, the rate of food and drink being used is gonna be higher than a regular gas station, and because loves has such a high reputation within trucking regarding cleanliness, they are also more on top of theor cleaning of food related items like the rollers, taking expired food out, and yes especially cleaning the coffee machines (one near me cleans theirs evry night at 11pm on the dot) Also, loves has the fresh ground coffee machines in every location I've ever been to; They're just for use with thermoses. Lastly, loves has a cold bar as well as a hot bar. You can get some decent sandwiches and wraps, salads, fruit, etc all from the cold bar. Lots of your bigger gas stations like buccees should have something similar, too. But your smaller chains like exxon or circle k might not have anything like that. I dont think it was fair to put loves on this list with plaves like exxon or mobil1. But then again, buccees is also a bit of a.....different place to. I think includong other places like raceway, quicktrip, and such are better suited to.this comparison, but loves is a standout as being a dedicated trucl stop. Of course, there are some circle k and marathon "truck stops," but they are really more like gas stations with truck parking. And ive heard. theres some loves dedicated gas stations out west, but ive personally never seen one.

[@strongbredbreeder]

Totally agree with your analysis. We travel the country delivering dogs and puppies to their new homes about two to four times a year and Love’s stands out far above anything else for many different reasons… cleanliness being one of my favs.

[@ithinksnakesarecool6883]

I was a bit disappointed QuikTrip wasn't added, it's one of the most underappreciated gas stations out there

[@1WolfFan]

My semi-retired Dad was a short-haul truck driver. He would pack and haul households anywhere within a 300-mile radius from [home-town here], for any non-truck-drivers wondering what I'm on about. I would help him with the household part from time to time, and had to ride with him in the rig. We definitely preferred the quality of truck stop amenities (mostly renting a shower, and hoping whatever restaurant they had wasn't terrible) over the gas stations with truck parking. Though as you said, prices are also higher, so we were always grumbling about that. Truck stops are definitely not the same class as gas stations. Santi could do a whole other episode comparing various truck stops, the next time he casually drives clear across the country for something, but I don't see that happening any time soon. ;) AKA: he totally _could,_ but he'd need another super-trip like this one to gather enough data, and I don't wish long road trips like that on anyone... unless it's for a really good reason. Yes, family vacations going to national parks and theme parks, (etc.) count as a really good reason too. I still pity the occupants of those vehicles though. LOL

[@popskull42]

This is the level of analysis and information I used to expect from theorist channels and thank you for adding it!

[@slewis5657]

@@ithinksnakesarecool6883 I just read that QuikTrip, as well as Buc-ee’s, Wawa, Sheets, and Love’s were all listed in America’s Best Retailers by Newsweek. 5 convenience stores. I’m from Tulsa, home to QuikTrip and wanted Santi to check out my favorite store. I’ve had out of town relatives coo about the amenities at Quiktrip and they would go there daily. ❤

[@howdydo13]

You just made an enemy out of everyone in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, and Michigan

[@adamstanton5313]

Matpat….

[@StellaHarwood-Marshall]

@@adamstanton5313 And a large portion of team theorist in general

[@kuebby]

Maryland is kinda 50:50 between Sheetz and Wawa and 7-11. Except for the areas that are Royal Farms turf.

[@Airbournjack]

Yeah... idk, I'm a trucker I've been all over and there are a few sheetz out there that don't make the grade and it feels like he may have just been at a bad one. Take the Sheetz on i95 exit.... 118 I believe, Thornburg VA. The cooler is often half empty the bathrooms aren't very clean, you can tell it's just not being run the way it should be.

[@catherinebaldwin6580]

😢 For Sheetz. ❤ Sheetz. Only place to get gas in VA.

[@howdydo13]

You did Sheetz so dirty by getting deli chicken. Their boneless bites are the best

[@brittanywalker4792]

Agreed. I never get the deli subs. Their crispy chicken is fast food quality, and the French Fries are amazing!

[@whit1722_playz]

Agreed I love their crispy chicken ​@brittanywalker4792

[@Alphabetical_mayB]

I'm just glad Sheetz made it in the video!! (But literally tho)

[@michaelbobic7135]

I've always been pleased with their hamburgers. They always have Whatchamacallit bars, too. They really need to get Icee machines.

