By Rachel Wolfe and Dave Cole | Photography by Giancarlo D'Agostaro for WSJ
BATON ROUGE, La. -- At a busy intersection near highway 190, the Food N' Geaux gas station sits at an economic crossroads: where Americans' patience and resilience are tested every time they fill up.
On Thursday, the price for a gallon of regular gas with a credit card was $3.84 at Food N' Geaux. Louisiana's statewide average hit $3.79, a steep climb from the average of $2.72 just a month ago, according to AAA. Nationally, the average price of gas in the U.S. hit $4.11.
Inside the convenience store, patrons chatted cheerfully as they waited for the shrimp fried rice and fish strips that make Food N' Geaux a neighborhood staple. At the pumps, the mood was tense as customers watched the fuel counter tick up, sometimes pulling out the nozzle before the satisfying "ca-chunk" that indicates a full tank. Here's what they told us:
Lenny Viola
Age: 63 | Vehicle: 2026 Ford F250 | Occupation: business owner and retired firefighter
The owner of a lawn service, Viola thinks one of the biggest problems with the economy is that young people don't want to work as hard as their predecessors. "Everyone that wants to work is working as far as I'm concerned," he said. He doesn't like paying more for gas, but says he thinks President Trump is doing the right thing to finally take on Iran -- and notes he has a grandson in the Navy.
Dwayne Nathan
Age: 65 | Vehicle: 2018 Chevrolet Silverado| Occupation: junior high band director
Nathan drives an hour-and-a-half each way from Baton Rouge to get to work every day. He paid $65 for gas. "Everything is going up, gas going up, but we have the same paycheck."
Earl Powers
Age: 41 | Vehicle: 2001 Ford F-150 | Occupation: car mechanic
Powers fixes cars at a shop less than a mile away from his home. On Thursday, he put $25 worth of gas into his truck. He is unfazed by gas price increases, and says he will charge his customers extra if he needs to drive to them.
Jackie Tinsley-Rodriguez
Age: 43 | Vehicle: 2023 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid | Occupation: hair stylist
Tinsley-Rodriguez stopped to grab 20 fried fish strips for herself and her co-workers at the hair salon where she works. She drives thousands of miles a season for her 15-year-old daughter's roller derby tournaments and is worried about paying for gas for the trips. She says her industry is struggling because people are choosing between luxuries, like a stylist, and necessities, like gas.
David Blaché
Age: 53 | Vehicle: 2020 Ford Mustang GT | Occupation: oil and gas executive
Blaché goes through a tank of gas every other day driving back and forth from New Orleans for his work in oil-and-gas project financing. He spends about $200 a week on gas. He would rather be spending less and saving more, he says.
Bailey Mott
Age: 18 | Vehicle: 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road | Occupation: student and deli worker
Mott spent $18.85 on gas, enough to drive to his job and the trade school where he is in a welding program. He couldn't afford to fill up because he still had Easter presents to buy for his younger siblings. He says things will look up for him when he graduates and gets a job in his field.
Duc Nguyen
Age: 47 | Occupation: Food N' Geaux owner
Nguyen took over Food N' Geaux in 2017. He doesn't have much wiggle room on gas prices, so he focuses on keeping breakfast and lunch affordable and "providing value" for customers under pressure.
Ronnie Gauthier
Age: 61 | Vehicle: 2012 Acura RDX | Occupation: retired grain elevator worker
Gauthier is living off investments, and keeps an eye on the rise and fall of the market. He spent $30 on gas Thursday. He tries to cut down on trips to the grocery store to save on fuel.
Michael Meek
Age: 53 | Vehicle: 2015 Ram Express | Occupation: construction project manager
Meek came in for bacon, eggs and grits for breakfast, and chatted with owner Duc Nguyen about having Food N' Geaux stock the honey he harvests at home. Meek says he could use any extra income he can get right now to keep up with inflation.
Jonathan Harts
Age: 43 | Vehicle: 2018 Acura RLX | Occupation: oil refinery construction
Harts stopped into Food N' Geaux to grab lotto tickets for his mom. He works up to 84 hours a week -- from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. -- when he is on location, and is angry that it still doesn't feel like enough to comfortably insulate himself from rising prices and take care of his mother, who lives on a fixed income. He spent $78 on gas a week ago at another station.
Aaron Goings
Age: 45 | Vehicle: 2012 Chevy Silverado | Occupation: state government employee
Working in catastrophe mitigation for the state of Louisiana, Goings likes to be prepared for the worst. But he can't tell if higher gas prices are here to stay, so he isn't sure how to prepare. He drives roughly 70 miles a day for work, and spent $87 on gas.
Bo Ortego
Age: 21 | Personal vehicle: 1992 Chevrolet Blazer | Occupation: roadside assistance for truckers
The roadside-assistance company Ortego works for pays for gas on the tow truck he was driving Thursday, which now takes $110 to fill up instead of the $70 it cost last month. He spent around $100 to fill up his personal vehicle two weeks ago.
Kathy Cowie
Age: 63 | Vehicle: 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe | Occupation: industrial welder and machinist
Cowie stopped in during her lunch break for empanadas and chicken tenders. She blames Trump for raising prices at the pump with a "war we shouldn't be in." She said she couldn't afford the $1,700 a mechanic recently quoted her for car repairs, and worries whether she will have enough to retire in five years.
Write to Rachel Wolfe at rachel.wolfe@wsj.com and Dave Cole at david.cole@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 06, 2026 05:30 ET (09:30 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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