Save money on gas... at Price Chopper?
Price Chopper announced a gasoline discount deal with Sunoco today. Here's how the "Fuel AdvantEdge" deal works:
- Every time you spend $50 at the Chopper, you become eligible for a 10 cent/gallon discount at Sunoco
- Those 10 cent discounts build on each other -- so if you spend $150 at the Chopper, you get a 30 cent/gallon discount on gas.
- The grocery totals add up over the course of 90 days -- tracked by your AdvantEdge account.
- You can "spend" your accumulated discount on a single gas purchase of up to 20 gallons.
- Go back to step 1.
At least, that's how we think this works.
It's pretty easy to spend $200 at the Chopper over the course of a month. That would lead to a 40 cent/gallon gas discount. Depending on the size of your car, that could mean a discount of $4 or more on a fill-up.
So this could be a good deal with you're already a Chopper regular. But if you're not, you'd probably save more money overall by shopping at Hannaford or Walmart.
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Comments
They've actually been doing that for a while. Just not around here.
... said Slacker on Jun 15, 2009 at 4:54 PM | link
They are still no Wegmans.
... said Travis on Jun 15, 2009 at 5:35 PM | link
looks like you need the "wallet sized" advantage to redeem this. Does anyone actually keep those?
... said lk on Jun 15, 2009 at 5:57 PM | link
Raaarr Wegmans Trader Joes Honest Weight wharrrrrrgarbl!
... said B on Jun 15, 2009 at 7:15 PM | link
So if you get 10c per gallon per $50 spent, and assuming a conservative 10-gallon fill-up, that works out to a $1 rebate per $50 spent -- a 2% rebate. Nothing dramatic, but that 2% discount would certainly add up over time.
We're mindless Chopper loyalists, so we'll gladly take the rebate!
... said Fred on Jun 15, 2009 at 8:10 PM | link
We have had this in Plattsburgh for the last 8-10 months. Very popular and people talk about how much they got off a gallon. Not uncommon to get up to a dollar off a gallon. The question is how much are prices increased by PC to cover the cost? Why is the Capital District finally getting this perk? Is it because there is more competition in the CD and they needed to keep prices lower. It will be interesting to see if your price comparisons show and increase.
... said jh on Jun 15, 2009 at 10:31 PM | link
Love this program. It's been running in other Price Chopper markets for at least a year now.
... said LB on Jun 16, 2009 at 12:03 AM | link
How does the price of the gas at Sunoco compare to other gas stations? It happens Sunoco isn't convenient to me anyway.
... said chrisck on Jun 16, 2009 at 9:09 AM | link
We've also had the program here in Bennington for at least a year (it started shortly before the bubble burst on oil prices). LK, I think you can use any AdvantEdge card, even the keychain ones. One direct result of the program is that the local Sunoco - the only one in town - has been jam-packed pretty much continually since then. Shouldn't be much of a problem in a bigger market with more Sunoco stations.
... said Dan on Jun 16, 2009 at 9:10 AM | link
Groceries from Wal*Mart? Eeeeeeeeeeew! No thanks.
... said Chris on Jun 16, 2009 at 9:16 AM | link
I bet Price Chopper isn't raising their prices, or if they are not by much, because this deal gets more people into their stores increasing their revenue. Also, since the shoppers are using the Advantage card PC can track all their shopping habits- priceless information for the store.
... said KatherineSass on Jun 16, 2009 at 9:43 AM | link
I know Price Chopper has the reputation of being more expensive than Hannaford (and Wal-Mart) but I think it just depends on what kind of shopper you are. If you like to take advantage (so to speak) of specials and sales, you're not married to certain brands, and you plan your shopping accordingly, Price Chopper can be very, very cheap.
... said Kate on Jun 16, 2009 at 10:34 AM | link
On a somewhat related note, Sunoco is an oil company who does not use oil imported from the persian gulf, in case you're watching where your dollars are going.