[@MarbleSodaPop]

Their jalapeño poppers are better than the ones you get at most restaurants

[@㘭]

9:32 "Sheetz is a pun I can't make if I want to stay monetized" 💀💀💀💀 Santi is a legend

[@jnl7196]

My dad pronounces it like SHIEEEETZ

[@jamaldavis2480]

The fact that 7Eleven is not in this video is a travesty. Even if ours don't compare to overseas.

[@CorneliusHusker]

yeah, like it's the icon of gas stations

[@DrinkyBeery]

It's like leaving mcdonalds out of a fast food video

[@BradleyBoy]

We could be getting Japan style 7Elevens soon

[@axela1262]

@jamaldavis2480 its also a travesty he didnt get slushies

[@SamGarcia]

I checked once, and all the 7-11s are permanently closed in Central Ohio. So it may just be they practically don't exist in places.

[@zeldafan3755]

Yea I can confirm bucees coffee does have a person around the clock taking care of the coffee, it’s supposed to be replaced every 30 minutes or so but some nights we are brewing new pots every 5 minutes or so because of the amount of people who come in, also it need creamer or something, it tastes like garbage on it’s own

[@grimzie517]

Man must have gone to the worst sheetz possible.

[@catherinebaldwin6580]

Man also don’t look at a menu euther. Maybe it just our sheetz, but all the chicken is right on the front page. I will never get over the fact that he didn’t get the chicken nuggets.

[@saw2135]

@@catherinebaldwin6580 He got a deli meat turkey sub. I didn't even know Sheetz had deli meat turkey until this video. The touch screens, the app, and the website all have a button specifically for chicken, which he somehow missed.

[@PoltergeistFGC]

Let's be real, if you aren't going to a Sheetz in PA, you aren't going to a Sheetz, but still Sheetz is easily one of the best regardless.

[@grimzie517]

@@PoltergeistFGC I mean not wrong sheetz in PA hits different.

[@Spade1350]

Standard Sheetz Ls. He went to the slowest Wawa in America and it still trounced you guys

[@kaylahill5579]

It's funny you post this at this specific time. I work for Wawa and 2 weeks ago we got rewarded for being rated #1 in a survey rating Wawa, quick trip, bucees, Murphy, Casey's, and sheetz

[@beauoneill312]

I like how he edited the thumbnail from Buc-ee's to 7-11

[@silver7215]

It’s back to Buc-ee’s, so guess that didn’t last long

[@lasercraft32]

Pretty sure KZbin has a new feature that lets you give a video multiple thumbnails, that's why its been changing.

[@runningthemeta5570]

I would love to be a person just walking past Santi’s car and seeing him eating in his car and talking about the food.

[@DahrthDaddy]

NO!!! Delete this!!! You can not fathom the Pandora’s box you’ve unleashed with that title alone!!

[@osmosisjones4912]

What are the best foods to stock up on before the economic collapse

[@UST-cycle5will8always8repeat8]

Why?

[@Sengendo3]

@@osmosisjones4912 your organs

[@DahrthDaddy]

I’d say buy in bulk but that seems like common sense, so probably grains?

[@SarahAbramova]

Maybe start a vegetable garden? And learn to raise chickens?

[@Gh0stly_fell0w]

R.I.P. Santi's special tool

[@jiblitin1520]

I get the joke, but after the McD's lawsuit I doubt anyone makes coffee hot enough anymore to destroy your dip-stick.

[@LuigieatsBabies]

He conplained about quality control per item. Did you see the rim of the cup he ACTIVELY choose?

[@Thebetterminty]

💀

[@thecreepyguyreacts]

Eyyyy Wawa employee here! Sucks that you had to wait so long for the food. ( I agree the chicken quesadillas slap.) But I have to say your Womp Womp for Wawa is now a new meme in the group chats! 😂

[@madelineariah]

I feel like a lot of potential discussion was omitted in this episode, which is understandable given y'all were traveling, but these are the things I would consider if this topic is ever rehashed: 1) Some chain gas stations are moving to more of a hybrid. Chevron now has "Extra Mile" which is their "convenience store" side of things. So Chevron stations with Extra Mile are going to have more variety and quality than Chevron gas stations without. 2) Many truck stops (such as Pilot/Flying J) are going to have actual restaurants on the premises, such as Subway, Starbucks, or even more niche restaurants like Jack in the Box and Carl's Jr. and in those cases, you'll more than likely go for that food instead. 3) This list completely ignores "loyalty gas stations." You know, Costco, Walmart/Sam's Club, Safeway. If you have a loyalty card with one of those chains, you go to save 20-30 cents per gallon on gas, and you have the convenience of going into their deli which will always be fresher than any gas station food. Always. Finally, why use a 7-11 thumbnail when 7-11 doesn't typically supply gas except in a handful of places? Misleading much? So yeah, I feel this theory is far from finished and needs to be re-examined.

