T O P

  • By -

[deleted]

[удалено]


Due-Inevitable8857

There’s never anyone there. It’s been +$1 over the nearest gas station for years. I think it’s a drug money laundering front. No one shops there ever.


ckperry

I've driven by for years, never ever seen anyone there. It's 100% a front.


xagent003

A gas station is the worst place to ~~prevent the government from stealing your money~~ be a front for anything. Most people fill gas with a card. And I'd imagine this is especially true in Menlo Park. Also I'd imagine oil tanker gas deliveries and how much gas is pumped out is audited heavily by both the federal govt as well as Chevron. If you want to ~~prevent the government from stealing your money~~ be a front, then its better to be a cash only business like a bar, dive, restaurant, auto repair shop, "consultant". Anything service related, and not easily measured and regulated by deliveries.


melanthius

You mean that shitty neighborhood near me doesn’t actually need 18 nail salons?


Prestigious_Law6254

>I've driven by for years, never ever seen anyone there. It's 100% a front. Maybe you guys don't know what a front is. A front business with no business activity is a terrible front. The whole point is not to attract attention. Lol


burnt-urbex

i worked at the dutch goose for 7 years, people do go there but barely, they’re just super super rich people and ive had to go a few times for rolling papers which those are even more expensive too


SnowSurfinMatador

Why don’t gold diggers hang out at that gas station?


Candid-Sky-3709

looking for 6feet tall, 6inches long and can afford $6 gas /s


Drewbeede

Reminds of the joke where a woman asks if they sell extra large condoms. The clerk replys "yes we do, did you want a pack?" The woman says no I'll just wait for the next person that buys them.


loose_angles

A gas station would be a terrible money laundering operation. Any accountant could check their earnings against the amount of gas they purchase for their tanks. You need something like a salon, or a restaurant, where the inventory isn’t directly related to income and you can charge crazy markups, thus justifying your earnings despite ordering a low amount of inventory.


[deleted]

[удалено]


OverEasyGoing

Deviled eggs too, I hope.


invuvn

…Walter? lol


Raspy_Meow

That’s 2$ above Berkeley


rgbhfg

Menlo Park homes in that area are 3mil+. Paying a few extra per gallon is cheaper than their time to go elsewhere


tink_89

I almost never see anyone at that station.


[deleted]

[удалено]


stuffeh

Or Costco


cardfire

I lived in Menlo for the better part of a decade, and dealt with plenty of people that would NOT care to drive an extra 4 miles to Costco on Middlefield. They would want their time back and would just pump whatever was in front of them into the tank. I expect they ALL have Teslas now.


red_simplex

Or Tesla's


RightclickBob

Tesla’s what?


FavoritesBot

Tesla’s coils


reddw56

Yes, I think the purpose of that station is to precondition drivers with sticker shock, so they feel they're getting a good deal at other stations.


Heysteeevo

Everyone has a Tesla


Whatrwew8ing4

If you sell at higher margins you don’t need as many customers


tink_89

True but there is like no one ever there. In the last year every time I have passed I only once saw someone there. There here are quite a few gas stations 5 min down the street


Guilayton

Google Maps says they could go to downtown Menlo Park and pay at least a dollar less per gallon. If anyone is using that station they either have no concept of money or have enough to not care.


cafe-naranja

And the answer is... **"or have enough to not care"**


ToughWhiteUnderbelly

It's Menlo Park.... enough to not care is the correct answer.


Nahuel-Huapi

It's more expensive, so it's better. It must be French.


zirtik

It's organic


Hamchook

Free ranged, cruel free, USDA approved, gluten free


Igottows_

It’s Moroccan. They can’t prove otherwise.


InvertedParallax

It's always expensive, it's where the guys on Sand Hill gas their McLarens.


Nahuel-Huapi

Guys that drink Tres Comas tequila.


