The best Gas Station Simulator tips for beginners: pump fuel first when it gets busy, stock only what sells, keep every corner clean (toilets included), order supplies in batches of $150 or more so you skip the $25 delivery fee, and put profit back into new services instead of letting it sit. Then hand the repetitive jobs to employees. Every game fact below comes from DRAGO entertainment’s Steam store page and its own Steam patch notes and devlogs, checked on November 3, 2026. Community tips are marked as such, and the upgrade order is our own suggestion.
Table of Contents
Quick answer: Gas Station Simulator tips and tricks
- Rush hour: fuel first. DRAGO warns that cars queuing at the pumps turn into traffic jams that “stop new customers from even entering your station.”
- Stock: focus on your best sellers rather than filling every shelf equally. Since June 2025, customers only put items on their shopping list if you have that type of shelf.
- Deliveries: orders under $150 cost a flat $25 extra (Economy Update, January 2024). Fuel prices move from day to day, so buy when the price curve is low.
- Popularity: pump exactly the amount of fuel the customer asked for, don’t drop products, keep shelves full and the station clean. Popularity brings traffic and unlocks expansions.
- Loans: they run from $100 to $2,500 with 8 to 36 minutes to repay. Miss a payment and a biker takes property of similar value.
- Employees: give each one two tasks in priority order, tick auto-pay for wages, and put them on repetitive jobs like fueling, the cash register or cleaning.
- Stuck traffic: use the Big Red Button at the Dust Bowl sign to reset it.
What version is Gas Station Simulator on in 2026?
DRAGO entertainment released Gas Station Simulator on Steam on September 15, 2021, for Windows and macOS. It costs $19.99, and until November 10, 2026 at 16:00 UTC (8 a.m. PT) it’s $8.99 (55% off). The last big content drop was the RV Camp DLC (October 7, 2025). The last feature patch was Station DLC Management (December 18, 2025), which lets you switch each DLC area on or off. A free biker-themed DLC was announced on September 18, 2026, with no release date yet. DRAGO also said on July 3, 2026 that it is not working on multiplayer.
Don’t mix it up with two other games. The Roblox experience of the same name is unrelated. TrianCat Studio’s new “Gas Station Simulator” on Steam is a different game, listed for December 2026.
How to make money fast in Gas Station Simulator
Players’ guides agree that pumping fuel earns the most at the start (a community full guide on Steam calls it the biggest early earner). Shop sales come next, and later the workshop and other services. These are the money rules DRAGO itself has published:
- Serve the pumps before anything else at peak times. A queue at the pumps blocks the entrance, so you lose the customers you never see (Gas Jockey’s Guide, July 2026).
- Buy fuel when it’s cheap. DRAGO’s supply devlog says the price per gallon changes from day to day. Since the Economy Update, the fuel ordering screen shows a price curve of recent trends. Order before you run low, because the truck takes time to arrive and you still have to transfer the fuel with the hose.
- Set your fuel price carefully. The Fuelnomenal Update (May 2025) lets you set your own fuel prices, and your price affects traffic. After the June 2025 balance patch, setting a new price closes and reopens the pumps to reset traffic, so change it between rushes.
- Batch your shop orders. If an order is under $150, you pay the flat $25 delivery fee. One big order is cheaper than three small ones. You also have to unpack every delivery in the warehouse, and DRAGO’s devlog says to keep the warehouse door locked so nobody wanders in.
- Reinvest. DRAGO’s own advice is that expanding and unlocking new services “usually pays off faster than letting cash sit in your account.”
- Serve VIPs properly. Since July 2024, a VIP customer visits from time to time. Serve them properly a few times in a row and you get a bonus that boosts all your income sources. VIPs have a cooldown of a few minutes between visits.
The Supply 66 order screen groups goods by level; this cart shows a $135 order with the $25 small-order fee included. Image: DRAGO entertainment
Loan options (Economy Update, January 2024)
You take loans on the station PC. Use them for an upgrade that earns money, not to cover a bad day.
| Loan amount | Time to pay back |
|---|---|
| $100-$200 | 8 minutes |
| $250-$450 | 12 minutes |
| $500-$800 | 16 minutes |
| $1,000-$1,400 | 24 minutes |
| $2,000-$2,500 | 36 minutes |
Source: DRAGO’s Economy Update announcement. If you don’t repay, “the biker will make an appearance” and takes movable property worth about as much as the debt.
