# One of the combination McDonald's / Shell Stations closed in my area. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 25, 2019, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475 "2019-03-25T01:32:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/1 "2019-03-25T01:32:56Z")
I remember when they built the combination McDonald’s / Shell Station in the mid 90’s. It’s a half mile down the road from the original McDonald’s built in the 1960’s. Went by there today and all the gas pumps were gone. Looked inside the building and the store was just an empty room. It looks so strange and empty. No parked cars. No people. The McDonald’s is still operating. I think you can still get inside using the door beside the drive thru. I’m pretty sure the doors are locked on the convenience store side of the building. Did McDonald’s own both businesses? I’ve never seen one of these combination businesses fail before. There’s a combination McDonald’s / Valero about 4 miles away that’s still open. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/2 "2019-03-25T01:45:01Z")
That location got a really bad reputation a few years ago. Lots of cars parked, loud music, drinking, and gang fights. I’d sometimes drive by coming home and see five or more police cruisers in the parking lot. It’s been quiet for a couple years. But their business dropped off. I’d only fill up or visit the store in the daytime. Fun times on the rough edge of Southwest LR. 😉 I hope that McDonald’s doesn’t close too. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/3 "2019-03-25T01:47:23Z")
Chances are it was a private owner we ho had the franchises. I don’t think McDonald’s actually owns very many, if any, othe stores. I’m willing to be corrected though. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/4 "2019-03-25T01:56:11Z")
It is a good idea to combine a convenience store/ Gas station with a McDonald’s. One stop shopping. You want a burger and get gas too since you’re there. Profitable if one investor owns both franchises. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/5 "2019-03-25T02:06:49Z")
I agree with **snfaulkner** , I think it’s just one guy with two franchises. By my house, there is a Wendy’s/Shell combination. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/6 "2019-03-25T02:17:55Z")
In my area Popeyes is in Shell. And Subway is in Valero. I have never eaten at either one. I’m kinda grossed out by gas station food. It carries over. But that’s just me. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/7 "2019-03-25T12:49:25Z")
There’s a Shell/McDonald’s combo not too far from my town. Right along I-70. They seem to do a good business when ever I drive by, The McD’s was remodeled recently to install the self servise kiosks. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/8 "2019-03-25T13:14:17Z")
So are there like third party companies that set up these combo franchises? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/9 "2019-03-25T14:37:31Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Chances are it was a private owner we ho had the franchises. I don’t think McDonald’s actually owns very many, if any, othe stores. I’m willing to be corrected though. McDonald’s does have some corporate-owned stores, but the majority are franchised, and the company is apparently trying to further decrease the percentage of stores that are company-owned. However, McDonald’s also has an interesting business model – at most of their franchised stores, McDonald’s owns the real estate, and the franchisee pays rent on the property to the company. Source: [What Percentage of McDonald's Restaurants Are Owned by Franchisees? | The Motley Fool](https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/04/03/what-percentage-of-mcdonalds-restaurants-are-owned.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/10 "2019-03-25T15:05:48Z")
Is that the one in the Village chopping center? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/11 "2019-03-25T15:39:47Z")
My little town has a combination Local/Godfather’s Pizza Express. [Local](http://www.localcstores.com/ourlocalstory) is the name of the gas station/convenience store franchise. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/12 "2019-03-26T14:12:53Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Is that the one in the Village chopping center? Yes, intersection of University & Asher ave. Us old timers remember the Howard Johnson that was there for thirty plus years. They bulldozed it in the mid 90’s to build the new McDonald’s / Shell station. [http://www.highwayhost.org/Arkansas/LittleRock/littlerock1.html](http://www.highwayhost.org/Arkansas/LittleRock/littlerock1.html) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/13 "2019-03-26T14:25:13Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Yes, intersection of University & Asher ave. > > Us old timers remember the Howard Johnson that was there for thirty plus years. They bulldozed it in the mid 90’s to build the new McDonald’s / Shell station. > > [Little Rock: page 1 of 1](http://www.highwayhost.org/Arkansas/LittleRock/littlerock1.html) “just southwest of Little Rock’s city limits.” That was a while ago. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/14 "2019-03-26T15:03:00Z")
I was surprised they mentioned the Village Shopping center. Didn’t realize it dated back that far (1956). That’s before I was even born. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/15 "2019-03-26T15:06:26Z")
NJ has quite a few gas station/Dunkin’ Donut combos. The one by the homeless shelter did great business, and employed some of the shelter’s residents. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/16 "2019-03-26T15:07:34Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > However, McDonald’s also has an interesting business model – at most of their franchised stores, McDonald’s owns the real estate, and the franchisee pays rent on the property to the company. A couple of years ago, a biopic about Ray Kroc (starring Michael Keaton) was released, and this was a plot point. As I remember, early in the development of the franchise system, Kroc was having financial issues, even though the chain was growing and someone released the big money was in owning the real estate below the restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-combination-mcdonalds-shell-stations-closed-in-my-area/831475/17 "2019-03-27T21:15:04Z")
Both of the nearby Arby’s locations are attached to gas stations. The one in Suffolk is BP; the one in Franklin, I believe, is Exxon. There’s also a Bojangle’s attached to a Love’s truck stop.