3 Big Numbers is a weekly column that looks at a few key details from around the c-store industry.
Fuel prices spiked earlier this year after the U.S. went to war with Iran and have remained elevated from 2024 and 2025 levels, according to data from GasBuddy. Diesel prices recently hit new records well above $6 per gallon.
Since many Americans need their cars to get to work, they’re stuck paying those higher prices.
That creates an opportunity for gas stations and convenience retailers, whose rewards programs can offer a variety of savings at the pump. And an increasing number of drivers are combining savings from multiple programs, according to a report from retail technology company Verifone.
In this week’s “3 Big Numbers,” we take a look at what Verifone’s data says about how consumers are stacking rewards.
2.86 million
The number of fuel transactions this summer that stacked two or more rewards, according to a report from Verifone
Verifone analyzed more than 590 million fuel purchases made between May 29 and Sept. 10 and found that 2.86 million of them combined two or more loyalty or rewards programs.
That’s less than half a percent of all transactions, but the prevalence of these transactions rose throughout the summer and peaked during the July 4 week, Verifone noted.
We’ve seen some companies hook up to make stacking rewards easier. For example, Walmart just added Citgo stations to its Walmart+ membership program’s fuel discount. Those members can connect their Club Citgo membership to add both programs’ savings together.
$2.52
The average amount customers who stacked rewards saved per fill-up this summer
Stacking discounts can add up. On average, consumers who used stacked rewards saved $2.52 per fill-up, compared with $1.81 for those who used only one rewards program.
However, Verifone noted that customers who stacked rewards also had larger average fill-ups. When looking at the average per-gallon savings, drivers who combined programs saved 9.6 cents per gallon, while single-program users saved 15.7 cents per gallon.
For retailers, the data suggests that having the right program can be more attractive for drivers than one that allows them to combine multiple offers.
$82.8 million
Total fuel rewards savings customers received this summer
Customers used plenty of fuel discounts this summer, whether via one program or by stacking multiple offers.
Drivers in Verifone’s study saved $82.8 million through discounts at the pump this summer. And that number could grow higher if companies can urge more drivers to test their discounts.
In a separate report from earlier this year, Verifone found that only a quarter of customers getting gas during a week in late June connected a rewards or loyalty account to the transaction. Of those, only a third actually redeemed fuel savings for their fill-up.
That means there are plenty of customers out there that retailers could potentially woo with the right offer.
