Just got off a few rounds of golf in a nearby state and need to drop at intervals for breaks? Drive thru gas stations/ convenience stores are the answer! Perhaps you had a burden to set up your own gas station drive thru because you feel the pain of your fellow sporty guys, this guide is for you too!
Recently, the query – ‘drive thru gas station ‘ has been making the rounds. And what’s more surprising is, the majority of askers are sports enthusiasts. Now, the reason can’t be far-fetched. This content will be useful either way, so don’t stop reading!
See Also: Stacked Golf Shop
Pros of Starting A Gas Station Drive-Through
You Are The One In Charge!
You are in charge of making decisions for practically all aspects of running a drive-thru gas station. Making the decisions can feel liberating and powerful.
Local Neighborhood
Selling your goods at craft fairs, farmers markets, or even neighborhood storefront businesses will help you build a local clientele, which is one of the best things about beginning a drive-thru gas station business. You gain free entrance to extra revenue streams and serious-minded clients as a result.
Lasting Business Associations
As a drive-thru gas station business, you can’t tell who you’ll run into. This might be the beginning of a fantastic business opportunity!
Gratifying Work
Start-up work for a drive-thru gas station can be quite gratifying. After all, you are tackling a problem for your client while also chasing a cause that is dear to your heart.
Physical Activities Each Day
Unlike some types of businesses, Gas Station with a Drive-Thru requires more activeness. Most of the time, you’ll spend your day running errands and handling issues within the firm. The good news is that, you’ll benefit from all the activeness health-wise.
Direct Communication
This line of work is perfect for you if you thrive on interpersonal interaction! You will interact directly with customers and staff when operating a drive-thru gas station.
Uncomplicated Business Model
One advantage of a drive-thru gas station business is that it has a specific business strategy, which makes it easy to set-up and expand the company.
It Hardly Gets Boring
There is hardly any a dull moment when starting a drive-thru gas station business. Your profession is very varied and gives you the chance to interact with intriguing people from many walks of life.
The Business is Simple to Learn
There is a ton of material freely available online that you can use when starting your drive-thru gas station business (Facebook groups, Youtube videos, Starter Story etc). This will assist you in starting the business and address any queries, skepticisms, or worries you may have.
You Get To Accomplish What You Really Enjoy
You can focus your efforts on a venture for which you have a true interest by opening a drive-thru gas station. You’ll find that in order to make the firm profitable, you’ll invest as much time and effort as you can.
Cons Of Starting A Drive-Through Gas Station
High Administrative Costs
There are overhead costs associated with opening a drive-thru gas station business since you are selling a physical commodity. You should be sure to carefully budget for these overhead expenses.
You Might Have To Add Sales Tax
You might have to charge sales tax if you sell your goods in different states. Even while this might not directly affect your finances, creating a plan and procedure for this can be difficult. Have a look at this page to find out more about sales tax.
Dedication To Time
The duties and choices associated with opening a drive-thru petrol station are yours to make. Work life can occasionally take over, however this is not always a bad thing. The strain on friends and family as well as the pressure of starting a new business might result from this.
Finance Could Stress You During Conception Stage
Whether you launch your firm or opt not to pay yourself (or pay yourself less than you were making at your corporate job), this can be financially demanding. In order to avoid finding yourself in a stressful scenario, it is crucial to modify your lifestyle and make a plan for yourself.
Crowded Space Is A Drawback Of A Drive-through Gas Station Business
When it comes to running a drive-thru gas station, there is a lot of competition, so it’s critical that you invest some time in researching the market and figuring out where the need is.
Selecting the Best Supplier
The majority of companies in this industry use suppliers and manufacturers, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But, it can take a lot of time, effort, and trial-and-error to discover the ideal source. If carried out correctly, this procedure can help you save months, if not years, of time and effort.
The Issue Of Taxes
You normally pay self-employment taxes as a drive-thru gas station business, which can be rather expensive. Knowing how much you will owe in taxes each year will help you decide whether the work you’re taking on is worthwhile.
High Turnover Rates
Employee turnover is frequently significant in the drive-thru gas station industry, which may be expensive and time-consuming for your organization. By providing competitive compensation, benefits, and a nice work environment, it’s crucial to make every effort to prevent this.
Small Margins
Your drive-thru gas station’s gross margins are normally in the range of 43%, which might make it more difficult to add new expenses while maintaining profitability.
The Drive Of Employees
Finding innovative ways to inspire your sales/content staff can be difficult if you expect to have them on board. It’s crucial that you can provide your staff with excellent incentives and a positive work environment.
Running A Business From Home Presents More Of A Difficulty!
For many business owners, operating their company from the convenience of their home is very alluring. You are more likely to operate your drive-thru gas station business out of your office.
How To Open Gas Station Drive-Thru
Let’s discuss opening one of these shops as your own small business. They don’t want to leave their homes. They also don’t want to leave their car if they have to leave their house. Hence the gas station/convenience store with a drive-through.