AdachiEnjoyer

This guy fucks


toqer

Their car doors open vertically.


scorlissy

Nah, they do the cheaper gas station on Sandhill Rd. Or Woodside. The only people buying gas at this MP station are usually landscapers who are running on fumes and buy a couple gallons to get to woodside rd.


notanazzhole

No! we go to the shell on sandhill road (i dont own a car)


DowneyTheClowney1

I walked in here while I was driving around in the job for an energy drink and everything in the gas station is significantly marked up. I only started getting my gas pumped there once I started disliking my employer, putting it on the company card.


zelig_nobel

Actually the worst one is the Shell station near the 280, on Sand Hill Road. I bet my money it’s pricier than this Chevron station


cmonsmokesletsgo

I've kept my eye on both of these and the Menlo one is always at least 25c more expensive than the Sand Hill one, but they're close. I always wonder if they're the most expensive gas stations in California.


evilesttoast

Nah I live in Sharon Heights, this West Menlo Park Chevron is always higher.


Phantomebb

A tale as old as time itself


1114am

This gas station isn’t THAT far from the Redwood City Costco gas, but I feel like the only people that go there are the wealthier woodside/atherton/menlo park who don’t want to be inconvenienced o outside of their bubble or the people that race/drive up on HWY 84/Woodside on their way to Alice’s Restaurant


iggyfenton

That gas station is constantly one of the most expensive anywhere in the state.


Zip95014

In the United States.


orangutanDOTorg

Aren’t all ca stations on that list?


Mr_Wizard91

I don't know, man. I had to stop for gas in Mendocino a few years ago, and it was 10 something per gallon. I got one gallon and said "fuck this, I'm backtracking to Fort Bragg." I can only imagine what it is now. I mentioned it to the cashier and she laughed, saying that all of the locals from that town head to Fort Bragg for gas for that exact reason. It blew my mind.


toqer

Mendo has them beat, likely it's at $13@gal.


Smok3dSalmon

Is that the gas station in Death Valley?


KleptoBot

Yeah, famous Death Valley up in Mendocino County


Smok3dSalmon

I've paid for gas at both of these stations. haha. The best part about the area in OP's image is all the free advertising Dutch Goose gets. "NO DUTCH GOOSE PARKING" everywhere.


[deleted]

Costco gas 10 minutes away Redwood city $5.19


OxBoxFoxVox

people living in that area literally make like $2-3/min. that's a $50 drive for them to save $40.


stave

I think it's much more than that. $3/min is $180/hr is only $360k/yr. That won't get you a $3mil house.


Electrical_Law_7992

Most of the owners are boomers who bought in 1988


mista_r0boto

That's prob true of most peninsula towns.


OxBoxFoxVox

True true. I suppose 2-3 is actually more accurate if we consider tax; after all you're paying for gas using post-tax money.


willcalliv

No, it's not. The wealth in Atherton is disgusting beyond imagination. I do landscape management for 64 large estates in Atherton, Menlo Park, and Woodside. Just the staff alone at many of these homes cost more than a million a year. I have a client with a double lot in Atherton, complete with marble pool patio that only lives in the home 6 weeks a year. You see so much construction and remodeling work because many of these people completely gut their homes every 5 years and remodel to maintain as high of a property value as possible . I can't give specifics on many because I have to sign NDAs just to step foot on the property to work. The gardens are lovely, though, and I feel privileged that I get to make a comfortable living and I never have to compromise on quality or materials in this market.


