I always feel like I'm hanging out in a hub at the center of the universe whenever I'm at a busy gas station convenience store. This particular Racetrac definitely has that vibe. It's usually busy, but it's a bustling, sunny kind of a busy. Busy and filled with life. Not a remote, desolate gas station that oozes sketch. The place is clean and EXTREMELY well lit at night, a major plus for a petite and fragile, peerless flower such as myself who has to often travel late during the night for work. I have never felt weirded out at this place. One time I did have a homeless family come up to panhandle money, but it was during the day and they were super chill and not really hurting anything. Just that one time was the only time I've ever seen panhandlers at this Racetrac.
Usually the place is quite busy. It's located at the well traveled exit 173 off I-10. If you're heading westbound, it's the exit before entering Baton Rouge where gas prices are higher (unless you're getting gas at a Sam's or Walmart station). If you're going eastbound, it's the exit before Gonzales where the cheapest gas is more away from the interstate, and traffic more snarled due to the Tanger Outlet Mall and Cabela's superstore monstrosity. If you're heading eastbound towards New Orleans and you're trying to decide whether to fill up in Geismar or Gonzales, definitely stop here at the Geismar exit. The gas is reasonable and it's very easy on/off access from the interstate. When this place first opened it made the Exxon station across the street drop their price as well.
The convenience store has serious balls. It's awesome, really. A utopia for those inflicted with the munchies. You can find everything from morning donuts, decent-for-gas-station-quality sandwiches, fruit/yogurt parfaits, string cheese, hippie protein bars, pints of Snickers ice cream, and even a pickle in a bag. I admit I probably wouldn't eat a pickle in a bag from a gas station, but if I did, I would be most inclined to eat one from this place.
The coffee bar possesses substantial ownage against all other gas station coffee bars. They have a variety of several different kinds of roasts and blends (dark roast, Colombian, Kona etc...) as well as a flavored cappuccino machine that actually works. Eureka! Holy shit! A gas station cappuccino machine that actually dishes out sugary, artificially flavored COFFEE and not just lukewarm sticky water. They usually always have the French vanilla and caramel flavor along with hot chocolate. Seasonally they have pumpkin spice, king cake, and egg nog flavors. The coffee bar is always clean and well kept after. It's never sticky, so major props to them for that. Few things are gnarlier than the remnants of stale, sticky gas station cappuccino.
The icing on the cake and why this gas station is the holy grail of gas stations: ANNUAL FREE COFFEE WEEK. I LOVE this! Like fucking love it! It's usually around the second week of October, but yeah man ... free coffee all week long. They aren't stingy about it, either. You can take a large and fill it up. The prissy cappuccino coffees also count. Free pumpkin spice cappuccino for a week in October. What the hell's not to like about this place? Sounds pretty killer to me. In the summer they have Sodapalooza, AKA soda pig fest. When this is going down you can buy this huge-ass, plastic cup from them for like $8 and you can refill it for free from their soda machine. It also includes their frozen soda slushie drinks as well. I no longer drink soda, but back when I had my diet coke addiction I would have been taking advantage of this everyday all day long until my kidneys explode.
On a more adult-mature person note, they do stock an adequate amount of over the counter medicines so if you're driving along and have a headache or you're retching your guts out, you'll probably find something to help put you out of your misery here. With all the free coffee and soda they dish out one may get an upset tummy, so maybe they feel if they stock a proper pharmacy it's a win-win situation for all.
Lastly, every once in a blue moon they'll send me coupons through the mail for a free coffee or donut. So nice and generous! Yet another reason to love this place and why I stop here frequently on my way home from work to buy myself a pint of Snickers ice cream or a pack of Twizzlers for midnight gorging. read more