TikToker confused after spotting gas station selling three grades of fuel from only two tanks
Published on Jul 31, 2025 at 7:19 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Jul 31, 2025 at 1:43 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Jesse Miller wasn’t chasing internet fame when he pulled into a Shell station with three fuel options — he just needed gas.
Then he noticed something odd: the pump’s hatch was hanging open, exposing a secret most drivers never see.
Two pipes ran into the ground, yet the pump offered three choices – 87, 89, and 93 octane. Miller hit record on his phone and asked TikTok: “How’s that work?”
Four million views later, people were suddenly questioning how gas stations really do business.
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Two pipes, three fuel options
Here’s the truth that caught so many people off guard: midgrade gas isn’t its own thing.
Most stations only keep two fuels underground – regular and premium.
That 89-octane option in the middle? It’s a mash-up of the two, blended right there in the pump. No secret tank, no magic – just car fuel mixology.
Miller’s open-hatch moment showed exactly that: one pipe for 87, one for 93. Hit 89, and the pump basically pours a cocktail of both.
Turns out, plenty of people had no idea.
The comments were full of shock, disbelief, and the occasional ‘duh.’
A few savvy commenters even dropped a hack: blend your own midgrade gas. Pump half a tank of 87, start a new transaction, and top off with 93. Congratulations, you’re a gas station bartender.
TikTok reacts the only way TikTok knows how
The comments section turned into a mix of roasting and revelations.
“Hold onto your hat, but if you go up even farther there’s only one hose,” one user joked.
Another compared it to kitchen plumbing: “Same reason your sink does hot, cold, and warm.”
Well, when you put it like that…
One former gas station tech chimed in to confirm what was happening: “If you select midgrade, it’ll mix the two in the machine and pump out a mixture of the two at once.”
Between the jokes and the ‘aha’ moments, Miller’s casual video basically became a free masterclass on how pumps work – and how marketing keeps midgrade gas alive.
Next time you’re standing there, finger hovering over that 89 button, just know: you’re ordering a custom cocktail. And the bartender is a gas pump.
You can watch Jesse’s video below:
@jesse_m603 #mystery #explain #explainthis #howthingswork #fyp ♬ original sound – Jesse Miller
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With roles at TEXT Journal, Bowen Street Press, Onya Magazine, and Swine Magazine on her CV, Molly joined Supercar Blondie in June 2025 as a Junior Content Writer. Having experience across copyediting, proofreading, reference checking, and production, she brings accuracy, clarity, and audience focus to her stories spanning automotive, tech, and lifestyle news.
