AMERICO GAS in Lakeside, CA Closed now

Reviews about AMERICO GAS

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  August 21, 2020, by Patrick Rivera
  I have been coming to this fuel station for almost a year since their remodel. My wife and I both have large SUVs and fill up at Americo (formerly Spirit) because of its large carport area which makes it easy to find a pump available for vehicles like ours (Yukon Denali XL and Chevy Tahoe). I commute to work in my Tahoe and fill up once a week. My wife fills up every other week. This attributes to an average of $500 per month of business for fuel alone, not including any additional items I may purchase within the store itself, or $6,000 per year. I will no longer use this station and will choose another smaller one within the area because of the way I was treated this today. This morning after fueling my vehicle I decided to get rid of some loose change in my cupholder. I counted out only quarters and went into the store to have the $7 worth of quarters exchanged for cash bills. There was no one else in the store or in line behind me. When I asked the clerk if he would exchange my change he nodded yes, and as I began stacking the coins into 7 individual piles, he proceeded to take them and slide them across to his side of the counter. When I was done I said, "Okay, so that's seven right?" He looked at me and said, "What...this is NOT Wells Fargo. If you want to buy something fine, but if not I won't give you money." I was floored. It caught me by surprise. I've purchased coffee and other items before and this gentleman I believe recognized me. I stated, that I knew he wasn't Wells Fargo and I just wanted bills. I was so taken back that I didn't argue that I had only moments before pumped $75 worth of gas in BOTH my wife's car and mine. I took a small item near the counter, which I had already planned to purchase, paid for it with the money on the counter, took my change and left. If the clerk couldn't open the register without an item being purchased he very easily could've said that and I would've been okay with accommodating him, but instead he chose otherwise. This sort of absence of customer service within small towns and relationships is why most people I know choose the smaller stations in Lakeside to fuel their vehicles. They enjoy knowing the clerks and do not feel unvalued as customers, but feel as though they are part of a community. I have experienced this sense of comraderie here in Lakeside too at other places. Americo would do well to train their employees to understand how to treat a customer.