[@Mr._Mints]

Corporate 7-Eleven employee here. Your claim about 7-Elevens not selling gas is inaccurate. The split between fuel locations and non-fuel locations is almost exactly 50/50. If you were to factor Speedway into that, which 7-Eleven acquired a few years ago, the split would lean much more heavily to having fuel, as every Speedway sells gas. Also, my nitpick that I like to make whenever possible: according to the official company logo and branding guidelines, “7-Eleven” is always supposed to be written out as such. It should never be written with a numeral “11.”

[@shamrocklynn4146]

i love how he said the hot dogs would be standard and easy to judge them then proceeds to get not a hot dog at wawa and bucees

[@saw2135]

There wasn't any consistency across the last two categories. Poultry should have fried chicken sandwich, and meat should have been hot dogs. Not a free-for-all of what he got.

[@popskull42]

Yup, the standards are gone. It's sad. This would previously been a more carefully controlled comparison across 3 raters along for the ride who rated in a numeric scale. Now we get Santi's snacks on some silly tier list.

[@michaelb1761]

I'm kind of glad that he didn't penalize Buc-ees for having actual food that you would actually want to eat.

[@UnstoppableInfinityDuck]

Honestly, the food here does not even compute to Sheetz, Wawa, and Bucees. I feel this is more for the speed and efficiency.

[@DanGaming7571]

Yes he's need to go the east coast and go to A WAWA!

[@GreigerBDragon]

Absolutely, I started working at a Wawa last year expecting it to be just another convenience store job, but Wawa is absolutely top notch. I worked at 7-11 before and Wawa was something else with the deli training. Most things are souveed which is a step up from the glorified microwave 7-11 used, they also require proper hair and beardnets and gloves, and everything is put together in front of the customers by a dedicated deli crew. Maybe I'm bias because I work there but Wawa is awesome. ED: And after catching the whole video. I agree with the assessment of the wait time. Wawa has a whole lot of variety, and about 90% of it is made to order, so it is really easy for us to fall behind in the deli, even with a small crowd. You may only see an empty counter from the customer's side but every inch of our side of that counter has something stuffed in it. Combine that with stuff having different hold times and really only enough room for 2 people at the main deli station, that can mean a little bit of a wait. It would be nice if we had chairs inside in the waiting area as well as outside.

[@Trapluhhoe]

racetrack > wawa even quick trip is better than wawa

[@lunayen]

Isn't that what you want from a gas station shop?

[@catherinebaldwin6580]

@@lunayenNot for us.

[@GrumpyWolfTech]

I do a road trip from Oregon to Texas once a year, and truck stops/gas stations are a welcome stop every few hours. A lot of these places really are experiences, a place to relax, restaurants inside, arcades, everything you need.

[@JamesTDG]

Have you ever been to one of the few 711s that have soft serve? I've been wanting to try it, but I have to go far out of my way to get it

[@GrumpyWolfTech]

@@JamesTDG no, but I also don't consider a 7/11 a gas station because it's very rare to find one that actually serves gas. I generally don't stop at them, it's usually a truck stop like Loves, Pilot, or Flying J.

[@SilentZieth]

Gas Station Deli staff here; the main reasons for misplaced items is lack of attention and lack of care to pay attention. I should know, I had correct the pizza build sheet because someone on first shift wrote 8 hunks(1/4 of pizza) of pepp. when half of it was pepp. and the other half was cheese! Another factor in the quality of food is what equipment is installed in the kitchen. My kitchen is using a large convection oven made by a company that went out of business around 20 years ago. I don’t think kitchen layout had changed since it was opened, which was around 40 years ago.

[@jonathangauthier3549]

😂 As someone who used to work the night shift at the Canadian branch of circle K, I completely agree with what Santi said. Their coffee is surprisingly good, and their warmed food is garbage. I even had the manager scold me when I TRIED to put out fresh foods every day. BTW, running a gas station, prepping food, rotating products in the fridges, cleaning the soda machine and floors, while also serving customers and watching for shoplifters alone is a nightmare! So please be nice to employees doing the midnight shift? They're barely keeping it together.

