The vast majority of UK drivers (90%) choose which service station to stop at based on which fast-food outlets are there.
That’s according to rental giant Europcar. However, despite fast-food chains topping the chart of the most in-demand type of food outlets, drivers chose Tebay on the M6 and Gloucester on the M5 as their favourite service stations.
These two stations, which are owned by the same company, offer drivers an alternative to a typical motorway service station by selling locally-sourced produce to eat in a farm shop-esque café.
Fleet Services on the M3, at Oxford on the M40 and at Watford Gap on the M1 made up the rest of the top five.
Choice is also a key consideration when choosing which service station to stop at, with a third of those surveyed by Europcar stating this is the most important thing to them when visiting a service area, while 64% said the cleanliness of the toilets is at the top of their wish-lists for ideal service station qualities.
However, it seems that the majority of motorists don’t stop that often for a break, with only 16% of motorists saying they factor in a stop on a long journey every two hours. A quarter said they only stop to use the toilet and then continue on their journey as quickly as possible.
“Long journeys in the car can be tiring, so it’s important that drivers give themselves a chance for a decent break”, said Gary Smith, managing director of Europcar UK. “Using a vehicle that has all the latest motoring technology and is fully maintained and regularly serviced is also important for a stress-free journey, which is why we encourage holidaymakers to leave the family car at home and hire for the big summer trip.”