In terms of the speed of introducing new products, assortment, and the desire to please the customer, gas stations probably have no equal among fast-food establishments. A gas station without a store, cafe-restaurant, and fresh pastries is already considered an anachronism, and it is problematic to lure a motorist there even with a low fuel price. And if a couple of years ago the menu mainly had only coffee with a hot dog, now the choice of food is huge, for every taste and wallet. But will the race for assortment and speed of service lead to "compromises" in terms of quality? The question is more than relevant in the summer heat and during vacation trips to the sea and mountains, because lunch should be not only tasty but also fresh. Experts of the Institute of Consumer Expertise have repeatedly checked roadside "catering," and in previous years there were no complaints. But new players are appearing on the market, and the leaders are not standing still, constantly offering new products.
By the way, the fact that gas stations now offer not only food and fuel but also related goods can be attributed to the category of new products. And if fresh dairy products in the assortment of stores no longer surprise anyone, now on the road you can pamper children with toys and books, and the female half will surely appreciate fresh fruits, all kinds of pastries, and hygiene items. The experts also took these factors into account in the study.
Participants
Not everyone can afford the luxury of a full-fledged kitchen at a gas station – for example, in large chains TNK, AMIC, or ANP, the choice is limited to hot dogs and snacks. You can have a full lunch at WOG (WOG Cafe), OKKO (A-la minute), KLO (Borshch), SOCAR (Buta Café), as well as at the new Vivo Café establishments in the UPG network. Also, for objectivity, it was decided to visit the very popular chain of roadside restaurants "Avto-gril" of the "Kozyrna Karta" network. All restaurants offer a unified menu and uniform prices across the chains. WOG and OKKO have the most restaurants, and they are located throughout the country, which is a big advantage. The "Borshch" chain densely covers the roads of the Kyiv region, while Buta Café and Vivo Café are represented in selected regions of the country.
The experts held two tasting commissions, where they gave scores for the taste of dishes, as well as points for staff friendliness, speed of service, furniture comfort, internet availability, and toilet cleanliness. Also, selected dishes were sent to the laboratory for microbiological studies to determine if there were any signs of staleness. The result turned out to be very gratifying for gourmets.
Under the microscope
During the summer heat, proper storage of products and maintaining the temperature regime are very important. Therefore, first of all, the experts decided to check whether there was any dangerous microflora in the dishes. Relevant studies were conducted in the laboratory, and it turned out that there is neither E. coli nor mesophilic anaerobic microorganisms in the food. All tested dishes turned out to be fresh and safe, which indicates proper logistics and storage of products.
First of all, the first course
A person on the road really needs a full hot lunch, which must include first courses. It should be noted right away that at WOG and Socar establishments, the first courses are semi-finished products, while at other participants they were prepared immediately before serving. This factor greatly influenced the scores in the previous study, but it seems that significant adjustments were made, as a result of which the first course at the same WOG turned out to be excellent. The tasters also liked the borshch at "Borshch" and at A la minute, although the portions did not please with their size. But at "Avtogril," the first course (borshch) was tasty but noticeably more expensive than competitors, and it takes so long to prepare that you can get bored. In general, time turned out to be a rather important factor – not many will want to wait 20-25 minutes for a first course "from under the knife," while ready-made dishes are brought out in five minutes (WOG Cafe). The variety of first courses is quite large, and the experts found the richest assortment at the "Borshch" restaurant of KLO.
Main course and salad
The choice of main courses at all tested establishments turned out to be quite wide, except for Buta Café, where the focus is on traditional Doner Kebab with different types of meat. The most popular are various meat products with side dishes, as well as pasta. Most dishes pleased the tasters, so the scores for all participants were high. The freshness of the dishes was also felt; the highest points were given to dishes from WOG Cafe, KLO (Borshch), and Vivo Café. As for cooking time, here the undisputed leader is WOG – the time from taking the order to serving is less than 5 minutes.
In the "kingdom" of salads, it turned out that overall they are all good in taste and freshness, and the vegetables are carefully selected. Among the shortcomings, the experts noted small portions at Vivo Café and "Avtogril." It is also worth noting the large selection of salads at WOG Cafe, which on the highway will greatly please lovers of healthy food.
Dessert
The largest selection of desserts turned out to be at WOG Cafe, but in terms of freshness, the experts had comments. At the A la minute restaurant, the dessert cake was tasty but slightly dried out at the edges of the dish, and at "Avtogril" it even seemed that the dessert was from yesterday. This is unlikely to be a trend; rather, it is the shortcomings of specific establishments. Socar offers traditional Azerbaijani delicacies; their taste is "for an amateur," and the portions are tiny. Among the "highlights," the experts noted fresh pastries offered at WOG gas stations; also, only these cafes offer fresh fruits.
The choice of desserts should be approached carefully in terms of freshness, especially if you are going to feed them to children.
Additionally
Separately, the experts noted the assortment of goods for children that has appeared at gas stations, which will now keep them occupied on the road. In principle, all participants have toys, the difference is only in the volume of the assortment. The largest selection is at WOG gas stations – here there are toys, coloring books, books, and a lot of lollipops and candies. But at colleagues, this issue is resolved on a residual basis.
In addition, gas stations now also have an assortment of goods for women. Here there are personal hygiene products, deodorants, etc. Women are most "respected" at WOG and UPG gas stations; the selection is no worse than in specialized stores.
As for the furniture in the cafes, it is quite comfortable, except for the hard chairs at "Avtogril" and semi-seated places at SOCAR.
The price of the issue
Eating on the highway often costs more than in a similar restaurant in the city. And here, chain restaurants at gas stations have completely outplayed their competitors. The smallest amounts were asked for lunches at the restaurants of the "Borshch" chain and WOG Cafe. And the most expensive, as expected, turned out to be "Avtogril."
In the dry residue
The maximum score based on the totality of factors was received by the WOG Cafe restaurant chain – 152 points. Over the past year, these establishments have greatly improved the quality of dishes and the assortment of additional goods, which is reflected in the score. In addition, this chain, along with OKKO, is one of the largest, so in remote regions there is often simply no alternative to them. The newcomers to the market, Vivo Café of the UPG gas station chain, are just mastering the niche, and they will still have to work on shortcomings, since competition in the segment is very tough. "Avtogril" is positioned as premium, so if you are not confused by the average check amount of around 300 or more hryvnias per person, you can also have a tasty lunch there. And the main result of the study is that food on the roads is safe and accessible, so you can forget about "road provisions"!