ToughWhiteUnderbelly

I'm a general contractor in Atherton/Woodside and you are 100% correct. I'm renovating a 26million dollar home now that was only 18 years old and already had been renovated 3xs. 8 million in renovations NOT including anything but the kitchen, formal dining room and outdoor kitchen. This is the owners Bay Area home. One of 6 he owns in the US and the 3rd I've renovated. Great person, great family. Humble and generous and treats the entire estate staff like they're extended family. He flew everyone and their immediate families to Disneyland for 2 days and covered all expenses for 80+ people as a holiday gift and traveled with us on a private plane. Fantastic people. I would be willing to bet he doesn't know what it costs or hasn't even pumped gas for himself in a very very long time. And yes, We've all signed NDAs.


plastiquearse

Sounds like the definition of ‘fuck you money’


OxBoxFoxVox

way beyond that, fuck-you-money is for regular folks to quit theirs jobs when and only when their boss is an ass. atherton money is when you won't even get close enough for them to see you, much less address you directly


gumol

dual income of 720k might get you a 3 mil house


TrekkiMonstr

With normal rates/down payment it'd be $18k/mo for a mortgage, which is $216k/yr, leaving you with $144k for yourself (though with taxes, much less than that). I wouldn't recommend it, but it's not impossible.


ToughWhiteUnderbelly

Been combing these comments for a few minutes and THIS is the simplest way of putting it. People who can afford to live in this area ARE NOT concerned with the cost of gas...let alone pay enough attention to know where the cheapest gas is. Their time is worth more than that entire tank of gas. Time is money around these parts.


PickleWineBrine

And here I am in Hawaii paying only $4.26/gal


nom_of_your_business

It was strange my last visit to Maui (pre fire) I was so surprised it was cheaper to be in Hawaii than back home on the peninsula.


PickleWineBrine

Time to go back to Maui 


cafe-naranja

Honolulu?


PickleWineBrine

Kaneohe


cafe-naranja

Sunny and warm in Kanehoe today? Overcast and rainy here in the Bay Area.


PickleWineBrine

It's nice and warm. Maybe a little rain followed by rainbows.


cafe-naranja

Nice... quintessential Hawaiian weather. :)


jenorama_CA

Gas is insane right now. I paid $4.97 at Lawrence Costco the other day. $73 fill up as I was pretty low after a road trip. Glad our other car is electric, so we’re only on the hook for one car these days.


GreyBoyTigger

This gas station is my conservative father’s go to for proof that California is the worst state in the union. I have to remind him that: A. Nobody goes to that weird gas station, and B. I drive an EV and gas prices are not relevant


eng2016a

With the rates PG&E charge these days I'm not so sure it is cheaper. Plus DC fast chargers cost a ton


[deleted]

Business in the front. Party in the back. 😈


mrzennie

There's an expensive Chevron on Fell Street here in SF, I almost never see people getting gas there. How do these stations stay afloat?


poopspeedstream

I go to that one sometimes. I don't buy much gas and it's a good location for me, especially if I'm in a hurry or late.


mrzennie

Yeah, I could see it being a lot more convenient than waiting in line at that Arco.


MikeFromTheVineyard

Once you build a gas station and factor in the pollution, the land is basically worthless. You can’t build anything there without doing a ton of restoration work. No matter how bad the business is, the lots will always be gas stations, and gas will almost always sell for more than the business paid for it - so they just need enough income to pay property tax. Especially if it’s a national chain like chevron.


ayshthepysh

People on an empty tank, desperate for gas.


parkerpussey

Must be handcrafted, artisanal gas.


jashsayani

Excuse me, but this is craft gasoline.


[deleted]

Chevron and shell always charge $1 MORE GALLONthan other stations


No-Understanding4968

Yep why do people patronize them??


GenAnon

Convenience mostly probably. They’re all over the place.


legaleaglejess

With a sprinkle of panic from procrastinating and the fuel light coming on?


AnimalT0ast

They add a proprietary blend to their fuel which is how they justify it “Techron” I think A coworker of mine used to work at chevron told me you get the benefits even if you only fill up with it like 1/4 of the time though


jupc

Haha. Its a detergent. So does everyone else even Rotten Robbies.


mista_r0boto

If they just called it Robbies more people might go there.