[@emeraldbunnyYT]

I appreciate the theory, though the category weights seem unbalanced. Wawa was underrepresented, particularly because of the high variety of options and, at least my local one, has wait times of roughly 4 minutes, if even that. Often times they have finished my wrap by the time I have paid for it. Feels like the sort of theory that would have benefited from visiting multiple locations of each gas station.

[@JamesTDG]

Indeed, the sample size is disappointing to say the least

[@TheIncrediblePanda]

I remember when matpat went through the lengths of gathering a large sample size

[@Gamesalotl]

That coffee is hotter than Fazbears Fright then when Micheal Afton left

[@The_Dino_King]

Har har har har har har har har har har🐻🐰🐤🦊

[@jacobryan365]

As a five year employee of Wawa (South Jersey) I just wanna say thank you very much! First of all, I felt honored you even visited one of our locations! Haha but second I wasn't expecting it to be our quesadillas to get your endorsement I AM NOT WORTHY and I thank you so much for your honesty as well. We wanna be convenient for as many different needs as possible in as many ways as possible as consistently as possible as quickly as possible. I love the chaos and every day is different, and thank you for Dunkin' on Sheetz! Make sure you get the app before you visit a Wawa again! Thanks again man 🤘🫶

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

0:17 your pain shall NOT be in vain santi!

[@deannacallahan2579]

As someone who had worked at a convenience store/gas station on the Mass Turnpike for several years (& under 2 different companies that held the contracts), I will tell you that there's a reason why they have the phrase "highway robbery". The coffee, hot foods, sandwiches, etc. are required by Serve-Safe to be changed(, refreshed, replaced, etc) & monitored at regular intervals by employees. Depending on the setup & product, intervals can be by the hour to a few hours.

[@silentpaw]

I love how he put Buc-ees as not just a gas station, but an experience. And he is moving into Buc-ees land. I know of at least two more between NC and Miami. Warrner Robbins, GA, and either Daytona or Orlando Florida. As for the coffee at Buc-ees, there is one thing he didn't include that people should know about, the creamer choices. Most gas stations may have just the normal creamer or maybe French Vanilla. Buc-ees has an entire cold bar of different flavors when it comes to creamer, as well as sugar free options (or they did. Last time I was there I didn't find any sugar free creamer).

[@bayleeelliott4218]

Food on the Road is lowkey my favorite thing ever 😭 Santi you are absolutely slaying this channel

[@MACYWRLD]

5:37 you don’t get coffee at Buckys you get the $.89 drinks

[@patricialock1862]

As a coffee hater I honestly don't care about bucees' bad coffee I also get soda 🤝

[@tanikokishimoto1604]

What drinks would those be? Sugar/sweetener laden? Not interested.

[@BeeRue]

*Two Famous Lines From Matpat* "But Hey, That's Just A Theory, A GAAAAAAAAAME THEORY" "Oh No My Fingies, OH NO MY FINGIES"

[@MystearicaClaws]

Moving is EXHAUSTING and on top of that, you are transporting a furry friend AND fimling HOW MANY VIDEOS????You are INSANE Santi!

[@queen.miralice]

The pronunciation of "quesadilla" in argentinian spanish got me off-guard. As an argentinian in a foreign country myself, we stand out like a sore thumb. Loved the video, should I ever have a road trip accross the US I'll know where to stop for snacks :)

[@the_enderslayer]

Question: Why were 7-Eleven and Quiktrip not included?

[@witecatj6007]

7-11 is not nearly as ubiquitous on the East Coast.

[@CocaColaStan]

​@@witecatj6007 to add, kwik trip is mostly midwest.

[@LordSevarg]

​@@witecatj6007 pretty much every gas station in this video is regional... And as someone from Virginia, 7-Elevens are everywhere in VA.

[@jasonpeacock9735]

@@LordSevargmost 7-11s across the USA aren’t gas stations anymore

[@Riverside_Railfan417]

7-11 closed/is closing more than 400 locations nationwide

[@DJSkywalker716]

Dang, I was really hoping Casey's was gonna be on this list somewhere. The only one here that isn't your typical gas station that they covered is Loves and even then there's only one. Midwesterners lost in the shuffle again.

[@blodyholy_]

Casey's breakfast pizza FTW!

