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Today’s number: 3 million Wally’s visitors per year
Friday, Jan 16, 2026 - Posted by Rich Miller * Gov. JB Pritzker held a press conference this week at Wally’s, a massive and beloved gas station and travel center in Pontiac, to announce several new EV charging stations. Wally’s CEO Michael Rubenstein spoke at the event and said the business hosted 3 million visitors last year. 3 million. That’s about a third of the number of people who visit Navy Pier every year. Astounding. Anyway, discuss.
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- clec dcn - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:35 am:
Good place to ride your bicycle to and then get a snack and some fluid. Out in the open not traffic problems. Kinda of a cool place really.
- We've never had one before - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:35 am:
>>>>a third of the number of people who visit Navy Pier every year.
A comparison of crime rates would also prove illuminating, but Navy Pier just cannot compare to the beef jerky offerings and vintage campers displayed at the Pontiac location, coupled by a sudden urge to use a clean bathroom.
- Almost the Weekend - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:38 am:
The money from those gaming machines has to be in the eight figures. My gosh
- Norseman - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:42 am:
Stopped there for the first time on my way to Aurora to visit relatives for Xmas. Amazing store. Bought my new granddaughter a Cubs lovey. Glad the owners are embracing EV chargers.
- Tile - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:44 am:
They have, legit, some of the best homemade potato chips I’ve ever had. I make a point to stop whenever I’m driving that way
- twowaystreet - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:47 am:
3 million equates to roughly 80,000 Springfield folks hitting up Wallies each week of session on the way there and the way back.
The reality is obviously smaller, but no doubt that Springfield traffic makes up a significant portion of their business. No matter what time I leave Springifield I always see a few people I know meandering around Wally’s.
- Matty - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:52 am:
Nice place overall, but highly overrated. Coffee sucks, I don’t eat popcorn, nor do I eat meat. It’s a stop for cheap fuel and a bathroom break for me.
I’m absolutely in love with that orange Wagoneer they have on display out front though.
- George Ryan Reynolds - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:55 am:
Having now been to a Buc-ees, I realize where Wally’s got its inspiration from. But we don’t have Buc-ees in IL. We have Wally’s, which is a beacon of light on long drives down I-55. And makes it the superior drive to I-57, which can be bleak for such amenities.
- Rounding Numbers and Bases - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:55 am:
=gaming machines=
I don’t think they have VGT’s there.
I wish the restrooms still had the old automatic soap, water, and hand dryers. I wonder if maintenance on those became too problmeatic.
- TreeFiddy - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:58 am:
I never got the Cult of Wally’s… but then I visited a few years ago on trip up to Chicago, and I’ve become a full convert.
- Red Ranger - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 9:59 am:
Its amazing. The location is perfect, just far enough from the Chicago area to need a break in driving, but far enough from Springfield where it still make sense to stop. Clean bathrooms, good food/drink options, well lit. It seems like such an easy concept, but judging by the other 99.9% of gas stations, it must be much harder to do than it seems.
- Annon'in - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:01 am:
First time I approached at nite it appeared a Martian flying saucer had landed at Pontiac — then the word Wally’s appeared.
- OutHereInTheMiddle - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:01 am:
Wish those grants would fund some more chargers in Western Illinois. There are about 4 total chargers east of Springfield/Bloomington.
- Red Ketcher - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:05 am:
Good deal, Pontiac just used to be famous for the Landfill and the Prison. Fortunately never ended up in either one.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:08 am:
Clerks are small-town friendly and the place is spotlessly clean, including the restrooms.
I like their beef brisket sandwich. Tender and flavorful.
The variety of customers sometimes reminds me of the cantina scene in Star Wars.
- No relation - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:13 am:
At 3 million visitors a year with an average car with three people that is about 115 cars an hour or close to two cars a min pulling into the station 24/7.
- RNUG - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:14 am:
I have to think that Buc-ees and Wallys took their inspiration from the I-80 truck stop just west of the Quad Cities.
- Behind the Scenes - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:17 am:
Stopped there once not long after they had opened. Great selection of food and other stuff. Clean restrooms, Didn’t need fuel so can’t remember it’s price. Only knock is with all the food to choose from, there’s no place to sit down to eat it. Just not crazy about trying to eat and drive on I-55 at the same time.
- The Dude Abides - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:17 am:
Been a regular since they opened - I live in Springfield, but drive to Chicagoland 10-12 weekends per year. It’s around halfway, and is a perfect pit stop both ways.
Food options are great, even if like me you lean towards healthier options.
And no, they do NOT have VGT’s.
- Think again - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:22 am:
I love the Mega Travel Centers - Have to stop at Wally’s, Buc-ees and of course, the original and still best, the World’s largest Truck stop in Walcott, Iowa
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:24 am:
For a fair comparison with other roadside attractions:
Wall Drug - 2 million
Cadillac Ranch - 2 million
Graceland - 650K
Mitchell Corn Palace - 500K
Ruby Falls: 500K
Also, for fun:
Cubs: 2.9M
White Sox: 1.3M
Chicago Bears: 234K
What makes Wally’s work is that they are always fully staffed, you never spend more than three minutes checking out.
- Frida's Boss - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:24 am:
Wally’s store and food areas are clean, the bathrooms are clean, and it has a ton of pumps. Fountain drinks are cheap and large for the caffeine fix needed mid-trip.
The hot sandwich quality has dropped since the opening, but that’s probably a cost issue, not having actual carvers in that middle section all day, as in the beginning.
- TNR - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:27 am:
Love Wally’s, but simply don’t believe those numbers. Found an IDOT traffic count for I-55 that shows roughly 22,000 vehicles a day pass the site. More than a third of them would have to pull off and go to Wally’s to generate that number of visits. That doesn’t happen. For what it’s worth, I don’t buy the Navy Pier numbers either.
This reminds me of the comically high crowd estimates the city of Chicago would release for the Bulls championship rallies at Grant Park.
- Give Us Barabbas - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:47 am:
Wally’s is like the IKEA of gas stations. The lack of seating has to be for some kind of advantageous legal reason, I am guessing it is the difference between being classified as a restaurant, for tax reasons, and just a gas station. I would be interested in a news article about that subject with a detailed explanation.
- Mike McDermott - Friday, Jan 16, 26 @ 10:51 am:
Love Wally’s, wide selection, plenty of pumps, clean facilities on every visit, warm, friendly staff, brisket by the pound, friday fish sandwiches….fact sheets can be left by the camper…