The Strict Food Rule Sheetz Employees Must Follow

Combining gas dispensing, browse-and-pay shopping, and made-to-order food is no easy feat, and the execution has no simple answer either. Enter Sheetz, the franchise that rolls all three pitstops into one. Consolidating the order of operations here, however, can be challenging. While most fast food restaurants receive orders at the point of sale, and most sit-down restaurants take payment after the meal, one of Sheetz's unwritten rules confuses these two processes for the uninitiated. Sheetz's made to order (MTO) service follows a three-step process requiring customers to order at an MTO ordering kiosk and receive a ticket, then pay at the checkout to get a receipt before collecting the food from a service counter when ready. Employees are required to not serve food to customers who can't present a receipt to show that they paid.

This process has a few upsides, such as allowing the customer time to browse and shop for whatever else they might want from the retail arm of the establishment and pay in a single transaction. Online commentary points out that this process also keeps the checkout flowing without getting jammed up by time-consuming food orders. It also means staff don't have to make sure that food isn't getting eaten without being paid for. When the food is ready before customers have paid, chaos and confusion often ensues. Next time you're walking up to collect one of our favorite Sheetz Menu items or one of the stores controversial shakes, remember to check if you've paid yet.

On Reddit, employees are able to anonymously share their experiences of being on the other side of the counter at Sheetz. Despite the fact that instructions for Sheetz's order of operations are clearly printed on order dockets and signs are placed at the expo counter, customers often miss these. Some employees on the food service end report calling out food orders in ways that remind customers that they still have to pay, with phrases like "xxx is ready AFTER payment" or "Order # is ready for pick up after payment at register." If they have the time during a quiet shift, some Sheetz employees even walk unpaid orders up to the cash register to hand over at the point of payment, which simplifies the process for the customer, but isn't always an option on busier shifts.

Employees online have reported disgruntled customers arguing, trying to pay the wrong person at the service counter, or even walking out in frustration. For some stores this reaction is common, and one Sheetz employee claims: "it's like a multiple time a day every day thing for my store now." A customer in another thread voices their opinion that customers should be allowed pay after collecting their order: "I get that there are a few people who try to steal, but I think there are many who are just trying to take their food to the register to pay. I know I have."