[dbetteridge]

Pay before fill is predominantly an American thing.

Australia, NZ, UK and most of Europe all operate on a fill then pay.

Some stations in Australia at least are an exception that open 24/7 and have no employees and are prepaid and some manned stations where they charge at the pump during night hours for safety reasons.

[kiwijamo]

Many fuel stations here in NZ have switched to pay first then fill for cash payments. Most stations I go to have signs saying 'Please go inside to pay first' or words to that effect on the pumps. However many chains have introduced self-payment card terminals, payments via app, etc so it's not a hassle if you can use these other options.

[LinearEntropy]

Many say this, but not once have I ever had to do it. Lift the pump and wait for the attendant to approve. Then pay after.

[dbetteridge]

That's a new one since I last visited, but I guess it has been a few years

[konschubert]

For automated gas stations where you pay at a machine, this is standard also in Europe.

[ripjaygn]

> Pay before fill is predominantly an American thing

Huh? Every gas station I've seen in the US is fill before pay. Except in NJ where there's an attendant.

[Arrath]

Are you posting from an alternate universe? Or the 1950s?

[RoyalHenOil]

This was the norm during my childhood (90s and 00s). Paying at the pump is a fairly recent development. I think gas stations were reluctant to adopt it because it makes it harder to sell snacks.

I live in Australia now, and all the servos (gas stations) I've encountered here are just like the American gas stations I grew up with: you pump, then go inside to pay. The only real difference is that adding air to your tires is always free here.

[Arrath]

> just like the American gas stations I grew up with: you pump, then go inside to pay

Within the similar timeframe I've always encountered the three-step process: you go inside and pre-pay, back out to pump, then back in to get your change (if you didn't just load $20 onto the pump and use it all, anyway). Even the 'pay inside' button on the pumps just flashes "See attendant" on the screen. Same when I worked at gas stations during the downturn. The only places I've ever found that'll let you pump before paying have been the most rural lil independent stations. Gotta love the varied experiences across this bigass country.

[belter]

Both technical possibilities. Would explain a lot of HN comments....

[earthling8118]

As recently as 2019 I would refuse to purchase gasoline at a station that was pay-before-pump. There were enough options. This is no longer the case sadly.

[SAI_Peregrinus]

They're usually card-based. You insert (or in past decades swipe) your card, a hold gets put on your account, you pump the gas, and the measured amount gets removed from your account & the hold removed. If you don't have enough in your account for the hold, the transaction declines. It's effectively pre-pay, even though the transaction settlement doesn't happen until after the gas is pumped.