The Greatest Gas Station in America Is Expanding In Iowa…Sort Of

While driving around the Midwest there is one quick stop as good as your destination, or even as good as getting back home.

Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota know when you have to get gas, a snack, a full-on meal, or go to the bathroom, the best place to do it is at a Kwik___ something.

So does Iowa have the greatest gas station in America?

The USA Today list below has some missing surprises but is still enough to get you from coast to coast.

Readers Choice 2023

The USA Today 10 Best annually puts out lists of the best of nearly everything across the country.

USA Today collects nominees from a panel of experts.  The "10 Best" editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day.

This of course means while the absolute best gas station in America could be a one-off mom-and-pop type place in the middle of nowhere Iowa, not enough people know about it so it's not going to be voted the best.

The Top 10 Best Gas Stations In America

10 - Sapp Bros. Travel Centers - While you can find these from Utah to Pennsylvania, there are only 17 full-service Sapp Bros. across the country.

9 - Quik Trip - The reason Iowa technically doesn't have the greatest gas station in America.

8 - Love's Travel Stops - More than 600 locations across the country, typically known for truck stops.

7 - Sheetz - Located throughout the East, Sheetz is known for their 24/7 menu of made-to-order sandwiches.

6 - Parker's - 70 stores in Georgia and South Carolina that are known (like many others on the list) for their food, not their gas.

5 - Maverik - USA Today says "Try the breakfast burrito" if you are visiting one of their 400 locations across the West.

4 - Royal Farms - Clean bathrooms can be found in the northeast making it a popular stop.

3 - RaceTrac - Across the Southern portion of the United States, RaceTrac has a very Kwik Trip feel to them.

2 - Hy-Vee - Yes, this is a gas station list.  But the grocer has become popular enough with their quick gas stations to make it at number 2 on the list.

Best That Are Missing From The List

Now Iowa might be thinking, "Where is Casey's?".  With 552 stores it is a bit of a surprise.  But this is an overall gas station list, not the best pizza at a gas station list and that is how the readers voted.

The other downright shocker is how there are no beavers on this list.  Buc-ee's may only have 45 locations, but some folks in Texas won't go anywhere else for their gas or Beaver Nuggets.  As they expand, expect the massive store to become a regular on this list.

The Kwik Is On Top Of The List.

So in a way, Iowa has the greatest gas station in America.  But we just have it under a different name. USA Today has "Kwik Trip" ranked as the best gas station in America.

However, Iowa has "Kwik Star".  Same thing, different name.  As you can see in the above map, Iowa has Kwik Star and it's because of the aforementioned "Quik Trips" already located in the state.

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However, it's basically the same thing with either a Star or a Trip. And Iowa will soon see more of them.  In fact, the entire Midwest will soon see more Kwik Something.  In 2023 alone the chain will be opening 31 new stores across Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and South Dakota.

Soon there will be more places for fresh donuts in the morning, chicken for dinner, and walk-in beer coolers.  Plus of course, when you gotta go, it's nice to stroll (or run) into a Kwik Star bathroom.