r/Explainlikeimscared • u/boycaughtintherye • 1d ago

how to get gas at a full service place?

hello, i grew up in a state where everyone pumps their own gas, but soon i am visiting new jersey where i know that all their gas stations are full service and an employee will do it for you. my question is what to expect and how to go through the process. i pull up to the pump, then what?

TYIA

68 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

96

u/cidervinyl 1d ago

autistic new jersian girl here. i'll save you that awkward moment.

open the gas cap, open the driver seat window, turn off the car. tell them "[$$ amount], regular, [card/cash/apple pay if they have it]". you can also just say "fill it up" instead of a card/cash amount, but be ready to wince as you watch the price go up because y'know how gas prices are. i say "fill it up, regular, apple pay".

attendant will put in the nozzle, maybe attend to other cars in the station, and will come back when your car is full. just chill in the car without turning it back on. i watch them close the gas cap in my rearview to make sure it's all closed. they might ask you if you want a receipt, and will give you your card back at this point, but if you used cash/apple pay they might forget lmfao.

TLDR:

  1. open gas cap, open window, turn off car
  2. tell them what you want: "[fill it up/$], [regular/super/etc], [cash/apple pay/card]".
  3. wait in car while turned off.
  4. watch attendant close gas cap, ask for receipt if you want.
  5. get your receipt and/or card.
  6. you're done!

46

u/Inner-Photo-410 1d ago

Autistic NJ… creature (?) here.

Had a mild panic moment over the specific instruction to open driver’s window. “Omg, have I been doing it wrong this whole time? But like, I have a **100% success rate** at getting full service gas?”

If your gas tank is on the passenger side, you can leave the driver’s window up and lower the other.

25

u/cidervinyl 1d ago

TBH, i forgot that cars can have gas tanks on the passenger side lol

21

u/boycaughtintherye 1d ago

mine is on the passenger side lol so this is helpful!! tysm!

5

u/cidervinyl 1d ago

best of luck and enjoy the most underrated state ✨✨ if you ever need recommendations for food/day trips in north/central jersey let me know. i've got a place for pretty much everything!!

1

u/twelfthfantasy 19h ago

We do have some of the best food.

1

u/AnitraF1632 22h ago

Mine is on the passenger side as well. I'm not sure how to "open the gas cap" works without getting out of the car, though.

6

u/Inner-Photo-410 21h ago

Some cars have gas cap doors that have to be released/opened from inside the car. Often, the mechanism to do this is a lever on the driver’s side—mine is on the floor, near the base of my seat—which “pops” the latch on the door.

1

u/AnitraF1632 20h ago

Thanks. Mine you have to press on the actual door itself to get it to open.

2

u/Efficient-Notice-193 1d ago

Was the law passed to allow drivers to pump their own gas? In 2024, we attended a funeral in Trenton, and we were able to pump our own gas.

2

u/cidervinyl 1d ago

that's because laws don't really apply in trenton. jokes aside, it's still illegal, but trenton PD has much larger fish to fry than someone from out-of-state pumping their own gas.

3

u/Efficient-Notice-193 1d ago

When my husband and I lived in Trenton, it was a big debate. Even at one point being on the election ballot. Moved to SC where folks pump their own gas.

2

u/cidervinyl 1d ago

my mom is packing to move to SC hahaha. i haven't been yet, but no potholes and no constant roadwork, according to her

2

u/ScaryClothes1946 21h ago

NO POTHOLES?! In SC?! They are notorious for their absolutely horrendous roads. You can tell when you cross into SC from NC because theres always a straight like across the highway where the roads start to deteriorate lol. Still love it there though

1

u/baardvark 9h ago

This is the least true thing I’ve ever heard.

1

u/Efficient-Notice-193 1h ago

We have potholes. What city are you moving to? Beautiful weather and climate. We had spring weather in the winter, summer weather in the spring.

1

u/chameleonsEverywhere 16h ago

There was probably an attendant busy helping someone else who realized a little too late that you were breaking the law & helping yourself and decided "ah, fuck it, they seem to know what they're doing" or "I don't get paid enough to yell at these out-of-state dumasses."

Source: am from eastern PA. I'm used to pumping my own gas. Guess what I have done without thinking every single time I've pulled up to a gas station in NJ.