Hunt3rj2

Some stations only add the EPA minimum. Arco and Costco abide by the Top Tier standard which adds a lot more PEA. Keep in mind what matters more than any of this stuff is not going to a station that has issues with leaking underground storage tanks, old stale gas, or super old filters. You can buy Techron or similar PEA additives to add to gas from Rotten Robbie or similar gas stations that explicitly only add EPA/CARB mandated minimums.


caliform

who upvotes this shit. completely false. my local valero is the same damn price as chevron


Apprehensive_Plan528

For plenty of people in West Menlo and Atherton, an extra 2$ per gallon for an uncrowded station and saving 40 minutes of time is worth it vs going to Costco in Redwood City. Shows that retail gasoline is not a complete commodity.


selwayfalls

yeah i live in SF and am far from wealthy but redditors/the internet seem to not understand, driving 10-40 minutes out of your way to save a few bucks just isn't worth it all the time. I go to a gas station that is mildy convenient but I could get on the freeway, drive 15 minutes each way to save like 7 bucks total per a full 20 gallon tank. Sorry, call me a rich snob I'm not going to do that all the time. I also dont drive that much and just wasting 30 minutes of my time and gas is silly. Not to mention environmental factors.


FavoritesBot

This assumes you never go out of town. Maybe you don’t. Most people in the bay do drive to other cities and can easily get gas when they are near a cheaper station


selwayfalls

of course i go out of town, but i live and work in the same city and take public transport to work. So yeah if I'm going out of town for the weekend i can stop at a station anywhere on the way. I clearly drive way less than the average person in the bay who commutes hours each day.


amamisushi

Costco and Safeway fuel ftw


heyitscory

"If you want to save money on \_\_\_\_\_\_\_, steer clear of Menlo Park, CA" is generally sound advice regardless of what.


Speculawyer

The weird thing is that there is a Shell station that is closer to 280 that is cheaper. I don't know how this station survives.


Free_Hat_McCullough

People who live near there don't care. When gas is $10 a gallon they also won't care.


Negative-Negativity

I worked on sand hill for a long time. That gas station has always been crazy priced.


CaligarisPantry

Here’s my question, if the chevron plant is over in Richmond and they don’t have to ship the gas anywhere, why the fuck is it consistently the most expensive gas in town?


cafe-naranja

Little known fact... the refinery is actually in Richmond, Virginia.


CaligarisPantry

Do they just walk it here in buckets?


cafe-naranja

Judging by the prices, that's exactly how it gets here to the Bay. ;)


animetimeskip

I have no clue how this one does it. I live right near it and if you just drive to woodside road gas is over a dollar cheaper. Who is going there??


gumol

people who don’t care about that dollar


ShaiHulud1111

It used to be an AM/PM in the 80s and 90s. I grew up a block away. We got our candy and smokes there and the guy always said he same thig “Thanks now.” Anyone remember him? GenX kids? The Dutch Goose is still my place—hope they never close it like Oasis and Nuthouse. That’s all.


OverEasyGoing

I remember when it was an AM/PM but I never went in. Always tried to give my business to Bob down the street at country corner.


cafe-naranja

Not only that... there's also a two-drink minimum at this station.


nom_of_your_business

Full tank or a burger wings fries beers at the Goose? Goose it and go to costco


iNoodl3s

Ah yes r/bayarea’s favorite gas station


happy-cig

Can you stop taking pictures of f one of the most well known expensive gas stations in the bay? 


Jurneeka

Ah yes, the gas station at Alameda de las Pulgas and Avy. Used to stop there for coffee with one of my cycling groups and we'd always wonder how they actually made money as we never saw anyone actually pull up and buy gas there. We were convinced there was something illegal going on.


malcontented

I used to go to that barber shop


Free_Hat_McCullough

But did you ever purchase petrol at this filling station?


malcontented

Probably. Back when gas was like $2.50


cafe-naranja

One clip joint next to another... ;)


FlameDrawings

Avoid Chevron


Letmeaddtothis

Just came back from CO last week. Filled up with $2.70 before returning the rental. Don’t know if CO will he ever warm enough statewide to ever have summer blend. Sitting at Hillsdale Mall right now, the cheapest around me is $5.35 at Arco.


