Gas Stations and Coronavirus

storewanderer
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Re: Gas Stations and Coronavirus

Post by storewanderer »

When this first started I noticed Safeway was placing single donuts in the small 4 inch x 4 inch cake slice containers. Maverik started doing this in its gas stations too (Maverik makes donuts in the gas station). NorCal Safeway charges 89 cents for a very small donut- I think they can afford the packaging. This worked as it was very clear what type of donut was in the package. The cases also looked neat and orderly with this set up.

I haven't seen zip lock bags. But more recently I notice they are just packing donuts in the old plastic bakery bags previously offered for donuts (these bags are not clear but you can sort of see through them, not really well) and putting a twist tie around them. I have seen people fumbling around with the bags trying to figure out what kind of donut is in the bag since the bags are not clear and are not labeled. In some cases the donuts are in a group of 3 all stuck together in a glob and a huge mess.

The bags you describe 7-Eleven using are probably the same ones they use for store made cookies that they pre-pack. Basically a small plastic bag with an adhesive sticker on the back to seal the bag. Then in the case of the store made cookies a label goes on it too.
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Re: Gas Stations and Coronavirus

Post by Alpha8472 »

These plastic bags over the fresh donuts were machine crimped like twinkies. They must have a machine that seals plastic in the store or at the bakery.
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Re: Gas Stations and Coronavirus

Post by storewanderer »

Alpha8472 wrote: May 31st, 2020, 9:41 pm These plastic bags over the fresh donuts were machine crimped like twinkies. They must have a machine that seals plastic in the store or at the bakery.
Ideally they would be sealed at the bakery plant. That would be the best set up as it is more air tight and reduces the handling of the product at the store. This is a positive change. The amount of plastic used this way is similar to the amount of plastic before when it was loose and you put it into a self serve bakery bag yourself and it also makes it so the store does not have sticky trays to deal with cleaning and keeping flies away from.
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Re: Gas Stations and Coronavirus

Post by storewanderer »

Gas station traffic must be way down. In my market 7-Eleven is offering 30 ounce Big Gulp for .49 with app and Maverik is offering 30 ounce fountain drink for .69 with app/loyalty card.

These would have been good prices 20 years ago; they are even better prices today.

This will also hurt McDonalds $1 drink promotions as these prices are substantially below $1.

Someone else should counter with the 40 ounce or 42 ounce at .79 or .89.
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Re: Gas Stations and Coronavirus

Post by Alpha8472 »

7-Eleven is offering 7 free hot beverage or any size fountain drink per 7Rewards Member. One a day limit. Offer does not apply in shelter in place areas and or clerk serve beverage mandates.

Other areas get 49 cent Big Gulps or $1 hot coffee.

AMPM has an app where you can win free drinks and food. I have won tons of free stuff.

The drinks and cookies are the most common.
Last edited by Alpha8472 on June 4th, 2020, 4:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Gas Stations and Coronavirus

Post by klkla »

storewanderer wrote: May 31st, 2020, 11:02 pm Ideally they would be sealed at the bakery plant. That would be the best set up as it is more air tight and reduces the handling of the product at the store. This is a positive change. The amount of plastic used this way is similar to the amount of plastic before when it was loose and you put it into a self serve bakery bag yourself and it also makes it so the store does not have sticky trays to deal with cleaning and keeping flies away from.
I don't have a problem with the packaging but the product does not look attractive at all. You can't use that kind of packaging on the donuts and bars that have fancier frosting because the compression will damage the appearance of the product. At the 7-11's here in L.A. they are just selling a few simple boring looking varieties of donuts and they don't seem to be selling well.
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Re: Gas Stations and Coronavirus

Post by SamSpade »

While almost none of their locations sell fuel, the Plaid Pantry stores are bringing back their "summer special" of 79c medium fountain drinks. As I honestly don't care for convenience stores much and PP's are some of the most irregular out there, I don't know what a medium is. They also only offer Pepsi products.

Summer Special Announcement
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Re: Gas Stations and Coronavirus

Post by storewanderer »

klkla wrote: June 4th, 2020, 4:36 pm
storewanderer wrote: May 31st, 2020, 11:02 pm Ideally they would be sealed at the bakery plant. That would be the best set up as it is more air tight and reduces the handling of the product at the store. This is a positive change. The amount of plastic used this way is similar to the amount of plastic before when it was loose and you put it into a self serve bakery bag yourself and it also makes it so the store does not have sticky trays to deal with cleaning and keeping flies away from.
I don't have a problem with the packaging but the product does not look attractive at all. You can't use that kind of packaging on the donuts and bars that have fancier frosting because the compression will damage the appearance of the product. At the 7-11's here in L.A. they are just selling a few simple boring looking varieties of donuts and they don't seem to be selling well.
I guess they need to either change the frosting they are using so it doesn't stick to the packaging or "air up" the packaging so the packaging does not stick to the frosting.

I will say 7-Eleven's cookie is pretty good, if you are comfortable eating something that was baked off inside a 7-Eleven. I don't think the donuts are great; their donuts vary by market, but here, seem to try to emulate Krispy Kreme which isn't my favorite. As in, take the fully glazed donut and put chocolate or maple on top of it.

I was thinking 99 Ranch uses these packages for its bakery items but they are not frosted pastries, they are sweet bun type pastries usually with a dry outside and fillings inside.

I have noticed at Safeway lately a lot of donuts that look like they have runny frosting within the tied or stickered shut plastic bags. I thought Safeway was just frosting the donuts before they cooled all the way. But maybe the donuts were actually suffocating in the plastic taped closed bags.
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Re: Gas Stations and Coronavirus

Post by Alpha8472 »

Safeway donuts in plastic ziplock bags is the worst. The frosting is all smeared off in the bag, and the donuts that are not frosted are all sticky.

The 7-Eleven donuts do not seem to have a frosting stuck to the plastic wrap problem. There is some room for air inside. I much prefer the 7-Eleven donuts.
Last edited by Alpha8472 on June 5th, 2020, 11:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Gas Stations and Coronavirus

Post by storewanderer »

Alpha8472 wrote: June 4th, 2020, 8:04 pm Safeway donuts in plastic ziplock bags is the worse. The frosting is all smeared off in the bag, and the donuts that are not frosted are all sticky.

The 7-Eleven donuts do not seem to have a frosting stuck to the plastic wrap problem. There is some room for air inside. I much prefer the 7-Eleven donuts.
Some Safeways are putting the donuts in plastic locking containers like a muffin or cake slice. I saw one down in Sacramento doing the zip lock sandwich bags which was a disaster (pint size bags may be okay but I kind of doubt it). Some others around Reno stick a few donuts in a regular donut bag (same as you got when donuts were self serve) and put a twist tie around it and call it good but it is hard to tell what is in there.

Smiths is just using the plastic cake slice containers, even for single bagels. Their cases look very nice with the donuts and bagels in plastic cake slice containers on the trays; it is very professional.
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