What do you consider essential when pausing for a break during a long drive?
Petrol, sure – but do you prioritise coffee? Is a Greggs sausage roll compulsory? What about a Pret sandwich?
New research has revealed the UK’s ‘ultimate’ service stations.
The top features Brits look for in a service station have been uncovered – and only six locations in the UK have all three.
The top service station requirement? McDonald’s – the data found it is essential for 33 per cent of Brits.
In second place is Greggs with 29 per cent, followed by M&S Food at 26 per cent.
This means there are just six service stations in the UK which hit the ‘most desired’ list, making them the ‘ultimate’ locations, according to the research from Select Car Leasing.
They are Baldock (Hertfordshire, A1(M)), Beaconsfield (M40), Cobham (Surrey, M25), Leeds Skelton Lake (M1), Lymm (Cheshire, M6/M56) and Stafford (M6).
Meanwhile, when it comes to non-food options, a car wash was the most important at 14 per cent, followed by outdoor seating (13 per cent) and a dog walking area (13 per cent).
All of the ‘ultimate’ service stations offer each one of these, as well as extras including showers, charging points and children’s play areas.
Other food facilities Brits were most keen on include Costa, KFC, Burger King and Starbucks.
Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing, said: ‘Your chosen motorway stop could make or break your entire journey and no-one wants to get into a “cargument” during a pit stop.
‘Get it wrong and you risk upsetting your passengers, get it right and you’ll get a pat on the back – and maybe even first dibs on the leftover french fries!
‘It’s surprising to see just a handful of service stations in the UK that are able to tick off all of the most desirable features but, handily, they’re located up the spine of England for easy road trip access.
‘And with many service stations now offering dedicated dog walking areas, your four-legged friend should be well catered for, too.’
It comes after Which? last year revealed the best service stations in the land – and the ones that motorists might do better to avoid.
What are the main things Brits want in a service station?
McDonald’s: 33%Greggs: 29%M&S Food: 26%Costa: 25%KFC: 18%Burger King: 16%Starbucks: 14%Subway: 14%Car wash: 14%Outdoor seating: 13%Dog walking area: 12%WH Smith: 10%Children’s play area: 8%Pret: 5%Chopstix Noodle: 5%<!- – ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/us/travel/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_1 – ->
The consumer champion asked 4,000 of its members to rate 90 of Britain’s service stations, rating their experiences in eight categories including food prices, cleanliness and outside space.
Considered an integral part of any UK journey by car, service stations offer a brew, a bite and a toilet stop but, found the research, standards can vary wildly.
There are a few shining lights however, with Gloucester Services on the M5 receiving the highest customer survey score of 85 per cent, achieving five stars in almost all of the categories.
The luxurious service station boasts a farm shop and kitchen selling locally sourced produce – including gelato, cheese and patisserie – from 130 regional suppliers, as well as 24 fast charging points for electric vehicles, and a tranquil lake to sit by.
At the less glamorous end of the spectrum, Moto Bridgwater in Somerset, an hour south of Gloucester Services on the M5, fared the worst, placing bottom on the list – with one visitor saying Bridgwater’s toilets ‘smelt of stale urine’.
Plus, arguably Britain’s poshest petrol station was revealed earlier this year.
Located on North Road in leafy Highgate, a stone’s throw from Hampstead Heath, the station has been serving up litres of diesel and ounces of artisan coffee for decades.
It is set back from the busy main road in a beautiful stone garage which sells everything from organic pasta to windscreen washer fluid.
The station’s sign lists petrol at £1.34 and diesel at £1.43 a litre but you’d suspect it’s the promise of farmhouse cakes, freshly made sandwiches and ice cream milkshakes below it that tempts in motorists from the often-gridlocked road more frequently.
GreggsPetrol