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Movie theaters don't make much of their money from the actual tickets, but if they stopped showing movies no one is going to pay them $20 for a popcorn. Gas st

Movie theaters don't make much of their money from the actual tickets, but if they stopped showing movies no one is going to pay them $20 for a popcorn. Gas stations might not be quite as drastic as that, but still seems like the same principle applies. Although conversely the convenience stores at fast charge stations probably do a lot better. If you have to wait for 30 minutes anyway might as well go in...

snarf21 5y ago
I think there is a huge win here for a first mover. Let's say McDonalds works out a deal to have EV chargers at all restaurants with a parking lot. You know have a known location to EV charge anywhere in the country. And as you say, might as well go get something to eat while you wait. Seems like a win-win. I think this is the thing that could take make gas stations less relevant. If I have to wait 30 minutes, I may want more than a candy bar or bag of chips. Obviously the EV transition is going to take quite a while so I expect convenience stores to slowly add "subway" style made to order subs, etc.
- clouddrover 5y ago
  > Let's say McDonalds works out a deal to have EV chargers at all restaurants with a parking lot Already have: https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/newsroom/article/News.ev_rollout.html https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/newsroom/article/News.ev_... https://instavolt.co.uk/first-instavolt-ev-rapid-charger-goes-live-at-mcdonalds/ https://instavolt.co.uk/first-instavolt-ev-rapid-charger-goe...
- galdosdi 5y ago
  Yes, in fact the gas chain Sheetz sells subz, shakez, and fryz already.
  - snarf21 5y ago
    Because Sheetz is awesome! Way better that Wawa, lol. But yeah, I think they will all have to move in this direction.
- ksaj 5y ago
  I wouldn't be surprised if they're already on this. On the highway, I don't recall ever seeing a pitstop that didn't have both a gas station and a McDonalds. I realize that is anecdotal since I haven't been to all that many pitstops. But the competition for pitstop restaurant space is pretty clear.
  - after_care 5y ago
    It’s possible in rural America to have no-services at interstate exits, or to only have one gas station. I’m thinking about Montana, Wyoming, and southern Utah. McDonalds is not a guarantee at any single rest stop.
  - toomuchtodo 5y ago
    https://www.teslarati.com/mcdonalds-piggybacks-tesla-firebaugh-supercharger/ https://www.teslarati.com/mcdonalds-piggybacks-tesla-firebau...
- reducesuffering 5y ago
  I think Target is the biggest first mover here. They're the most common to have a ton of Tesla superchargers and often a little Starbucks/Pizza Hut/Food place inside.
e12e 5y ago
I wonder if revenue/liquidity also makes a difference. That is, making X in fuel, Y in other sales, would leave you with X+Y revenue, even if net income is some fraction Y (more or less)?
SilasX 5y ago
>Movie theaters don't make much of their money from the actual tickets, but if they stopped showing movies no one is going to pay them $20 for a popcorn. The more common version of the fallacy is, "Pharmaceutical companies produce nothing of value because look, most of their money is spent on marketing, not on discovering miracle cures." Yes, they spend on a ton of money on marketing to eke out whatever they can from a given discovery ... but that all depends on having a legit discovery to begin with.
bombcar 5y ago
Our theater did exactly that during covid - open on Friday concessions only for takeout. Popcorn prices aren’t as insane as $20 (the large bucket is $6) but it seemed people took them up on it. I know I did.

snarf21 5y ago

I think there is a huge win here for a first mover. Let's say McDonalds works out a deal to have EV chargers at all restaurants with a parking lot. You know have a known location to EV charge anywhere in the country. And as you say, might as well go get something to eat while you wait. Seems like a win-win. I think this is the thing that could take make gas stations less relevant. If I have to wait 30 minutes, I may want more than a candy bar or bag of chips. Obviously the EV transition is going to take quite a while so I expect convenience stores to slowly add "subway" style made to order subs, etc.

clouddrover 5y ago
> Let's say McDonalds works out a deal to have EV chargers at all restaurants with a parking lot Already have: https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/newsroom/article/News.ev_rollout.html https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/newsroom/article/News.ev_... https://instavolt.co.uk/first-instavolt-ev-rapid-charger-goes-live-at-mcdonalds/ https://instavolt.co.uk/first-instavolt-ev-rapid-charger-goe...
galdosdi 5y ago
Yes, in fact the gas chain Sheetz sells subz, shakez, and fryz already.
- snarf21 5y ago
  Because Sheetz is awesome! Way better that Wawa, lol. But yeah, I think they will all have to move in this direction.
ksaj 5y ago
I wouldn't be surprised if they're already on this. On the highway, I don't recall ever seeing a pitstop that didn't have both a gas station and a McDonalds. I realize that is anecdotal since I haven't been to all that many pitstops. But the competition for pitstop restaurant space is pretty clear.
- after_care 5y ago
  It’s possible in rural America to have no-services at interstate exits, or to only have one gas station. I’m thinking about Montana, Wyoming, and southern Utah. McDonalds is not a guarantee at any single rest stop.
- toomuchtodo 5y ago
  https://www.teslarati.com/mcdonalds-piggybacks-tesla-firebaugh-supercharger/ https://www.teslarati.com/mcdonalds-piggybacks-tesla-firebau...
reducesuffering 5y ago
I think Target is the biggest first mover here. They're the most common to have a ton of Tesla superchargers and often a little Starbucks/Pizza Hut/Food place inside.

e12e 5y ago

I wonder if revenue/liquidity also makes a difference. That is, making X in fuel, Y in other sales, would leave you with X+Y revenue, even if net income is some fraction Y (more or less)?

SilasX 5y ago

>Movie theaters don't make much of their money from the actual tickets, but if they stopped showing movies no one is going to pay them $20 for a popcorn. The more common version of the fallacy is, "Pharmaceutical companies produce nothing of value because look, most of their money is spent on marketing, not on discovering miracle cures." Yes, they spend on a ton of money on marketing to eke out whatever they can from a given discovery ... but that all depends on having a legit discovery to begin with.

bombcar 5y ago

Our theater did exactly that during covid - open on Friday concessions only for takeout. Popcorn prices aren’t as insane as $20 (the large bucket is $6) but it seemed people took them up on it. I know I did.