Undoubtedly, the popularity of drive-through gas stations is rising. Yes, there has been a major push in recent years for curbside service of all kinds. But this pattern is still present, and gas stations are changing.
Bluedot’s study, according to iXtenso, revealed a large demand for curbside pickup, drive-thrus, and mobile ordering. If every c-store was open, 61% of customers said they would visit more frequently.
In addition, 51% of shoppers cited a drive-through as the top feature in choosing one convenience store over another, according to CSP Daily News.
These kinds of stores have existed in a number of forms for a while. Some convenience stores, for instance, allow you to drive into the store like a barn in the northern states where it is colder and people don’t want to get out of their cars.
Also, you may drive through old “beer barns” up country to buy your booze. Sure. Because they put a strong emphasis on a distinctive shopping experience, these kinds of establishments are a terrific idea.
How To Start Up A Drive-Thru Gas Station
Then why do you want to open a drive-through gas station? It’s not too difficult to follow the steps. You must first locate a location, request permission, design it, gather your merchandise, and begin your marketing campaigns. An easy breakdown of each is provided below.
Choose A Location For Your Drive-through Gas Station
Finding the ideal site is crucial when operating a gas station or convenience shop. The location should be accessible to customers and not too close to other establishments with similar offerings. In order to increase the worth of the company, think about purchasing an existing petrol station and turning it into a drive-through.
Apply for a Shop Permit from the City
Get all the essential approvals and permits from the local and state authorities before you establish your petrol station or convenience shop.
The arrangement of the gas stations, payment kiosks, and convenience store must all be considered while designing your drive-through.
Purchase Inventory for Your Convenience Shop Gas Station
You must keep track of everything you have on hand and manage your inventory to ensure that you have enough of the proper goods and supplies. A less extensive premium inventory may be the secret to success with a drive-through business.
The drive-through gas station’s promotion
Don’t overlook marketing; you’ll need to let people know about your shop and pique their interest in stopping by. You can achieve this through commercials, promotions, social media, and more.
Gas Station Drive-Thru| Additional Information
Consider adding more service alternatives, placing restrictions on what is readily available, researching return-only windows, and customizing service for each store and its clients.
Even for quick-service restaurants with a well-known menu, implementing drive-thrus successfully can be challenging.
Long waits and more challenges may result from adding a drive-thru to a convenience store when customers might not be familiar with all the options.
To get it right, significant planning and thought are required.
Drive-thrus can also change the labor focus from the customer to the retailer, necessitating employees to do consumers’ shopping instead of the customers themselves.
Due to the increased possibility of incorrect products being placed in bags, the drive-thru may wind up losing money.
Why Gas Stations Should Have Drive-Thru Windows
There are several businesses where it makes perfect sense to have a drive-thru window. Banks, coffee shops, pharmacies, and quick-service restaurants all frequently have drive-thru lanes. Yet, would a cashier window be useful for your petrol station?
Customers clearly prefer the ease of staying in their car when they are picking up their meal if you consider the fact that many quick-serve restaurants generate over 70% of their sales through the drive-thru.
It can sound like a bizarre notion at first, given that most people have to stop their automobiles to fuel up before dropping into your convenience shop. Yet, from another angle, having a drive-thru window at a gas station may be the competitive advantage you’ve been searching for in a crowded industry.
A New Breed
Since many years ago, the basic gas station/convenience shop format hasn’t evolved much. Even the inclusion of facilities like fresh deli sandwiches and self-service beverage fountains has become standard.
But, the experience remains the same regardless of the product mix: customers pull up, get out of their cars, pick up their purchases, and then proceed on their way. The identical technique is provided by your rivals as well, so anything distinctive you offer could increase sales. It’s a technique to draw in new clients who can conveniently buy from you other times besides when they need petrol, too!
A More Efficient C-Store
A drive-thru lane might be exactly what someone needs if they want to pick up a snack, a bottle of water, or other convenience goods. Via an app or your website, you could provide mobile ordering. Afterwards, you could meet your clients at the window with their coffee, drink, sandwich, or whatever else they ordered.
Your store will be a convenient substitute for busy coffee shops and fast food restaurants on the way to work or school as they won’t have to get out of their cars. Customers might place their orders while filling up, eliminating the need for them to stop inside your store prior to heading out again.
It’s also a terrific choice for elderly people, those with impairments, or anyone with restricted mobility who might find it challenging to get out of their car to collect the things they need inside the store. Drive-thru windows are convenient for parents who have kids in the rear seat since it eliminates the need to bring them inside the store or leave them unattended.
Improved Security
Gas stations are common prey for robbers, especially after regular business hours, it goes without saying. You can close the main portion of your store building at night and relocate all transactions to the drive-thru lane.
In this manner, you can continue to do business until the wee hours of the morning without putting your workers and merchandise at risk of theft.
These windows may be equipped with intercom systems that eliminate the need for face-to-face communication as well as high-security, bulletproof glass.
Even if a drive-thru window at a gas station may not be widespread, you should still consider it for your company. With a wide selection of transaction windows, you can provide ease and security for your property.
