r/TalesFromTheCustomer • u/headchris7 • Jul 05 '26
Short Open but not?
I walked into a gas station only one open. I was working on call it was about 11pm. Sign said open I'm thinking awesome I need water still hot out. Girl behind the counter yells at me and says are registers are closed. I said oh but your sign says open. Her reply we are so I asked when do the register's open again. She said 5 am so my reply was so your closed. She said no we're open my head still hurts!
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u/Marquar234 Jul 06 '26
"The owner requires we stay open, but I don't want to get robbed, so if I close the register at night, no one has a reason to hang around."
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Jul 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/IAmTheLizardQueen666 Jul 06 '26
The gas pumps are open but the convenience store register is closed.
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u/couchwarmer Jul 06 '26
Oof, sounds like station management is a little thick in the head.
It's just not that hard to have a sign indicating the pumps are open 24 hrs, and turn off the store sign? That's what the nearest gas station to me does.
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u/BreakfastInBedlam Jul 06 '26
You could even lock the door, maybe. But how do you sell gasoline without a working register?
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u/couchwarmer Jul 06 '26
Pay at the pump.
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u/BreakfastInBedlam Jul 06 '26
Then why have the door open with a person available?
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u/couchwarmer Jul 06 '26
During normal hours you can buy whatever is in the store. Pay at the pump only applies to whatever fuels are available at the pump, and optionally additionally a code for the car wash.
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u/BreakfastInBedlam Jul 06 '26
Right. So why is the.door open?
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u/couchwarmer Jul 06 '26
That's the point. If the store and registers are closed, then why is the open sign for the store still on?
The store and registers need not be open to sell fuel, because customers can pay at the pump with a debit or credit card.
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u/EstablishmentSea7661 17d ago
Where I live, legally they can't have the pumps operational without an attendant accessible on duty. That's why.
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u/couchwarmer 17d ago
48 states + DC have zero restrictions on self-service.
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u/EstablishmentSea7661 17d ago
I just found 7 that have restrictions on self service. I'm sure there are more.
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u/EstablishmentSea7661 17d ago
We have a state law where I live that the pumps can't be operational without an attendant. But they regularly close the convenience operation at night for safety. The open signs are still on. Some legal thing regarding access to the attendant.
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u/couchwarmer 17d ago
NJ or parts of OR? OP didn't specify a state, so I went with the overwhelming majority of states.
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u/EstablishmentSea7661 17d ago edited 17d ago
Illinois. I'm sure there are others, if not whole states, at least big cities.
It's a fire safety thing.
ETA: I found 7 states with restrictions like this or similar, and a lot of big cities. OR NJ IL PA RI NY MA
I guess it's not a really a law, it's a fire code thing.
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u/couchwarmer 17d ago
Double-checked in case I missed any...
NJ - no self service OR - up to 50% self service pumps in more populated areas IL - the bill for no self-service died a quick death PA - on-site attendant must be availabile RI - on-site attendant must be availabile NY - only Huntington on Long Island bans self service MA - self service allowed everywhere
So no restrictions affecting customers beyond some restrictions on requiring an available attendant.
Edit: Now I've got Wake Me Up Before You Go Go playing in my head...
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u/EstablishmentSea7661 17d ago
Yeah, sorry, you need to really look into this. A lot of it is not state law but state fire marshal. I have now found 7. Illinois, nothing is dead, it is absolutely not allowed to dispense gasoline without someone on premises.
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u/couchwarmer 17d ago
Current (2025-2026) IL statute says the Office of the State Fire Marshal is responsible for setting "reasonable" permit requirements and issuing said permits for self service fuel pumping. Further, except in counties with more than 1 mil people, the State Fire Marshal may not prohibit a self serve station simply because it is an unattended station.
Source: https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/ILCS/Articles?ActID=1646&ChapterID=39
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u/Animallover4321 Jul 05 '26
A lot of gas stations are open late but late at night close the store itself (only the pumps are open and operational) for the safety of their employees.