Our Least Favorite Gas Station Coffee Has An Oddly Sour Taste

When you need to grab coffee, sometimes you don't have the luxury of being picky — like in those liminal spaces in hotel lobbies at 5 a.m., dreary doctor's offices, or fluorescently lit gas stations at the start of a long and harried day. If you're lucky, some of these quick-stop coffees, like Wawa's, are in a gas station league of their own. Other times, you just have to settle for what's in front of you.

We went to five major gas stations to rank their coffees, and while some were surprisingly decent, one stood out as a definite pass to us. ARCO's ampm coffee is, simply put, a weak and bitter miss you're better off without. The forward note in this coffee is sour, and we mean notably sour — like, kind of reminiscent of sour gummy candies. It's also a really light coffee. There's no robustness or body to this roast at all, despite the classic near-black color. You can dress it up a bit with sugar or cream, and it'll get the job done if all you need is a shot of caffeine, but that's as good as it gets with this one.

The simple answer: yes, there is. Despite being bad coffee, ampm is still coffee, and basically all coffee is serviceable in two ways. First, it has enough caffeine to wake you up. Second, it won't break the bank, though in ARCO's case, you're still paying more than you would at other gas stations. 

If you're in a situation where ARCO's ampm coffee is the only thing available, you can still potentially salvage it. Grab yourself a sweet milk-based drink from the fridge section, like a chocolate milk or even a frappe. You can add this to your hot coffee in lieu of creamer, and the extra sugar will take off that sour, bitter edge, improving the drinkability right away. Or, you might just find yourself a cold coffee from a better brand waiting for you. It'll probably run you a bit more than a hot coffee, but if you like a cold drink, this is a better option.

If you really want a hot brew, you could even grab some store-bought instant coffee and mix it into hot water to make your own cup of joe. Ultimately, if you're craving a cup and ARCO's ampm is the only option, we're pleased to inform you that you will, in fact, survive.