Gas stations where you paid after you pumped

Factual Questions
61

I tend to forget this if a couple of years pass between visits, but I never forget that my US credit card doesn’t work at the pump. So I’ve gone in, presented my credit card, and asked for “fillup on 7, please,” only to be told, “just go pump it, then come back in.” This is Ontario, by the way.

Here in Murka, I’ve done a couple of business related road trips, and since the pump asks for my company card ZIP code (which I don’t know), I can’t pay at the pump. It used to be easy to say “fillup on 7, please” and leave my card, but now they ask me to guess the amount I’ll put in, which kind of defeats the purpose of a “fillup” because I have no idea what it costs. I’m inclined to use my own card (I’ll get paid back, of course).

62

Hmm. I got my license here in New Hampshire in December of 1993 and as a driver I’ve never encountered a gas station that allowed you to pay after pumping gas (most of my driving has been confined to NH, MA, ME, and RI, for the record).

I know these pay-after places did still exist in NH shortly before I began to drive, however, given a story of my mom’s about her horror at learning she forgot her wallet after she pumped some gas. That’d of been in 1990 or 1991, I think.