5 reasons why I love the German Tankstelle so much
I can’t wait to go on holiday! To Germany, preferably, because I love the nature and German food. That holiday feeling starts on the way there, when you can stop at one of those German petrol stations.
Fill up the car, pay and get back on the road? Not if you stop at a German petrol station along the way, because they’re often little supermarkets where you genuinely want to browse. It’s not a problem at all to wait a bit if your travel companion needs to use the bathroom. Attention, frugal Dutchies: you get a receipt when you use the bathroom, which can get you as much as fifty cents off something in the shop. So pee first, then shop. Do you think you’ll only find ice scrapers, air fresheners and compilation CDs there? No, no, we’re giving you five products to look forward to.
Our 5 favourite products from the German Tankstelle
#1: Drinks, better than the liquor store
I was hugely surprised when I first saw it: at German petrol stations, you can buy spirits . And not just one or two dusty bottles behind the till on a high shelf—in most petrol stations, there’s an impressive selection of cognac, whisky and vodka. Beer, wine, scary canned mixed drinks: name it and they have it. I hope most drivers don’t already twist the cap off their purchase in the car, but save it all neatly for home or their holiday destination.
#2: Local products
I’ve also seen this at petrol stations in Spain and France: shelves and fridges filled with local products, such as cheeses from the area, jam, special breads, tubs of fruit or—of course—home-distilled schnapps. There’s even a petrol station offering embroidery and woodcarvings, but that must be a niche thing.
#3: ALL the Haribo
When you’re abroad, it’s always fun to roam around the supermarket and marvel at everything they have that we have to do without in the Netherlands. German supermarkets—and therefore those delicious little shops at petrol stations too—have a much bigger selection of Haribo than we’re used to! Honestly, this is something that should be negotiated at a European level, because surely it can’t be that we have to be satisfied with just the little bears and cola bottles, while they can choose from a shelf at least a metre long, filled with every variety, colour and flavour you could imagine. And until those international negotiations are complete, make the most of it at the Tankstelle.
#4: Epic schnitzels
Large petrol stations along the motorway often have a restaurant. They look like the V&D coffee corner in the 1980s, complete with fake wooden trays and one of those racks where you slide your tray along. If you see someone ordering a trendy carpaccio sandwich or a quinoa salad, shake your head sympathetically. They don’t know any better. True connoisseurs know to ignore all those supposedly trendy dishes on the menu and simply order a large schnitzel , with Pommes. Add a slice of lemon and enjoy. A slice of cake for dessert: always a good idea.
#5: Pretzels
Maybe not at every petrol station, but definitely at my regular stop on the way to the Eiffel: warm pretzels. No, I don’t mean those sad little snacks in a bag, but life-sized mahogany-brown twists covered in serious salt crystals. Do yourself and your travel companion a favour and grab one. Eat it on the way, because those things don’t stay fresh for very long—and they’re absolutely delicious, especially when warm. One more advantage: your car will have that vague petrol-station smell throughout your entire holiday.
And the holiday hasn’t even started yet.
If only it were time already.
Also read:
- Know before you go: 12 German foods and drinks that sound funnier than they taste
- Tupperware is calling it quits—no more parties ever again
- Road-trip food: here’s what to bring