[@infractionproductions5217]

Seriously though. I'd take Caseys and Kwik Trip over any of these (except for maybe Buc ees).

[@mykael79]

caseys and kwikstar are the absolute best! caseys for the breakfast pizza alone, and kwikstar for their hotdogs, coffee, chicken, and muffins

[@cjsard4678]

​@@mykael79 I often enjoy Kwik Star/Trip soups as well (though not great for on the go food)

[@PoisonAsh]

XD Bro gabbed a broken cup and expected it to work. Every gas station that uses those cups, you always have to make sure you get a perfect rim on the cup.

[@datura7040]

As someone who has worked at Circle K [I worked the overnight shift], I can confirm that few really cared about where they were putting stuff. They are supposed to turn the labels around if there isn't one for that particular sandwich. The hotdogs was just lazy work. I had to do it often in the mornings when making the breakfast sandwiches before the 6 am crew came in

[@leenasheikh5273]

Im glad to see people in the backgrounds of the video being blurred out-that shows alot of extra care on the part of the editors, and the channel itself for people's privacy :D

[@Lincoln_Online]

Btw by definition Costco and Sam’s Club are also gas stations (and they both have hotdogs)

[@HaileyBug0]

They are stores and you have to have a paid membership to even enter.

[@JamesTDG]

@@HaileyBug0 Ah, but not all of them require membership to use the food court

[@Lincoln_Online]

@@JamesTDG that what I’m sayin’

[@xXxR3V3NxXx]

​@JamesTDG if I remember right, anyone can enter the Costco food court no matter what.

[@tanikokishimoto1604]

​@@xXxR3V3NxXxBut you need a membership to get the gas.

[@DATacoCat]

0:00 this is why I drink iced coffee

[@DXSTheGamer16]

I just drink iced coffee because you can add more flavors and you can have it longer since it's already cold whereas if you hot coffee and you let it sit out til it gets cold, then it just won't taste good.

[@DATacoCat]

That’s true.

[@xxgunslingerxx]

he staged the spill. check out 5:25 the cup was ripped

[@saulshelly6174]

The sheer fact that he would Try and pass this video off as a "best gas stations in America" video and not include some of the most famous gas stations in America if not the world is completely unacceptable Casey's *Kwik Trip/Kwik Star *Pilot/Flying Js *Quick Trip (QT) *Maverik *7/11 *Rutters *Dodges edit: This is clearly not a teir list of the best gas stations in America this is just a teir list of the gas stations that were convenient for him

[@NoVaRedacted]

MAVERIK is S tier for sure

[@HumbleWooper]

I live in suburban southeastern Virginia, and the only one of your list that I've been to is 7/11. I've heard of a couple of the others, but never been to one and haven't even heard of most of them. The vast majority of gas station chains in the USA with fresh food options are regional, even most of the ones Santi stopped at. The only true NATIONAL chain is 7/11, which didn't get a mention in the video except the thumbnail pic.

[@Mr._Mints]

@@HumbleWooperEven 7-Eleven isn’t really national. They’re almost non-existent in the Midwest. Now, we do have Speedway, which was acquired by 7-Eleven a few years ago, so you can argue that 7-Eleven is national now. Speedways do sell 7-Eleven products now. Although, when talking about hot food, you also have to consider Speedways that have a Speedy Cafe, as the food from those stores is better than the food in the warmer cabinets. And while Speedways do sell 7-Eleven foods now, the Speedy Cafes remain largely as they were before 7-Eleven, making Speedway’s hot food one of the last unique holdovers from before 7-Eleven’s takeover. So you can’t really compare 7-Eleven and Speedway on a 1:1 scale.

[@chicknbisque]

AND DODGE'S!!

[@Bunny_Bill]

I've only ever heard of 7/11 in this list is that just because I live in the south or what😭

[@JS-gf6pr]

It feels like Santi finally has made Food Theory his, congrats!

[@c_moya11]

Nobody goes to Bucees for coffee...FRESH BRISKET ON THE BOARD!

[@michaelnelson1127]

Excellent episode, though I imagine there will be a part 2 in the future that covers gas stations that weren’t in this episode. Examples include 7/11, Casey’s, Quiktrip, Kum & Go, etc.

[@origamifolder2255]

We in the Midwest love our quiktrips they are awesome.

[@jasonpeacock9735]

Most 7-11s these days aren’t gas stations.

