This place was never on my radar until approx. 20 years ago, when a co-worker in Piscataway said to me, "Didn't that gas station robbery that happened the other day happen near you?" I wasn't one to pay attention to "local news," (I guess I figured, "What could occur in Bernards Twp. or vicinity worth knowing about?"), so it took me a minute before I was able to mentally calibrate the location of this particular Exxon (in my defense, there are easily a half dozen in a 10-mile radius near me), and my reply to her was, "I didn't hear about it, but I think I know the location you're talking about." (Sadly, the attendant who was robbed that night was fatally shot in the process, and no one was ever apprehended for the crime. Rt. 78 has served as an artery for car thieves and burglars traveling out from Essex and Hudson County, and I don't know that a lot of them have ever been caught. Anyway...)
In subsequent years, I've stopped by here occasionally, but I've never been a regular patron. The attendants pumping gas do tend to be surly and non-communicative, but I'm sorta expecting that when it comes to guys pumping gas. One of my main problems with this place is its location. Yes, it's easily accessible from Rt 78, but there's only 1 entrance, and a 1-way exit, and if you have to head North on King George Rd., exiting the place can present a real challenge. Traffic coming south can be on top of you in a second depending on how fast a driver is going, and if you're not alert and responsive, well...let's just say it can be a serious problem. If you're heading onto Rt. 78 West, it's much less of an issue. But that's not how it usually goes for me. When I've stopped here, usually at night, I'm coming off of Rt 78 from Hoboken, and... after I gas up...I'm heading north on King George Rd., in the direction of home. At that hour of the night, I'm not looking for any "undue excitement." Given the awkward and occasionally dangerous effort required to pull out of the station and head North, I usually prefer to just drive up 1 more exit and hit the Exxon on Martinsville Road, where the guys pumping gas are actually friendly, and entering and exiting isn't necessarily a game of chicken, involving a potential accident and maybe even worse.
Too, the prices at the King George Exxon tend to be higher (although, in fairness to the King George Exxon, not as high as the gas prices at the Exxon in Bernardsville, or the one in Liberty Corner). Gas prices everywhere are high, admittedly, but if I can save even a little bit of money...I'm gonna try. One time, I ventured into the "store" connected to the gas station to buy a container of milk. When I got home with it, the milk was sour. Lesson learned. Don't buy any food stuffs from the King George Exxon (not that they have a lot to choose from).
Bottom line? If you're traveling Rt. 78 and not having to travel any side roads radiating out from it into the interior of Basking Ridge or Stirling, then this Exxon is acceptable, if all you want is gas, and you're not that particular about price.
For me personally, though, I'll either go to the Exxon in Stirling if I have time on my hands, or continue on to the Martinsville Road exit, and utilize the services of the Exxon located there if I don't. Prices are more moderate; service is friendlier and quicker.
I don't necessarily want to "demonize" this location or be overly harsh in the review (after all, the gas station attendants in Hoboken, or in Secaucus, or in Paramus, aren't necessarily all that friendly and accommodating either), but I do tend to avoid it. read more