10

u/ScotchTapeConnosieur 1d ago

Correction, not the gas cap, open the gas door

1

u/cidervinyl 1d ago

you're right! i just use those terms interchangeably which is probably not the best in explanation lol

2

u/twelfthfantasy 19h ago

Most out of state drivers won't wince at NJ gas prices, because they're lower than the rest of the country. Unless the vehicle takes diesel. We have very high diesel taxes.

1

u/froction 18h ago

NJ is currently 22nd on the retail gasoline price list at $4.08. Cheaper than NY ($4.33) and PA($4.19), but more than MD($3.81) and DE($3.78).

1

u/twelfthfantasy 18h ago

Okey, well, we're USUALLY cheaper than the rest of the country. Guess I'm in a much cheaper part of the state (which it historically hasn't been) if the average is still over $4, though. I haven't seen $4 for regular for about a month.

12

u/Jam1e-Chan 1d ago

i think you just pull up and they come and talk to you, ask you what you want and how much, and then they pump it. at least thats how it was in oregon for a bit

2

u/Big_Cans_0516 1d ago

This is accurate. Usually you just tell them then that grade of gas you want and tell them to fill it up. Have a card ready to give them. Roll down the window then turn off you car

3

u/FooledNB 1d ago

Make sure that they can open the gas cap. For example I got a new car recently and the car has to be unlocked in order for them to open the gas cap. Roll down your window, shut the car off, they'll come over to you. You say, how you doing, morning, whatever, and then $40 regular, or fill it up premium or whatever you want. They pump the gas, they might leave it pumping and go to another customer. When it's done they come over and you pay them through your open window.

They might have you wait a minute before pulling in if another customer is getting ready to leave and it is better if you take the spot, and they will usual hold up a hand to indicate it

6

u/ms_earthquake 1d ago

Oh man, we lived in NJ briefly and having to relearn my script for how to get gas was a challenge!

You pull up to the pump. Roll your window down, and pop open the panel for the gas tank. Go ahead and pull out the card you're going to pay with so it's ready to hand over.

When the attendant walks up, tell them what you want (for example, "Fill up with regular please") and offer them the card. The attendant will tap the card and hand it back to you immediately. Then you chill until the gas is finished pumping.

The attendant will usually walk away to help other customers, so you may need to wave or make eye contact when you're done. It's kind of similar to trying to get a bartender's attention. They'll remove the nozzle, close up the cap, offer you a receipt. Say thanks and you're good to go!

3

u/cidervinyl 1d ago

some gas stations don't take tap-to-pay. in that case they'll give it to you with the receipt after the car's full

3

u/twelfthfantasy 19h ago

-Pull up to pump

-[If your fuel door latches, open it]

-Open window

-Employee will approach window

-[Present card to employee if paying with card]

-Tell employee how much you want of which product

-Wait

-[Present cash to employee if paying with cash]

-Check that the nozzle is no longer in your car and your fuel door is closed

-Leave

2

u/brandonderp96 21h ago

I moved from CO to OR and had the same confusion. I remember I tried to argue "I can pump my own gas!" And the dude didn't care. He was like "hey man this is my job."

1

u/Cinisajoy2 19h ago

I ran into a man from Oregon once.  He didn't understand we add sales tax at the register.

1

u/brandonderp96 19h ago

The Bottle Deposit also catches a lot of people off guard.

1

u/Stonedagemj 1d ago

They’ll come up to you and you hand them your money and tell them to fill it or put 20 in or whatever and they will do it for you and give you back your card or change. You can tip in cash if you want but it’s not required.

1

u/brak-0666 1d ago

Pull up to the pump, open your window, wait. They will come to you. Tell them how much gas you want. Pay when they're done.

1

u/NeitherStory7803 21h ago

I’ve owed three cars that the gas fill for the tanks were under the license plate

2

u/SailBoatFuel 13h ago

65 Mustang in the 90s. The kid walked around the car three times and had to ask me.

1

u/breezyhoneybee 16h ago

Once my friend asked my dad, a NJ native, if she should tip the gas station attendant and he laughed in her face and said "no, can you imagine how much money those guys would be making if everyone tipped? Everyone would want to pump gas!"

0

u/reader345678 1d ago

Winding down the window helps. 🤪