Generally speaking, promotions and sales have checks in place to make sure you actually fulfill all of the requirements before you receive the benefits.
For example, if you go to a store with a “buy two, get one free” sale, the store is going to make sure you actually buy two before they give you the third item for free.
Still, there are always workarounds for any promotion. For example, many internet users have noted how one can game Olive Garden’s unlimited pasta deal for free meals. Others have discussed how system glitches can result in benefits for customers, especially when it comes to gasoline.
Now, a user on TikTok says she’s taken advantage of a “get a car wash, get a discount on gas” promotion. But did she really need to get the car wash?
What Happened At This Circle K?
In her video, TikTok user Zoey Granitz (@iamthatzoey) shows herself at a Circle K/Shell location. According to Granitz, this location has a promotion in which one can save money on gas by getting a car wash.
“I wanna see if they actually check that I got a car wash,” she starts.
She then shows the gas pump. On the screen are options for various car washes. Granitz selects the most expensive, $16 option. This, she says, is the car wash she received.
After pressing the button, the transaction proceeds as normal. In a comment, Granitz says that this resulted in a savings of “$0.30 per gallon.”
“Shell does not check to see if you got a receipt or not, if you actually got a car wash or not,” she states. “Keep this in mind for hypothetical purposes.”
Is This True?
While this specific promotion may not involve a receipt check, such promotions are generally not enforced through physical checks.
Instead, these promotions often used loyalty cards or other station-specific branded promotional cards to offer additional funds.
For example, Circle K’s “Easy Pay Debit” card allows shoppers to get at least 10 cents off every gallon of gas when they use the card. This is not enforced via a receipt check; rather, these rebates are automatically applied once the specific card is detected and used.
Alternatively, some pumps may require a shopper to apply a specific rewards number in order to receive benefits. Shell’s Fuel Rewards savings program allows shoppers to use a Fuel Rewards card, Alt ID, or a debit/credit card linked to the chain’s “Link & Save™” program in order to have promotions automatically applied.
Does This Really Save Money?
In Granitz’s case, some wondered whether getting the car wash actually saved her money on gasoline.
“You didn’t save because you paid $16 for a $2 car wash,” said a user.
The average car holds 14 gallons of gasoline. Granitz saved $0.30 per gallon. In total, this means she would only get around $4.20 worth of gasoline for free if she were fueling her car up from empty.
This is significantly less than the $16 she paid for a car wash. As such, it’s fair to say that it’s not worth it to get a car wash solely to save money on gas.
BroBible reached out to Circle K via website contact form, Shell via website contact form, and to Granitz via TikTok direct message and comment.