topping off, get money back?

[gassaverr]

when you pay cash, and you top off or decide to not pump anymore, how do you get the rest of the money back? do you just walk inside the station and ask for a the rest that you didn't use?

[VetteOwner]

id assume...ive never bought gas with anything besides a card...because of that hasstle...

and really anyone can get a gas card nowadays...

[Jay2TheRescue]

That's exactly what you do. You have to go back inside to get your change.

[tradosaurus]

Originally Posted by gassaverr

when you pay cash, and you top off or decide to not pump anymore, how do you get the rest of the money back? do you just walk inside the station and ask for a the rest that you didn't use?

I wonder what Captain Obvious would say.

[theholycow]

It seems weird and awkward, but that's how it's done.

1. Walk in, say "I'm going to fill up on pump 4" and hand over all your hard-earned moolah.

2. Walk out, pump.

3. Walk in, say "Change and receipt for pump 4, please"

4. They say "I'm sorry, was that the one with 23?"

5. You wonder: Does he mean 23 gallons, 23 dollars pumped, 23 dollars change, or a number ending in 23? How much was mine? Why can't these idiots use pump number at the end of the transaction like they do at the beginning?

6. "Uhh, sure."

I remember back when you pumped first, then you went in to pay...much better.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by theholycow

Why can't these idiots use pump number at the end of the transaction like they do at the beginning?

As someone who has worked in fuel stations, I can tell you that the system holds a history of the last few transactions for each pump, and won't always tell you which was the last pumped. I can remember when I worked at a busy 7-11 that someone would come in saying they were paying for fuel at pump 4, and I'd look down and show 2 transactions at pump 4 that haven't been paid for yet. Invariably I would have to ask "Which one?"

The fuel pump attendant consoles in the store seem overly complicated to me. It is easy to understand how someone who may not be technologically inclined to have difficulty with them. I of course read all the manuals and had no problems, but not all stores may have the manuals available (easily lost) or the persons running the equipment may be of limited cognitive ability. Managing a fuel station takes a fair amount of intelligence. I tried once to explain the difference between gross gallons and net gallons to a co-worker once, and completely lost them. I remember coming back from a week's vacation and having to redo the gas reports as somebody royally screwed them up, showing a shortage that didn't exist.

[theholycow]

Hah! I wasn't expecting an answer, but I got one!

Knowing that, allow me to rephrase:
Why can't these idiotic systems use pump number?

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by theholycow

I remember back when you pumped first, then you went in to pay...much better.

some of ours still do! The screen asks if you want to 1 Pay inside 2 Payoutside - debit 3 Pay outside - credit.

If you select pay inside (like getting gas AND beer) you press inside, (i generally start putting the nozzle in and select fuel grade) they come over the intercom: Pump ## your set to fill please pay inside when your done. THen pump resets, then starts flowing.

Go inside spend 10 min selecting a beer then say and pump ## or usually they ask if you pumped any fuel even if you didnt.

Alot of them say please pay inside first after this time yet they will still do it the normal way if you dont look suspicious haha

[bowtieguy]

you're crazy if you don't pay at the pump w/ a cash back(reward) card...with so many out there now! btw, shell has teamed up w/ winn dixie to offer cash back bonuses. one of the prompts asks if you have a WD card. ok then...

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by VetteOwner

Go inside spend 10 min selecting a beer then say and pump ## or usually they ask if you pumped any fuel even if you didnt.

When its busy, you usually don't have time to track everyone who pumped fuel, while you have a line at the counter and 20-30 customers in the store. When that happens, you just ask everyone at the register if they had a fuel purchase. I remember when I was relatively new at 7-11 I was pretty much handling the store single handed, and my manager was in the office laughing her arse off. When I had the store cleared out I asked her what was so funny. She said, "You looked that woman in the eye and asked her 'Do you have gas ma'am?' "