What’s going at Casey’s?
- Thread starter cycloneML
- Start date
QTs MO is to go into markets and largely dominate them. Kwik Star feels like the smaller town version of a bigger operation and they run themselves as such. They have more food and produce items as its something a small town person can't attain as easily as in a bigger city (or with as many options). The stores are clean, laid out consistently, and the service is pretty good.
There are lots of things QT does very well, but where they blow everyone out of the water is checkout time. I have literally been in a 20 person line at QT and was out in under two minutes. Three checkers alternating registers makes quick work of those lines. I've also been in a Casey's where it took 5 ******* minutes to get checked out when I was the only person in the store. What do you think the number one priority is for a gas station patron, particularly in a big city, assuming all other things are relatively equal? All stations have gas. Many have the same items (varying quality). Cleanliness can also vary. In a city people just want to know they can get what they need and GTFO, in the cleanest environment. QT gets people the **** out of their stores and it garners a **** ton of business. Ask anyone in the KC metro "what gas station gets you out the door the quickest" QT will be the number 1 answer. In fact, I think if you asked 100 random people it would probably be the only answer.
If Casey's has ANY desire to compete long term they should send people down here and evaluate QTs operations. QT's generate so much volume, due to that loyalty and checkout time, that they probably pay FAR less than what Casey's does on sales volume or employee/patron basis. That's what you call an everyone "wins" model. The store wins. The patrons win. And the employees win (by getting paid more).
I have recently gained some insight on this as my 15yo started working at a Casey's a couple weeks ago. Comical is the best way to put it. This is a relatively busy location on the edge of Cedar Rapids. I would guess around 16-18 total people. Outside the two managers, both with the company for decades, every single person has been there less than a year. Employee churn is massive.
Training was nearly nonexistent, though he admitted most of his tasks are so simple, nearly anyone should be able to pick them up quickly. The point of sales system is hated by everyone, for good reason.
I have and still go to different Casey’s and 90% of the time there machine that gives you a choice of French vanilla or half and half is usually out of both if mostly vanilla creamer come on Casey’s corporate figure this out it’s getting ridiculous
Dubuque has too many of these locally owned eye sore gas stations called Kwik Shop. It is some kind of weird local chain and they don't do anything well compared to either Casey's or Kwik Star. Very expensive gas, food, and everything, not usually a very good selection of hot food, and not usually very clean. I can't fathom how or why there are so many locations here (at least 5) or how they stay in business. There are a couple of Kwik Stars in town, but I feel like there could be at least a couple more. Only a couple of Casey's too, and both horribly located. Somehow this Kwik Shop has some sort of weird gas station monopoly stranglehold. Wish Kwik Star would just come in and be more aggressive and chase the Kwik Shops out.
As a donut connoisseur, QT's donuts are very underwhelming but I do agree that once Casey's stopped making them in-house, the quality went down.
I watched a guy one morning, go get an energy drink, walk over to the coffee area and fill both his pockets with the little individual creamer containers, pay for his drink and left. The cashier watched him do it and just shrugged.
How have they given up on the market when they still have 17 locations in central Iowa and have invested in refurbishing or rebuilt the stores?
I’m becoming a big fan of the Sinclair affiliated stations. I downloaded their Dinopay app and it automatically takes $0.10 off per gallon at the pump. Its a pretty nice process. Your phone GPS identifies which station you’re at. You type in the number of the pump you’re at and it activates that pump for you. All you have to do is get out and select the grade of fuel and you’re all set. You link your CC and email to your account so when you’re done filling up it emails you the receipt. I think this will really come in handy in the winter months as it will sure beat freezing my ass off while answering the 8 questions that the Casey’s pumps ask you before it lets you pump gas (assuming the pump even works). Plus they have Top Tier gas which is nice. The downside is that there aren’t many Sinclair stations in the DM Metro. The 2 stations I frequent most often are Marker 126 between Fort Dodge and Webster City which is a very nice gas station and the new station at Hwy 20 and Hwy 4 south of Pomeroy which is also nice. Both have a decent food selection as well.
The majority of that investment took place before the sold stores off to HyVee. They would have sold more stores but HyVee was only interested in certain locations.
Nevada had 2 kum and go's that closed like 3 years ago or maybe longer. Word was that other people bought them put up new signage but have never reopened.
They are a real eyesore in town.
I'm a Kwik Star fanatic, but man that one on Hwy 20 in Dubuque is the worst possible layout in terms of the parking/gas pumps and getting back out onto Hwy 20 that anyone could imagine.
However I will testify that the whole gas station / convenience store scene in all of Dubuque is head-scratchingly atrocious.
Circle K bought the Kum and Go on the corner of Valley West and EP True in WDM. They never even put up any signage and the store is sketch AF. K&G always did a really good job maintaining the property but the new owners can't even bother mowing the grass our general appearance up keep. It's too nice of an area to have an eyesore like this.
I have a bit of knowledge of Casey's in regards to their lobbying power. There were some recent rule changes in Illinois regarding service station equipment - common sense stuff like mandating transitioning away from old/less safe equipment that hasn't been put in new stations in 30-40 years. Last minute, their lobbyist threw a fit to a number of politicians and got that nixed. It would not have cost Casey's (or any other station) much at all and it would have been spread out over 5+ years.
It was eye-opening in that you hear about the power of lobbying all the time, but this was a first hand experience of how money overrules common sense. Probably the most absurd part is that they had months to review the proposed rule changes and said nothing until literally the day before it was to be voted on.
On top of everything else in this thread (poor service, out of order equipment, poor quality, etc.) it has certainly darkened my opinion Casey's - and it used to be a company I was proud to call Iowan.
It was eye-opening in that you hear about the power of lobbying all the time, but this was a first hand experience of how money overrules common sense. Probably the most absurd part is that they had months to review the proposed rule changes and said nothing until literally the day before it was to be voted on.
On top of everything else in this thread (poor service, out of order equipment, poor quality, etc.) it has certainly darkened my opinion Casey's - and it used to be a company I was proud to call Iowan.
I live in that neighborhood but gave up on that place after about 3 tries. They won't even put window cleaner in the containers by the pumps. Life's too short....
I remember going in there the morning it was no longer a K&G. Didn't even really register that it was different as I am on autopilot most mornings. Thought it was weird when the breakfast food didn't have K&G labels. Only on my way home did I notice the K&G signage was gone. It was never the greatest store to begin with, but I think I've gone in the store once more since it changed over and only went there to get gas for my mower but have switched to electric since.
That whole strip area could use a bit of a refresh.
I don't understand how Circle K even stays in business. They are the sketchiest big chain gas station I have ever seen. Pretty much all of their stores are run down and mangy.
The metro where it feels like they have the biggest presence is Phoenix. QT also has a large presence and it feels like QT hasn't prioritized the remodels there (as much) because their stores look amazing compared to the Circle Ks.
If I have multiple options Circle K is not getting my business. Such a deplorable operation.
