Motorway Services

I drive approx 5 hours a day for work, so I pass a lot of MSA's.

In the past I've been in and bought a sandwich, drink, crisps etc for £10 and thought "argh why did I do that". :(

These days I'm more sneaky, I buy food before journeys (non-perishable) and tend to keep a few days supply in the boot, along with a couple of big multi-packs of mineral water from Sainsburys.

Another thing I do quite often now is pull in to use the toilet, then drive around to the petrol station bit and fill an empty water bottle up from the Air/Water area - it's from the water main so is fine to drink. :D

Free pee - free water - result. :)
 
i will stop at services if im tired, even if its just for a pee and a walk. ill often buy sweets for that sugar rush to keep you going through the tiredness barrier
 
Lum said:
Ok, let me give you an actual example of how it works in my case.

I'm on site at, say, a customer based in an out of town business park in Plymouth doing a routine planned software upgrade and expecting to be finished by about 2PM, so I haven't taken any evening meal with me because I'll be home by about 5 or 6 PM (I live in South Wales)

Just as I'm about to walk out the door, the phone rings, another job has come in, our kit at a customer in Bradford is not working and they are screaming blue murder, losing money blah blah blah you know what users are like but they have next day response in their contract so I have to deal with it, I nip back to a desk and book a hotel in Bradford and then just as i'm about to leave the boss at my current location has found a few things that aren't working right after the upgrade, usually these will be things that they were told about in advance with instructions on how to deal with it but I still end up having to show them manually, it's now 3:30 and I'm finally leaving Plymouth.

I have to get to Bradford by 9 if I want to be able to eat at the hotel (on the company hotel card) so I have to get a shift on, can't really afford any stops or detours ideally, but I should just have time to stop at a services and grab a sandwich so I'm not starving for the entire duration of the trip.

Unless you're expecting me to set off on Monday with a weeks worth of packed lunches (and evening meals) in the car and throw out the ones I didn't eat on Friday I'm going to end up having to eat at a services at some point.
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This is why god invented crisps. Lovely crisps.
 
Lum said:
Ok, let me give you an actual example of how it works in my case.

I'm on site at, say, a customer based in an out of town business park in Plymouth doing a routine planned software upgrade and expecting to be finished by about 2PM, so I haven't taken any evening meal with me because I'll be home by about 5 or 6 PM (I live in South Wales)

Just as I'm about to walk out the door, the phone rings, another job has come in, our kit at a customer in Bradford is not working and they are screaming blue murder, losing money blah blah blah you know what users are like but they have next day response in their contract so I have to deal with it, I nip back to a desk and book a hotel in Bradford and then just as i'm about to leave the boss at my current location has found a few things that aren't working right after the upgrade, usually these will be things that they were told about in advance with instructions on how to deal with it but I still end up having to show them manually, it's now 3:30 and I'm finally leaving Plymouth.

I have to get to Bradford by 9 if I want to be able to eat at the hotel (on the company hotel card) so I have to get a shift on, can't really afford any stops or detours ideally, but I should just have time to stop at a services and grab a sandwich so I'm not starving for the entire duration of the trip.

Unless you're expecting me to set off on Monday with a weeks worth of packed lunches (and evening meals) in the car and throw out the ones I didn't eat on Friday I'm going to end up having to eat at a services at some point.
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You should have simply stopped off at the Lee Mill Tesco store, which is literally just off the A38 just as you leave plymouth, the garage sell sandwiches and other snacks at normal prices, with reasonable price fuel..

If you just want food, J28 M5 (McDonalds Services), normal Maccy D prices..

There are many Petrol Stations that are very close to motorway junctions that don't charge service station prices, Most Sat-Nav's have petrol stations as POI's, so you can just browse the map and find them..

I know what you mean about the convenience of them, but as everyone is pointed out, that's exactly one of the reasons prices are high.
 
If I can help it, the only time I'll stop at motorway services is for a comfort break. I'll go to my local Tesco and stock up or raid the fridge before I set off.

The wife gets all sweaty palmed at the sight of a services sign. Women can't bare driving past a services without stopping.
 
I always find that the high prices serve as an instant shot of adrenaline. I walk into a service station, see the prices and then bang.... Instantly awake and refreshed enough to drive the other couple of hours on the leg of my journey.
 
I just use them for toilet stops and to stretch my legs, will occasionaly have a MD's as they are the same price, just take you own food on long journeys or pull off and go to a shop/pub etc.

Its pretty much the same with cinemas too, ridiculous prices for food and drink.
 
merlin said:
I eat and/or drink at the services probably four or five times a month, I know it's a rip off but frankly it's quick and convenient and tbh time is money, I can't be doing with going off the beaten track.

Often I need fuel, cash, food/drink, internet access, pee/poo in something clean - you can get all of these at the services in one quick and easy stop.
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I've never used a services bathroom that wasn't disgustingly filthy.
 
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