Do gas stations (petrol station) have mini marts?

19 comments

1. Yeah they do, they got basically small grocery store there(you can buy even fresh bread) and most of them sell warm food too(usually hot dogs though). Biggest ones(near the highways) have even restaurant.

2. Usually not, some petrol stations (especially those in the countryside) have bars or sell tobacco, but most only sell car accessories and little else.

3. Yeah, they’re either mini marts with a selection of food, toiletries, burgers and hot dogs, fresh bread, buns, waffles. Car wash is pretty common, and a few have a small garage/tire service. OR they’re just standalone pumps outside a regular grocery store.

4. For Ireland the vast majority of petrol stations would, usually a small enough shop, most often also with a deli counter with breakfast rolls, chicken rolls, sausage rolls, jambons etc. Usually very large mineral drinks fridge and large selection of chocolate, crisps etc. Larger ones such as ones off motorways may have a cafe or fast food place such as SuperMacs as well.

5. No, nowadays most petrol stations are unmanned, so there is no staff to sell you anything. The only exception are ones along highways and other major roads. There they may have enough visitors who are travelling long-distance and want a coffee to go.

6. Yes, they do. One large chain of petrol stations (Orlen/Benzina) recently even opened a few new locations in city centers without fuel. But there is nothing on the scale of Wawa, Buc-ee’s or Sheetz, it’s usually just snacks, drinks, coffee and car accessories.

7. Yes, it’s very common in the UK for petrol stations to have a small shop attached. Years ago they used to be pretty rubbish, but in recent years they’ve been improving a fair bit.

8. Yes. Sale of alcohol at gas stations was banned a while ago, though.

9. Yes, you can get tobacco, sodas, snacks, sweets, magazines, motor oil, antifreeze etc there, some have baked goods.

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11. Yes, they do, unless they are a small one. I don’t know if you can buy alcohol or tobacco there, they usually sell:

    – various automotive stuff: motor oil, wiper fluid, coolant, snow brushes and ice scrapers etc…
    – snacks and soft drinks, coffee or tea to go
    – seasonal grilling supplies: charcoal, lighter fluid, folding mangals
    – larger stations outside the city limits have cafes that will sell you anything from a hot dog all the way to a three-course canteen-style meal at the largest gas stations

    What they don’t function as is convenience stores, since regular shops aren’t closed on Sundays here.

12. In Portugal it’s super common. The gas stations that don’t are usually older urban pumps.

13. Yeah, magazines, ice cream, drinks, chocolate, some basic food, coffee, some basic electronics and car accessories. Sometimes even rather nonsensical stuff like bags of ice or coal for bbqing, and oddly enough even alcohol.

14. Mostly, yes – a small selection of toys, magazines, snacks, car “accessories” is available unless it’s some tiny station or a self service one.

15. It’s common in Spain. But there are new low-cost gas stations, they don’t have it (some of them have vendor machine).

16. In Denmark most are unmanned, it is only the big gas stations on motorways that has a shop.

    In the 80’s to 2000’s the opening hours of (larger) supermarkets was restricted, in order to give local smaller shops an advantage.

    This result was that every little village had a gas station with a convenience store, after the opening hours restriction has been lifted, people now use a regular supermarket at convenience shop. (I have two of those within walking distance, open to 22 at a Sunday)

    Denmark has one of the highest ration of supermarkets pr capita, this combined with the salary, and 25% VAT makes shopping expensive in Denmark.

    [https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Number-of-supermarkets-per-million-habitants-of-European-and-non-EU-countries-for-small_fig1_315608462](https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Number-of-supermarkets-per-million-habitants-of-European-and-non-EU-countries-for-small_fig1_315608462)

    ​

    Typical supermarket:

    [https://dagligvarehandlen.dk/sites/default/files/styles/6_10_774x1290/public/2022-10/rema%201000%20stege.jpg](https://dagligvarehandlen.dk/sites/default/files/styles/6_10_774x1290/public/2022-10/rema%201000%20stege.jpg)

17. Most of the gaz station I know in city are attached to a supermarket, small or big, so no extra special shop. The one with mini-mart would more be the gaz station on the highway, that all have a shop + coffe machine +/- a fast food restaurant.

    The smallest one often have a little store, where you can buy snack, and magazine. I’m not sure for alcohol, maybe some beer ? Tabacco is only sell in tabacco shop, not anywhere else

18. Far more than mini marts here. They usually have a full scale convenience store and as you get into more rural areas, often a small supermarket like Centra or Spar, and they almost always have a deli counter that will make up sandwiches, rolls, various hot items and plenty of fairly decent self serve espresso/coffee machines, usually with fairly drinkable coffee these days.

19. Yes, with some even with complete small supermarkets.

    But at least with beer.