Pizza Travels: Gas Station Slices…

When you’re on the road and don’t have time to sit down in a nice restaurant for some pizza, a gas station just may be what you’re looking for…

Pizza from a gas station?

This statement may be a bit odd to a true pizza connoisseur, and maybe even a little concerning, but when done correctly it can be quite the enjoyable experience!

I say this because here in the Midwest United States we have a convenience store chain named Casey’s. If you didn’t know about it, you probably wouldn’t go inside for a pizza, but it truly is a food destination if happen to be near one. Casey’s is a rather unassuming traditional convenience store / gas station concept, but what makes it different than other similar places is their reputation comes not from gas, but their pizza. Simply put, the pizza is really good.

This store is not one of those places where the pizza has been sitting out under a heat lamp for hours. They do have slices out throughout the day, but the majority of pizzas are made to order (they deliver too). You go to Casey’s for the amazing pizza, but if you happen to need gas or a lottery ticket, you can get what you need there, secondary to the pizza of course!

Here’s an little known but true fact: While most people have probably never heard of Casey’s, they are actually the 5th largest pizza company in the US behind the big guys (Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Little Caesars) despite being a gas station. They are substantially better than the “big 4” also.

I mention Casey’s because they are top of the convenience store list, but if they are the top, it means there are others out there…

Believe it or not, 7-11 actually has pretty decent pizza too if you get it hot and fresh. 7-11 has a tendency to leave the pizzas out for a while, BUT, every store I’ve been in will cook a fresh pizza for you if you ask them to (don’t be shy). If you do that, you’ll be pleasantly surprised, but you won’t just be surprised by the flavor. You will also be surprised by the price. They run really good specials, especially if you have their phone app, but keep in mind that eating at 7-11 is not the same as regular restaurant pizza. It’s good, but it’s still a convenience store. It’s just a little better than the others I’m about to mention.

Another here in the US is Quik Trip (QT). QT has a full kitchen with pizza on the menu. It’s not really a destination pizza, but it’ll do in a pinch if you’re limited on options. Like 7-11, QT tends to leave their slices out too long on the heat rack. Ask for a fresh whole pizza and you’ll probably be okay. Like 7-11, the quality is better than most of the gas station pizza pit there, but it’s also still a convenience store and gas station.

The biggest gas station pizza chain in the United States is Hunt Brothers. You can find these scattered all over the place, especially in rural areas. If you find yourself way out in the middle of nowhere, more likely than not there will be a Hunt Brothers somewhere nearby. These places are hit and miss. I’ve never seen any true consistency with their pizzas other than being “just okay” (they’re not bad, so “just okay” is the best way to describe it). Again, in a pinch it will allow you to get your pizza fix but it’s far from gourmet.

An honorable mention on my gas station pizza list is Godfathers. I say “Honorable Mention” because Godfathers is a real restaurant with pretty tasty pizza. They’re included here because they’ve branched out into the gas station market with “Godfather’s To Go”. Their gas station pizza is not quite as good as the actual restaurant, but it’s still good if you can’t find a regular Godfather’s.

Casey’s is a pizza destination. QT and Hunt Brothers will do if you’re starving, but Godfather’s would be pretty high on the chart if it were solely a gas station concept. Similarly, Pizza Hut has a few gas station concepts too (but we won’t talk about that).

There’s a bunch out there on nearly every corner – Circle K, Cumberland Farms, Speedway, WaWa, RaceTrac, Am Pm, and many many others. They all try, but often fail miserably. They exist for the purpose I mentioned; When you’re on the road and need a quick bite they’ll do, but with the exception of Casey’s and Godfather’s, the majority of gas station pizza is a little below “just okay” as they are not much better than a microwaved frozen pizza (I didn’t include truck stops here this because they usually have restaurants inside).

However, each person has there own tastes. Some people absolutely love gas station pizza. Others hate it. Let me know what you think of these places. If you’ve got a favorite in your area, leave me a comment.

~ Marty ~

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