If you work at a gas station, please keep these cleaned!

Mar 29, 2017 1:49 AM

I'm extremely sick to my stomach. I work at a gas station and these are super important to keep cleaned. The person who was supposed to clean these while brixing the fountain machine last time and most likely the time before did not. This is what I found today while scrubbing it down top to bottom. You might think "oh it'll be fine if I skip it once". DON'T SKIP THIS. You'll get this and the drink touches this as it goes in the cup. They are basically drinking this. It's absolutely disgusting.

Raspberry iced tea if you're curious what this one is from. Bleached the fuck out of all of these. Took me an hour and a half to scrub the machine down top to bottom. If everyone did this regularly, it would never get this bad. One person can't do this all the time between customers and the billion other things that need done.

Mountain Dew.

This is something I did not want to see. I'm horrified that our store got this way. Never want to see it get this way again. I hope that no other store gets to this and that they're keeping up with these.

Now I have to add another thing to my list of never ending things. To now make sure this is being kept up on by everyone. Fountain machines need wiped down daily. Under the nozzles and everywhere including the ice dispenser. I know gas stations are super busy and you have to get so much done between customers, but one person cannot keep up with this on their own. It's a team effort. Please for the sake of your customers, keep up with this.
Now I'm wondering what other gas stations keep up with cleaning and what others don't. I want gas station workers to be aware of this and what happens when these get dirty.

I work at a caseys general store and everything we use to make food there is pretty well cleaned. Now the fountain machines I don't clean

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

The pub I worked at put them in soda water every night when we were shut, takes a couple mins to do in the morn/eve, kept them clean.

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I'm a gas station so I don't have time to let them soak. I have to wash 3 at a time so customers still have access to the drinks.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Are you the manager? You should be the manager?

7 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

This is why I only get gas at gas stations. It's a little hard to keep down but I know it's healthier for me.

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

That's just gross. Where I work we clean and sanitize those every single night

9 years ago | Likes 26 Dislikes 0

I used to work in a movie theater, and we just soaked them in carbonated water every night. They rarely were washed, and they were nasty.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Ditto

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

You don't even wanna see what I pulled out of the nozzle on the sweet tea dispenser at my job at an incredibly popular nation wide chain.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

Was it Taco Bell? Because after working at Taco Bell, I learned only I cared enough to clean those. Or the dispenser.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Jimmy Johns. I too found out I was the only one cleaning them--and I don't close anymore so no ones cleans them

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Mountain eeew

8 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I work at a deli that has a soda fountain and I clean them every night.

9 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 1

Yeah. Don't get sodas from Subway like that either. The yeast from the bread gets into the air and then in there. It's pretty gross.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

And this is why I buy sealed soda bottles and not fountain drinks. Yuck.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

See also: any bar or restaurant that has a soda gun.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

I worked fast food B4 my current job. I was the only one to clean those...Ever. don't get soda from restaurants

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Going against the grain here, blaaah, this super-fear of germs and anything is whats killing peoples overall immune system

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

One of the nozzles fell into my cup at McDonald's, got halfway home before realizing.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I work at a gas station. We clean all our different machines multiple times daily.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Reasons why I buy bottled drinks at gas stations

9 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

I don't blame you

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

@op are you from Pittsburgh? Just noticing the way you say "needs done" instead of "needs to be done"

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

@op not all heros wear capes.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Huh you'd think all these go-getter fast food employees would be jumping on this.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Same thing at movie theaters. The nozzles get so gross if you don't clean them daily.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I caught hell from my manager for tearing down things and cleaning them when a worked at Casey's. Do not eat there.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Ice dispensers are nasty. I worked in preventive medicine and we were constantly shutting places down due to poor testing

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Thank you @op for giving a damn about your job and taking pride in it.

9 years ago | Likes 140 Dislikes 1

It's the reason I do my job. I care about my regulars and any customers that walk through my door.

9 years ago | Likes 44 Dislikes 0

If only everyone cared. Much respect to you op . The world needs more people like you.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Here's an idea though. Buy a shit load of those parts and keep swapping them out daily. Saves time. Soak the used ones in hot water.