How popularity works (and how to raise it)
Popularity tracks customer feedback, and a higher level brings more traffic and new expansions. According to DRAGO, these things raise it: pumping exactly the fuel amount ordered, handling products carefully, keeping shelves stocked and keeping the station clean. The bathrooms count too. An October 2026 devlog points out that toilet cleanliness “contributes to the overall cleanliness of your station.” Decorations also attract more customers, according to the store page.
- Challenges: since January 2025, challenges up to popularity level 8 ask for fewer customers and give fewer points. After level 8 they ask for more and pay more.
- Thresholds: Update #7 (September 2022) “significantly lowered” the popularity thresholds and added nine more levels ahead of the free Party Time DLC.
- Community tip: the Steam guide “How to be a Superstar!” (updated March 2023) suggests filling all five Party Time stands. The author reports 200-400 popularity per party and a 45-minute cooldown, and says level 9 to 10 still takes 6-8 hours. These are player figures from an older version.
Best upgrade order for beginners (our suggestion)
DRAGO doesn’t publish an upgrade price list. Upgrades are bought in the PC’s Upgrades tab, which works like a tech tree, and each building has its own levels. The order below is our own suggestion, based on the mechanics in DRAGO’s notes: what makes money soonest and what takes repetitive work off your hands.
| Step | What to do | Why (official mechanic) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clear debris, repair the pumps and the register, start selling fuel | The store page says to repair before you decorate: “you bought a gas station after all” |
| 2 | Stock the Level 1 shop goods (soft drinks, snacks) | The Supply 66 order screen groups products by level. Alcohol, cigarettes and ice cream are Level 2. Car care and newspapers are Level 3 |
| 3 | Toilets | A small expansion that earns per visit ($1.50 in the September 2022 patch notes) and counts toward cleanliness |
| 4 | Workshop | DRAGO: with a workshop, “selling gas will no longer be the sole source of profit” |
| 5 | First employees (cash register, then fueling or cleaning) | Frees you to restock and upgrade (Gas Jockey’s Guide) |
| 6 | Warehouse upgrades | The store page says a bigger warehouse lets you use “low price opportunities” and order less often |
| 7 | Car wash, upgraded toward the Automated Car Wash | Five upgrade levels. The automated version needs minimum maintenance |
| 8 | More parking, bus station, decorations | DRAGO’s supply devlog says these attract more customers |
| 9 | Station level 5 services | Wall Repaint Service and the Alien TR45H Eliminator Supreme (quick trash and footprint clean-up) both need gas station level 5 |
Prices for items and workshop services were rebalanced in January 2024, so trust the in-game prices over older guides. For a similar pricing approach in another shop sim, see our Supermarket Simulator pricing guide.
Gas Station Simulator employee tips
Employees are hired and managed in the PC’s Employee tab. According to the store page, each one has their own skills, some are better at certain tasks, and they level up the tasks they do. DRAGO’s scheduling devlog explains the controls:
- Two tasks per worker: the upper task has priority. DRAGO’s example is a worker who fuels cars when someone is waiting and repairs cars otherwise. If you untick both tasks, the worker goes back to their camper. Unticking the top task also turns off the second one.
- Wages: wages build up while employees work and are paid when they go on break, so they come back. Tick the auto-pay box, or an unpaid worker won’t return.
- Bonus and shifts: the star button pays a bonus that refills stamina for overtime. Workers do day or night shifts, or both if you pay a bonus salary.
- Buttons: orange sends a stuck worker back to their camper. Red fires them.
- Restocking: since January 2025, employees can restock shelves, either automatically or with a custom setup that controls which products are restocked and when.
- Headcount: Update #7 added a caravan section for up to six employees. The September 2023 Employee Update added room for two more, plus shifts and wages.
Employees on fueling duty build up wages as they work, paid when they go on break. Image: DRAGO entertainment
Community tip: the same “Superstar” guide author puts staff on car repair, cashier, ice cream and cleaning, and fuels cars themselves, because fueling “takes seconds.” DRAGO’s own pick is to hand off fueling, cashier duty or cleaning, so try both and see which keeps your queue shorter.