[@Mr._Mints]

@@origamifolder2255Speak for your own part of the Midwest. I’ve seen maybe one Quick Trip here in Ohio! Never been to one.

[@Mr._Mints]

@@jasonpeacock9735That’s not really accurate. I’m a corporate 7-Eleven employee. From the data that I have, the ratio of 7-Elevens that sell gas to those that don’t is almost exactly 50/50. If you were to include Speedway, which they acquired a few years ago, into that count, it would lean much more heavily towards having gas, as every Speedway store sells gas.

[@origamifolder2255]

@@Mr._Mints I really didnt think of Ohio as the midwest but ok

[@Sengendo3]

0:00 santi, i present to you: iced drinks

[@jbridge7962]

I know an executive at Sheetz, the hate how much they spend on mayo, and people hate how much the employees use

[@arthurmartin4616]

Funnily enough, there is an easy solution that would make both parties happy there.

[@trisarahtops5557]

This could not have come at a better time! I’m about to road trip across the country to move for my job, and I’m going to take all of this to heart.

[@aidanjackson5084]

I got to experience visiting a Bucc-ee's (Tennessee area, I believe) when seeing family last year and this year. Was told about it from a work friend of my Dad's. Honestly, didn't seem as hyped as a lot of people say it is, but it's certainly one of the biggest Gas Stations I've ever seen. Santi is right though that it's more an experience than anything else.

[@bethanyandcloe3589]

I’m loving the new series but there’s a lot of hurricanes in Florida so please stay safe also can we just appreciate how this man is doing a cross country trip where he could just drive and do the normal necessary things that most people have to do while driving cross country but he instead gives us some content while also doing the normal cross country trip things and taking care of his dog (unless he recorded these videos while doing the trip and then edited them once he got to Miami and is uploading them every week)

[@EskoBomb]

Okay here's my problem with this video and it's only one problem and otherwise it's a great video... A 15 minute wait at Wawa happens from time to time but not frequently. You can disqualify it maybe once for that but you can't do that across all of the categories you're weighing it against 15:26

[@eaglescout205]

I think Wawa and sheets deserve a do over for the test.

[@tsquare9168]

Coffee is not on my Radar. Also can't believe you didn't include QuikTrip(QT) in regards to Hotdogs and hotbar food kiosk. They were prominent stops in Arizona, Texas, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

[@deliriumzer0]

Honestly, QT is genuinely my favorite place to get a hot dog! Not even just gas stations! Best flavor/price balance by far imo. Sad it didn't get a chance to compete here!

[@JamesTDG]

Indeed, they should have at least had slushies on the list.

[@organicklutz]

Your biggest mistake was not getting the curly fries from sheetz

[@SunnylandProds]

Wawa’s wait times can fluctuate depending on what time you’re going, but the best way to mitigate that is to order on the app. Also, in terms of hot dogs, I love RaceTrac. They’ve always got a good variety, and the toppings are fresh!

[@BradExistsForJesus]

"They all have the same chips and jerky." You went to Buckeye's, homie, they have their own versions of everything.

[@sophiejohnson684]

Love's even has some of their own stuff too iirc

[@jasonpeacock9735]

@@sophiejohnson684Love’s store brand jerky is a personal favorite. They’re no Buc Ees, but they are national wide

[@Lrbearclaw]

3:20 - So you didn't go to Speedway... which all have "Bean to Cup" which grinds and pressure boils it. They also have a variety of flavors. And are cleaned nightly automatically.

[@sophiejohnson684]

Idk about all that... as a current night shift employee for speedway, they definetly are not automatically cleaned nightly. The machine doesn't clean it on its own, all we do is after x amount of time, is we empty what's left of them out in the sink, and then brew more into it. They actually get cleaned like maybe once a week

[@Lrbearclaw]

@sophiejohnson684 You just have to drop the puck in them and hit a button. So you are technically correct. (I worked at a Speedway in Northern Michigan for 2 years, during when Bean to Cup was being implemented, was the one who got the crash course for our store.) My store had it part of the closing tasks, run the cycle while we cleaned as part of the closing. (I did 5 of the 7 closes a week for about a year and a half until I moved to NYC 3 years ago.) I am not talking about the old system with 3-9 pots that stay on the hotplates.

