In celebration of the allure of the open road, USA Today’s 10Best series asked readers to vote for the country's best road trip amenities and accommodations, and the results are in for two industry-related categories: Readers selected Kwik Trip as “Best Gas Station Brand” and Royal Farms as the “Best Gas Station for Food.”
USA Today said that 10Best editors teamed up with a panel of seasoned road warriors to highlight their favorite sites and stops that involve road trips, then readers voted for their top picks. After four weeks of voting, the results were announced on Wednesday.
Best Gas Station Brand
“Today, we measure a gas station experience by much more than just the fuel. How clean are the bathrooms? How fresh is the coffee? What snack options are available? These brands cater to the needs of drivers in all of these ways,” noted USA Today. Here are the results, in order, for “pit stops to plan for,” according to 10Best:
- Kwik Trip
- Hy-Vee
- Casey’s
- Royal Farms
- RaceTrac
- Maverik
- Rutter’s
- TravelCenters of America
- QuikTrip
- Buc-ee’s
Best Gas Station for Food
“Gas stations, convenience stores and truck stops are more than just a place to grab a quick bite when you’re on the go. They’re serving up delicious food and snacks that make them destinations in and of themselves, from fried chicken and pizza to organic salads and veggie burritos,” noted USA Today. Here are the results, in order, for “gas stations that will satisfy any craving,” according to 10Best:
- Royal Farms
- Casey’s
- Kwik Trip
- Rutter’s
- TravelCenters of America
- Maverik
- QuickChek
- Weigel’s
- QuikTrip
- Buc-ee’s
“The great news is that lists that feature great convenience retailing/gas stations continue to grow in popularity. It also shows that our engagement with the media to celebrate our industry continues to bear fruit. However, a top 10 list doesn’t begin to describe the plethora of awesome options on the road today,” said NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives Jeff Lenard.
USA Today developed its 10Best series to provide users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do and restaurants for top destinations in the United States and around the world. Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts, and an initial list of 20 developed by these experts is voted on by readers to determine a top 10.
USA Today’s 10Best FAQ section notes that readers can’t nominate companies to be considered. However, NACS has learned that because so many of the categories are related to travel, recommendations from the local Chamber(s) of Commerce may elevate the likelihood of brands that are considered for the initial top 20 list.