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

And wash them with vinegar and detergent solution as detergents will stick to the plastic so the vinegar will make sure that doesn't happen.

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Thank you!! I'll do that next time!!

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Got my crew drilled man. With those and those tea urn nozzles. I'll only get tea outta those at my store.

9 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

I scrub those like crazy! Inside and out. I don't know how people can't clean properly or why it's so hard.

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

It's not hard. It's poor time management or lazy staff

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Lazy staff for me.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

And people fucking wonder why I refuse to eat anything off the roller grill!

9 years ago | Likes 32 Dislikes 0

I can understand. If they're kept up, it's not bad. I always take a scrapper to ours because towels don't always get the build up off.

9 years ago | Likes 19 Dislikes 1

Hers an idea. Wrap the roller grill with aluminum foil and swap it out as much as it is necessary. Saves time. Makes sure it's clean.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

a scrapper?!? what the hell?!? Unless you mean a scraper, which is normal.

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 2

My phone autocorrected it. Yeah that's what I meant.

9 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

Man Duck autocormfet!

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

You know, you could've saved a lot of toil just by using a regular old Plumbus…

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

True

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I mean, that's kind of gross too. Some of the fleem is just repurposed leftovers.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

DUDE! You are SO on the mark! Great call out to all food service workers and bar workers too!

9 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

Not just gas stations. Restaurants have these too. There's a reason why we have to deep clean these every closing shift.

9 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

In my experience on both sides, convenient store workers give zero fucks about food safety. Restaurants are generally better.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

That makes sense. I did work for a Dennys a while back that gave no shits, but everywhere else has been pretty good.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

The crappychino machines get sooooo nasty

9 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 0

I tear those apart to get it cleaned. There's so many pieces inside that need switched out for clean ones.

9 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 0

Hey, is there any way I as a customer can make sure these things are clean before I use them?

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Where I work the front just kinda opens up to display everything and its all somewhat transparent stuff

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

So I can just pop the front off for a second and see if the fountains are all full of squanch?

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Yes just please for the love of god don't squanch in there

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

just dont eat or drink at convenient stores. ever. really.

9 years ago | Likes 234 Dislikes 1

What about WaWa?

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Depends on the store. Sheetz is good, for instance.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I always bought bottled stuff.. I mean in Florida were I lived, the coke were mixed with tapwater. I used to call it Clorine-Coke

9 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

Now that is the inconvenient truth

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

It's good exercise for your immune system

9 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

You can't stop me from eating a Speedway brat on my way home from a 12 hour ER shift!

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Im a 47 year old cook,I stand in a corner in a shipping container and cook food for hours,my boss takes orders and sits at the bar.

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Last sat I ran by quick trip,bought a microwave samdwich,3 shooter's of American honey, a microwave sandwich,and 4 power ades for dinner. Had a shot and chased it with powerade,my dinner.

2 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

but cost co hot dogs...so cheap and so good

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Unless it's QuikTrip.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I work at a Kwik Trip and they have extremely high standards for cleanliness. As well as food quality. I love working there.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

That's how you build up your immune system

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Sushi is the exception.

9 years ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 0

Don't forget the egg salad sandwiches! The ones that fall down the backside of the fridge have extra toppings!

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

It came free with the fill up! What I'm supposed to do throw it away?

9 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

"...YES!"

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

Unless you live there.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

You do not want to know what kinda eggs those egg salad sandwiches are made with.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I mean if they improve every aspect of my body then I'm down. Just gotta find a truck stop dispenser

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

What about inconvenient stores?

9 years ago | Likes 76 Dislikes 1

You can't! That would be too coneveinant that there would be an inconvenience store right after you passed the convienance store! Its a trap

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Coneveinant? Convienance? Surprisingly, you got inconvenient right.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Have a fake point funny man.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Those are safe

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Is everything on the floor, disorganized, unpriced, and requiring exact change only?

9 years ago | Likes 19 Dislikes 0

Yes, and the floor is really slippery.

9 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Except for any straight away, there's random patches of super gripping floor just so you can't slide down them.

9 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

And the layout of the store is that of a maze.

9 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0