[@sophiejohnson684]

@@Lrbearclaw no we don't have the hot plates. But at the end of the day ig it's dependent on the location and it's hours cuz we're open 24/7 at my location and as someone who works the graveyard shift, all we do is make sure the coffee is fresh, we don't clean them out every night at all

[@Mr._Mints]

Hello fellow Speedway employees! I’ve been a corporate employee since before the 7-Eleven acquisition. I miss the good ol’ days under Marathon… Speedways haven’t been the same since 7-Eleven took over.

[@Lrbearclaw]

@@Mr._Mints I was wondering about that. I was there going into it but got out as the transition began and there are no (real) Speedies here in NYC.

[@3p3opleerror50]

0:57 I-IS-IS TH-THAT TH-T-T-T-TTHE B-B-BB-BIT-BITE OF-OF 87!?!!!?!!!!!!?!

[@TrexCreative]

AHHHHHHHHH

[@JacobGforce]

Missed chance to have Marky’s shocked face pop out of the button lol

[@ShantaGold406]

Har har har har har har har 🐻 🎩

[@ethanlinden-t2l]

No the bite of 81

[@DarphooniusRBLX]

It’s the press of 87 actually

[@Zeemoth1307]

When I was moving from Florida to California we did a 3 day road trip (at least 3 different times to move everything) and Loves was definitely a fan favorite! Everything was a nice price and tasted really good so they definitely deserved to be in the top 2.

[@anastasious]

As someone who has road-tripped extensively over the years, I can say that Love's is the best national chain truck stop you'll find. It's dependable in quality from store to store and the prices on fuel tend towards competitive and the bathrooms are cleaned frequently enough to stay in solid shape. For regional stops, Buccee's is an insane experience with the best food and cleanest bathrooms anywhere. They've got solid BBQ even by Texas standards and their fudge bar and other foods keep it flowing. It truly is the Mecca of road trip gas stations.

[@Sakuhinalover]

Hot coffee spills hurt like no other 💀😭

[@berjo516]

I went to one of the newer QuikTrips recently and I was pretty impressed by the QT Kitchens menu.

[@Coreyc04]

It's better than the other gas stations. Smaller than a buccees and just as good as food.

[@Grandmaster-Vex]

In frankfort ky there is this gas station called gallops, they serve fantastic food. They have customizable burrito bowls and Indian curry. As well street tacos and a few other options, you can even get samosas there. The price to serving ratio is great as well. This is my all time favorite gas station food, to the point that it's a shame to have to call it gas station food.

[@cristianchavarria5359]

Santi has become my favourite theory host, he looks genuine and funny

[@R7LPs]

I have a huge soft spot for Circle K dogs. One day I was out with my dad and on a whim, we decided to go the next town over and get hot dogs from there. We had a really good time, the hot dogs were fresh - and they had everything to make chili cheese dogs, which nowhere else in our area does - and we played Snipperclips in the car on my Switch. It became an almost weekly tradition for several months until covid hit, and when the place finally reopened, all of the best toppings were long gone and never came back. Now we usually go elsewhere, but I still like their hot dogs.

[@tactful_colt8536]

Loves has been my fave gas station for like 6-7 years now. Loves always has nice and clean bathrooms too! If I can’t find one my next choices are pilot, QT, wawa and Casey’s.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Food on the Road is great! You're doing great Santi! Live this channel 🎉🎉🎉

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Love this series santi! Keep up the good work ❤❤❤❤

[@killerjdog51]

Woah bro, you didn’t even cover Casey’s Gas Station from the Midwest; how can this even be an equal comparison without their fresh hot pizza?!? Casey’s pizza, coffee, and donuts are S tier!!!

[@jazzsantos8053]

Went on a cross country roadtrip recently and Love’s was definitely a saving grace for coffee. For food, definitely Buc-ee’s saved the day multiple times.

[@xtremeyoylecake]

I’m on team Wawa here Ok I’m definitely biased bc I’m from NJ, but when I entered Bucees I just felt overwhelmed, and wanted to leave bc it was too much

[@patriciahernandez-tl8sm]

Weakness 😂 jkjk I'm from Texas and I agree. It's a lot

[@xtremeyoylecake]

@@patriciahernandez-tl8sm my jaw dropped when I decided to go to the bathroom there

[@LadyLeomon]

A tasty new Theory before bed? Yay ☺️☺️☺️ Thanks for the refreshing new Theory, Santi and go hug your furbabies all 💙🐱💙

[@CrzyCrsn]

We have a Bucees near our town (1 hour away) their brisket is HEAVENLY

[@DarkXork]

As a WaWa regular I can tell you that the type of coffee machines they have depends on the size of the store. Some of the bigger WaWas actually do have machines that grind fresh beans. Not necessarily each time you pour but that might have to do with the volume being poured.

