Customer Service? Self Service? No Service...............
@JanisRemaxRealtor (432)
United States
April 27, 2008 10:35am CST
When I was a little girl, my Aunt and Uncle owned a gas station / grocery store / restaurant. I used to love to go visit them. When we were leaving to drive home, we got to choose one thing from the store to take in the car with us. I sat in the front seat because I got car sick and my brothers and sister did not want anything to do with me in the back! Looking back, I don't blame them. Anyway, when I was in the front, my Uncle Bill would come out, check the oil and clean the windshield and he always winked at me through the, now, clean glass. How about you, do you remember Full Service at a Gas Station? How about the cool bell that would ring when you drove up and over the hose to let them know there was a customer outside wanting gasoline? I wonder if those days will ever be seen again? I am NOT that old, but so happy to have those memories.
1 person likes this
9 responses
@miracleman2008 (173)
• United States
27 Apr 08
WELL i`m 57 yrs old and yes I remember them real well,I would spend alot of time at one place.I was real young at that time I would help out,and get a free soda pop.I believe my favorite was cream soda,Then as I grew up I worked at a station at the air force base.we cleanned the windows,checked the tires,for air,checked the oil,brake,water,checked all the belts, and hoses,even washed their headlights,and taillights.Their were three fo us,we were teenagers.And the race was on when a pretty young lady come in, lol those were the good old days.I would just about give anything for those days to return.You brought back memories.thank you. THE MIRACLEMAN.
1 person likes this
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I sure laughed reading your post, as my car really looked good. The young men would change the parts for free and my mother would tell me not to take advantage of the young men.
1 person likes this
@JanisRemaxRealtor (432)
• United States
28 Apr 08
You're welcome for the memories! Anytime! Funny 3 teenage boys racing to provide service to the pretty young ladies that came in. Now, if you could pry them from their video games, maybe one guy would walk very slowly to assist the lady. Or, better yet, there would probably be a manly, young girl, hustling out to fix the metro-8*xual's flat tire! I'm glad I grew up when I did.......
@miracleman2008 (173)
• United States
27 Apr 08
oH i FORGOT THE BELL.i LOVED IT. LOL. BYE.
1 person likes this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
27 Apr 08
No you won't see those days again.
All the small service stations went broke in Australia. It is self serve everywhere.
Woolworths bought all the caltex service stations... and Coles bought all the Shell service stations.
Woolworths will soon own Australia.
They also bought one of the largest l.quor outlets.
And now they are making their own products under the name "Select" and replacing every product on their shelves with their own brand.
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@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
28 Apr 08
Perhaps they decided to leave the US... since they are doing so well in Australia. 
I have done most of my food shopping at Woolworths since 1970!
I have done most of my food shopping at Woolworths since 1970!@JanisRemaxRealtor (432)
• United States
28 Apr 08
Woolworths was a discount department store here, not a grocery. I had one of my first jobs there in their cafeteria, it was called the Harvest House. The hot fudge brownie delights were a bit hit! The customers would pick a balloon, get to pop it, and there was a price in there and what ever the price was, was what they paid for the delight! I am sure there are no Woolworths left any where close to me here in Ohio. Have a good day!
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
27 Apr 08
In the state, I grew up in people didn't pump gas. I did like the little bell to let them know I needed help. The local gas station was owned by friends of our family. They checked the oil and washed all of the windows. The first time I pumped gas in California I didn't like it, so glad I never did it as a teenager.
@JanisRemaxRealtor (432)
• United States
28 Apr 08
I just can't remember the last time I did not have to pump my own gasoline! California seems to have set the trend, perhaps we should ignore anything that comes out of that State! Have a good day!
@whittby (3072)
• United States
28 Apr 08
Well the self service bell is something I haven't thought of in a long time. It was nice to have the oil checked too. And the windshield was washed automatically - no tip involved - just part of the job. I'm thinking when I get to be a little older, I'm really going to miss having the gas pumped and under the hood checked out for me.
1 person likes this
@JanisRemaxRealtor (432)
• United States
28 Apr 08
My boyfriend checks the oil for me all the time. But, I do my own windows and pump my own gas............geez. And, we pay more to do it! What's up with that? Have a good day!
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Yes, I do remember them - started out from dating a gas monkey!
I spent alot of time 'round the pumps! Yeah, that "ding" as you drove over the bell cord and a guy running out to you, yes rrunning, or at least jogging. And them doing the windshield, oil and air in the tires. Oh for the good old days! I moved out to CA from Ohio in 1975 and CA had just started the self service stations. I thought that was the oddest thing - I hated to have to move here and leave my gas monkey in the first place, so it was just another reason why CA sucked - you have to pump your own gas and check all those things yourself! See. we should have stayed in Ohio!!!
1 person likes this
@JanisRemaxRealtor (432)
• United States
28 Apr 08
Yes, actually running to provide a service to someone! How times have changed! Oh, yeah, I forgot about them putting air in the tires too! Free air, imagine that! I think you have to pay 50 cents or something for a blast of air. My boyfriend has an air compressor and does that for me :) Have a good day!
@my52cents (569)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Ah, those were the days, the days of orange pop, pink wintergreen candies, and yellow dramamine.
I remember that personal service very well. If Uncle Bill still had the gas station, he'd still be cleaning windshields with a smile and a silly joke and providing that old-fashioned customer service that is so rare these days. Alas, not only do we fill up our own tanks and clean our own windshields, but we do it with plastic at the pump and no human face in sight. Next time, I think I'll smile at myself in the mirror and wish myself a good day!
@JanisRemaxRealtor (432)
• United States
28 Apr 08
OMG! The smell of that yellow dramamine resinates in my mind to this day! How I hated that stuff, it made me sick just to take it, if Mom and Daddy could get it down me :)
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Yes, I remember that and I would like to see a new service station that you could go to like that. I think that customer service has gone down the drain in the past few years and that somewhere a company will figure out that it needs to be put back into the retail business.
I had almost forgotten about the bell until you mentioned it.
1 person likes this
@JanisRemaxRealtor (432)
• United States
28 Apr 08
If they get smart and begin that again, be sure and let me know! I was getting gas at Kroger the other day and the attendent was out there pumping gas. I said to her, I didn't know you had full service here. She told me that for handicaped folks, they will leave their little boxes and come out to pump gas. The woman in the car was elderly and had the handicap sticker hanging from her rear view mirror. There is no bell though. Have a good day!
@Hatley (163773)
• Garden Grove, California
28 Apr 08
I remember those days well and yes I am that old but anyway I always thought it was so cool tohave them clean the windshield ahd do all those nice things for their customers just because they needed some gas. i guess there are a few full service places yet but when ever I am with my friend Nelda she always has to wait on herself and fill her own tank and everything else.
@JanisRemaxRealtor (432)
• United States
28 Apr 08
Yes, it was cool to have that sort of service. Those days are long gone, sadly. Have a good day!
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
27 Apr 08
There are alot of full service gas stations around here. I really like going to them. I have noticed though that they have stopped checking the oil at most places. I feel bad for the attendants when i go to them when its really cold out or raining.
1 person likes this
@JanisRemaxRealtor (432)
• United States
28 Apr 08
You are lucky to have them. They are a total thing of the past here. Yes, I always felt bad for them in the bad weather too. Have a good day!