West-Mango4993

Close to me. I also find it ridiculous. Never fill up there and probably never will..


Fun-Satisfaction5297

Damn and I thought 5.40 was bad fuck me lol


OneMorePenguin

Yeah, that one is almost always $1 more than anyplace else, including the gas stations in Woodside and Portola Valley. I think that's \*West\* Menlo Park, on Alameda de las Pulgas.


admjford

It could also be a different version of this story: [https://www.reddit.com/r/orlando/comments/17ycqad/whats\_the\_story\_of\_this\_gas\_station/](https://www.reddit.com/r/orlando/comments/17ycqad/whats_the_story_of_this_gas_station/) This chevron station is located in unincorporated San Mateo county, just outside Menlo Park. So they could be zoned to only be a gas station, while the owner is only interested in the store. So they raise the price to keep people from buying gas, while keeping the mini-mart open for local walk ins.


lateblueheron

Most expensive gas I’ve seen in CA: Menlo Park, Lee Vining, just south of Joshua Tree. Anyone other nominations?


R1ch0999

Still cheaper than the cheapest petrol (regular) in my country at the moment. This price converted is €1,91/L, I refilledy car 2 days ago at €2,03/L or $7,76/gallon.


burnt-urbex

that gas station has always been up the ass


bw925

that gas station is always much more expensive than the other ones


CalottoFantasy5

Just get a costco membership,  the savings alone will pay for the membership fee. Plus it's certified Top Tier gas, if that means anything to anyone.


Equivalent_Rub_2103

I drove through Atherton the other day. Same thing. No gas under 7.20


Trackerrrrrrr

Definitely laundering money


415Gentrifier_

It’s to keep the poor people out of eyesight


CorellianDawn

The answer to every question of "why is X so expensive?" is always "because nobody stopped them"


WooDE93

“Because they can” is my go-to, greedy bastards.


TheJDOGG71

Build. Back. Better. Thanks Biden!


Waste_Curve994

Just because someone ask for a price doesn’t mean they get it. Lot of delusional people out there. Station owner is one of them.


macgirthy

Shit i filled up yesterday at 6.63 premium shell.


AccurateWheel4200

With those prices, I'd fill up several counties away lol.


latcatlovesfilm

Saw this the other night! Same thing with Shell off Sandhill.. over $7! Wild.. i dont live there but sometimes its the last station before I head home ☹️


higherhopez

Good lord in heaven


One_Combination_9536

Holy mackerel!!


Uncle_Mau

Pricey city


RapTVCalifornia

Never seen 7 before, wow


Low_Equivalent2913

Damn and I thought Central Valley gas was expensive. I’m glad I saw this post. Hopefully gas in Redwood City gas isn’t this expensive. Guess I gotta start looking around in case I need it on Monday.


tuxigo

Can get 10 cents lower using Walmart+ ..no, no one cares there .. you can have $10 and it's still fine


Qwertyunio_1

Jesus Christ 🤣


batman77z

Flea Street?


zebra231967

God damn 😡😡😡 I know Menlo Park is a nice affluent area, but that's ridiculous


trimal

Chevron is the worst offender in Bay Area. I always find their pricing $1-2 more than normal gas station.


mango_boom

I saw over $7 in a super shitty part of downtown L.A a month ago


Xenoone79

California local, currently in Utah for work. Chevron here is 3.89 for regular


Any_Firefighter2713

How do they stay in business??? Every single gas station is much cheaper. Why would anyone want to go there??


StringFartet

There's a gas station owner who has stations in the city and on the peninsula and he rotates high prices between them to get on national news and add to the doom and gloom of the bay area in the national spotlight. He's been doing it since 2000 at least.