[@aprila316]

Boiled peanuts being the first clip as you say “fancy shmancy” is WILD

[@Milano0987-l5h]

What if the best gas station is the friends we made along the road

[@surgeone01]

Buc ee’s is the only gas station I go out of my to visit. Happy to have one in my area (and it’s the first Buc ee’s outside Texas)

[@arachnaphobicpal6873]

I don't know about you guys, but as a wisconsinite, kwik trip is my go-to.

[@thekirbygamer]

The biggest twist for the end of the series would be if one of the hurricanes has already destroyed his new home

[@totoret5197]

11:11 that pronunciation of "quesadilla" in argentinian spanish was PERFECT, I'm honestly surprised at how on point it was

[@Phoebe_Jeronson]

Gas stations are scary. Every time I go get gas, my wallet unalives

[@origamifolder2255]

Where do you live where gas is that expensive

[@Phoebe_Jeronson]

@@origamifolder2255 I’m broke so it’s not externally expensive, but it is for me

[@origamifolder2255]

@@Phoebe_Jeronson ah

[@Calysia-PlumHeart]

I love 7 Eleven. No one can tell me otherwise.

[@clony3094]

Non Americans: So this is useless to me

[@butsagyton5093]

Well duh. We're the only important ones

[@777idkineedausername]

Start your own channel, flying is expensive.

[@CrystalBearer20]

As much as I love my local sheetz (A lot) and as much awe as I was in when I visited a bucees? Loves comes out on top. They know who they are and what they're about, and they do it to excellence. It's not surprising truck drivers love it.

[@scaper8]

I'd be curious where Casey's sits as far as coffee goes. They use the same, and I mean _exact_ same machines as Circle K. And where QT sits for hot dogs. As their hot dog bar is phenomenal.

[@WaffleNumber7]

11:13 Argentina momento 🟦⬜🟡⬜🟦🔥🔥

[@Temans_the_temleton]

ITS DA SPOOKY MONTH

[@TheGinger336]

The key thing that brings Bucee's down the list is having to fight the crowds for parking and to get to the food. I once could not park in an empty spot because a lady had jumped from her car at the stop light, run to an empty parking spot I was pulling into, and stood in it waiting for her husband to get the car into the parking lot even though my car was halfway in the spot. Then, when I got inside, I could not get to the sandwiches because there was a group of people circled around the area, deciding as a group what each person should get. I no longer stop there because of the time penalty, like Wawa.

[@willhouston588]

I guess it depends on the location. I've been to the Jacksonville one several times and never had a problem, but that's the only one I've been to.

[@starlight4065]

The road trip saga of Food Theory is such a unique experience for any of the channels! Good job Food Theory

[@ethanblanke6873]

As a native southeast Pennsylvanian, I barely even think of Wawa as a gas station, more as an easy and decent place to get food and pump gas while I'm there because there's always one just down the road. That's why the 15 min wait never really bothered me. I noticed that was your biggest complaint about it

[@joniwille8676]

Wait...wasn't the title card a different picture yesterday?

[@JetZV]

You put 7-11 in the thumbnail and then didn't even go there in the video itself? Come on, guys; you're better than this.

[@deirenne]

It's 100% just A/B testing, because I have 7-11 in the notification, Wawa on the channel's page and Bucees when I click it.

[@caitlyncats3113]

@@deirenneDefinitely because I see Bucees on the notification page but Sheetz on the channel page

[@JetZV]

@deirenne It's Bucees for me now. Still not sure why they didn't use one of the competitors to begin with.

[@kaleb_of_gondor]

I had 7-11 too. Now it’s Buccees

[@pkmntrainermark8881]

​@@kaleb_of_gondor I have Bucc now, had 7-11 before, and had something else I don't remember before that.

[@DogeSuperior]

uhh moving to florida might not be the best rn

[@alixbeing5610]

As a midwestern, i dont really care what the conclusion of this episode is, there is no midwestern chain, so it doesn't matter.

[@FieraMyst]

This was interesting to watch. I would have loved to have seen Santi's opinion of the coffee and food offerings from Maverik though.