Expansions and DLC: what to get first
The two free DLCs, Party Time and Drive-In Cinema, are worth adding right away. The paid ones are mostly new businesses or a new map. Since December 2025 you can switch any DLC area off in the PC Management tab. Its NPCs leave and its tools are hidden, but your items, upgrades and progress are kept. So you can learn the base station first without the extra pressure.
| DLC | Released | Steam price (US) | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can Touch This | May 18, 2022 | $2.99 | Redecorating tools (walls, doors, windows). DRAGO said it adds 2 gas station levels, 2 warehouse levels and 1 workshop level |
| Party Time | Sep 22, 2022 | Free | A party venue, collectables, popularity boosts, ice cream |
| Airstrip | Apr 26, 2023 | $7.99 | A small airstrip and Joe’s air routes |
| Tidal Wave | Mar 21, 2024 | $14.99 | A new tropical island map with a volcano-god meter |
| Car Junkyard | Sep 19, 2024 | $16.99 | Salvage wrecks and sell cars |
| Drive-In Cinema | Mar 6, 2025 | Free | A cinema that brings new customers |
| RV Camp | Oct 7, 2025 | $11.99 | A campground with rentals and minigames |
Prices are from Steam’s US store, checked November 3, 2026. If you own a second map (Tidal Wave), the July 2024 update added passive income between maps. It’s based on your average costs and revenues over the last seven days on each map, so you need seven days on a map before it pays.
The car wash has five upgrade levels, ending with the Automated Car Wash. Image: DRAGO entertainment
Common beginner mistakes
- Spending everything on looks first. The store page’s own warning: repair the equipment and start serving customers before you decorate.
- Running out of fuel. Deliveries take time, so order before the tank is low.
- Forgetting the toilets. Dirty bathrooms drag down overall cleanliness.
- Many small orders. Each order under $150 costs $25 extra.
- Doing every job alone. The Management tab opens and closes each area of the station, so close the car wash or a pump while you catch up. Hire help once the money allows.
Community tip: a long-standing Steam guide shows you can push a stuck delivery truck or a sand pile with the broom. If traffic jams for good, use the Big Red Button at the Dust Bowl sign, which DRAGO itself recommends for resetting traffic. If you like this kind of fix-up-and-sell loop, our House Flipper 2 tips and tricks and Supermarket Simulator license order cover the same skills in other games. For a slower management sim, try our Farming Simulator 25 beginner tips.
FAQ
How do I get employees in Gas Station Simulator?
You hire them through the Employee tab on the station PC once your station has grown. Each employee gets two prioritised tasks and a day or night shift, and earns wages that are paid when they take a break.
What should I upgrade first in Gas Station Simulator?
Our suggestion: repair the pumps and register, stock Level 1 goods, then add toilets and the workshop before the warehouse and car wash. The game shows upgrade costs in the PC’s Upgrades tab.
Is there multiplayer in Gas Station Simulator?
No. DRAGO confirmed on July 3, 2026 that it is not working on multiplayer for Gas Station Simulator. Road Diner will be its first game designed with multiplayer in mind.
Is the Gas Station Simulator DLC worth it for beginners?
Start with the two free ones, Party Time and Drive-In Cinema. Add paid DLCs once the base station runs smoothly, and switch areas off in the Management tab when they get in the way.
Sources: Gas Station Simulator Steam page (DRAGO entertainment; price and DLC data checked November 3, 2026); DRAGO’s Steam announcements: Gas Jockey’s Guide (Jul 24, 2026), Don’t forget about cleaning (Oct 18, 2026), Why do everything by yourself? (Oct 11, 2026), No Multiplayer (Jul 3, 2026), Station DLC Management (Dec 18, 2025), Physics & Popularity Balance Update (Jun 26, 2025), Fuelnomenal Update (May 29, 2025), Restocking Shelves Update (Jan 23, 2025), VIP update and map transfer (Jul 11, 2024), Economy Update (Jan 2024), Employee Update and Scheduling System devlog (Sep 2023), Update #7 (Sep 2022), Update #6 (May 2022), DevLog #11: Supply & Management; community: Steam guides How to be a Superstar! and How to fix problem with broom.
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