I never remember conference calls until they're already over.
When we were with FDCC, we used the TA/Petro's almost exclusively for fuel, primarily due to the corporate discount that had been negotiated. It very much worked out for us that it was the cheapest fuel we could get. Because we bought so much fuel there, plus had a fair amount of service done (like regular PM's and stuff) that we racked up points in their loyalty program.
Our current carrier doesn't have a discount with TA, so the price advantage is gone. This makes other places more competitive for my business. In the beginning the UltraOne program would run double and triple point emphases, but haven't seen one in awhile, so the points don't add up as fast. Because I don't get as many points, I lost my "Platinum" status, which means my shower credits expire on a regular basis; if I go home on break even a credit earned on the way home is gone by the time I return to work usually. Since I no longer get the price break on fuel, it pretty much is a wash for me as to where to buy fuel. We try to buy some at TA/Petro and some at Pilot/FlyingJ so that we have a mix of available shower credits. The upgraded showers at TA are nice, although by the time you put a basket of flowers on the tiny counter there's no room for my shower kit in too many cases. Just had a shower today at FlyingJ in Birminghan AL and they have been quite nicely upgraded, and are just as nice as the redone ones at TA. I usually try to avoid showers at Pilot's and also Love's, preferring the bigger places that don't have so much the "get your s**t and get out" kind of atmosphere for drivers. FlyingJ TV lounges are usually more comfortable than the ones at TA's (not universally true of course, but as a general rule). As for the food, we find the prices to be a bit high, and almost never do buffet as neither of us eats enough to "get our money's worth." (I know if you look at me you'd think I'm a big buffet guy, but since I'm trying to at least not get any bigger, I try to steer clear of it.) More often than not we split a meal and find that to be sufficient (if we're in the restaurant). Many times my wife opines that it would be nice if there was some way to do a "1-trip to the buffet" at a reduced price, but as long as we'd have to pay full boat for both of us, it's not worth it. We'll just keep splitting a regular menu item.
Just a few rambling thoughts on the topic.
