For people travelling on the motorway, this is a good site
http://www.motorwayservices.info/

All you need to know is that unless it's Tebay Services then it's going to be a miserable expensive experience

We are great fans of Tebay and stop there on our way to Scotland and back.
On the way back, we stock up at the shop.
The M6 toll isn't bad. I think that the services have improved a lot in recent years although some of them are still pretty grotty.

Tebay is fab and the only independently owned service station in the country...I just like watching the ducks and the bunnies out of the window. The only thing that isn't so good is the coffee which is a shame....

Service areas have improved slightly but they are very expensive. Remember to buy something you didn't know you wanted. For something light-hearted on a Sunday morning here is Rhod Gilbert's look at them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld6VEjFdtAk
and here's part2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39QCSW1rwKk

For those not familiar, he is one of the finest British comedians working at the moment, and surely the best Welsh one ever.