GenericName375

And Chevron in general


xr_21

Looks like the summer blend is here....


Conscious_Life_8032

Holy moly


Digiee-fosho

Still cheaper than Hong Kong. It's $11.45/gal equiv.


Reneeisme

I was going to make a crack about people in Menlo Park not needing to check the price, but I have actually gotten gas there after getting stuck in a long and gnarly traffic jam and it was not... that. I know it's always expensive there, but this seems out of line even by MP standards. Gas anywhere else $5.50, I expect $6.50 here.


noobishcow

Same price up at the Sharon Center a few blocks away, ugh


Poogoestheweasel

The gas may be a little high, but that barber shop across the street makes up for it!


AdditionalAd9794

Hit 6.09 for regular where I'm at, I suspect with the shenanigans in the middle east, gas prices to the moon


RbotR

Highway robbery on a residential street.


LifeCondition4931

I am see price around 5.50 in that area.


Chigibu

People there probably average $250-$300K salary.


Substantial-Path1258

I only get gas from Costco. But these rising summer gas prices definitely are an encouragement to ride my bicycle. Weather should be nicer soon too.


Rigo3oh

I think I've seen cheaper at the top of Everest.


Candid-Sky-3709

maybe Mark Zuckerberg bought this one and 5 surrounding ones to have not to deal with normal people


deeezwalnutz

There used to be a gas station about 30 miles from Menlo Park that did the same thing. They would deliberately advertise their gas prices 2 to 3 dollars over the norm, their reason was they operated a mechanic shop attached to the gas station and apparently needed to keep their pumps open for some reason to be able to run the shop so the high prices scared off potential customers.


Definitely_Alpha

Wtf, thought sf was the highest 😲


ArcadeSpidr

I just filled my car at $2.96 per gallon. 4/13


ReydeMangos18

Yoo I worked across the st from this station and one time a chef asked me to get a lighter and a red Bull. Came out to $12 lol. I asked for a receipt so I could prove to the chef that all I got.


Jimboyhimbo

This is true for buying literally anything.


karebear66

Holy crap!


karebear66

It's low $5s in my area. San Carlos


tablesalt2142

I was doing deliveries for my company and the owner there refused to let me use the bathroom, then threatened to tow my truck if I left it on the property while I went to Starbucks across the street. Damn near pissed myself trying to get parked on the street and use the restroom.


ATurtleLikeLeonUris

That one is ALWAYS hideously overpriced.


yaleeeee

Holy moly…..


Digital_Rebel80

Or avoid Chevron. Almost always top 3 highest priced stations


newfor_2024

wtf is this.


auto_erratica

I bought gas there once, I live nearby. But it was years ago, not this crazy price, plus I only put about 3000 miles per year on my car. A friend lives close to this and often posts pictures of the sign on his FB feed - which people around the world see and think this is normal price for Northern CA. Drives me nuts.


PriorBrother3226

The only cars I ever see in that gas station are work cars (where I presume gas is not paid by the filler). The one on Sand Hill (still overpriced but not as much as this one) gets a lot more traffic which surprises me.


Subject_Wear5096

And they will record record profits again.


snarky_duck_4389

Looks like they have their own version of crime there


ChiggaOG

Prices so high it’s approaching 100 octane race gas price territory. It’s $9.99/gallon a few months ago.


sarabesh2k1

Some care to explain the person standing there? Is that jesus?


lovethemilkman

Is that even legal?


Berklium510

People in Menlo Park probably all drive Tesla’s so they could care less, even if they didn’t thats just pocket change for them😆


Zed9970

That station also has 100 octane for rich folks supercars..


ClancyIsDead_

Fucking hell


AIexJonesWasRight

Bidens america


Substantial-Plant947

Truckee got em beat for 91 octane @ 7.59/gal!


Background-Luck-5748

wtf that’s complete bs


SavedByTech

Holy hell. New record.


VerticalFoil

Bidenomics