... said B on Jun 16, 2009 at 10:50 AM | link
At Trader Joe's, the gas is free and safe and delicious to drink. And you get a free prostitute in the back seat while you wait for the station attendant to fill up your tank.
... said Herber on Jun 16, 2009 at 3:09 PM | link
When I can buy groceries at Price Chopper and not get charged extra because I refuse to show them an identification card, I'll think about shopping there again. Until then Hannaford gets all my money.
... said CJ on Jun 16, 2009 at 5:50 PM | link
CJ, I happened to find an AdvantEgde keychain card while leaving the Colonie Center cinema the other night. This was super convenient because I was planning to stop for milk and Miller High Life anyway (don't ask) and grabbed buy one get two free english muffins. Try using someone else's card.
... said B on Jun 17, 2009 at 12:11 AM | link
Will all due respect to those with privacy concerns, I really couldn't care less about Price Chopper knowing what I buy. The only juicy secret they might dig up from my recent shopping history is that I took advantage of their 10 for $10 offer on one particular brand of pasta to stock my cupboard. Twice.
Lock me away, I'm a lunatic!
... said Pete on Jun 17, 2009 at 1:47 AM | link
It's not so much the card, and it's not about privacy, it's the principle. Honestly, 9 out of 10 times the cashier will wave her card for me. But I don't understand why a product is one price if I show them a piece of plastic and another, much higher price if I don't. Since I pay with my debit card, they can know absolutely everything about my shopping habits. But making us wave the card is just screwing around with the customers. Much of my family has worked for Price Chopper since it was Central Markets, but I just can't get past that stupid card requirement.
... said CJ on Jun 17, 2009 at 8:15 AM | link
So, I shopped at PC on Monday, bought $20 worth of stuff, and used my Advantage Card. On my receipt there was a note that said, "You have earned $0.00 gas rebate"...or something like that. So, I'm guessing you have to spend $50.00 in one purchase, and that you will see your gas savings on your receipts. Seems very easy, and cool that I did not have to sign up for the program seperately.
Now, I'm interested how this works once you are actually at the Sunoco pump...
... said Jessica R on Jun 17, 2009 at 10:00 AM | link
Milk and Miller High Life...... that takes the cake over my recent purchase of forties and a pregnancy test!
... said juboba on Jun 17, 2009 at 12:02 PM | link
At the pay-at-the pump device, you run your Advantedge card through *before* pumping gas, and beffore you slide your credit or debit card.
If you're paying with cash, bring the card into the store. I think.
... said LB on Jun 17, 2009 at 12:42 PM | link
juboba, that was the next day.
... said B on Jun 17, 2009 at 2:04 PM | link
FYI, I don't think money spent on beer counts. And yes, that sucks.
... said grizz on Jun 17, 2009 at 9:21 PM | link
For every $50 that you spend at Price Chopper you would get a 10 cent discount for gas at sunoco stations. The max fill up is 20 gallons. YES! you will need you'll full sized advantage card because the pump will read the magnetic strip on the back of the card. Where as at the store we use the barcode. Only one fill up and one car per transaction. The discount levels are as such:
$50= 10 cents
$100= 20 cents
$150= 30 cents
$200= 40 cents
$250= 50 cents
By now you should get the idea. Right now only Sunoco stations are accepting the program, but you never know other sunoco stations and other companies may JOIN!! And new ideas such as ( for every drink you buy at Price Chopper, get 1 cent off a gallon) THAT IS JUST IDEA, IT IS NOT REAL YET! Maybe, just maybe will become a reality.
Important: If you have more discounts than that of the price of gas the minimum that you would have to pay per gallon is 10 cents a gallon. For me that would be filling up for 70 cents or below as my gas bill TOTAL! If anyone has possible ideas visit Pricechopper.com and click on our facebook page!
... said PC Employee on Jun 17, 2009 at 11:17 PM | link
This program is for suckers. First, Price Chopper is and always has been more expensive than Hannaford. And sometimes it's more expensive by A LOT. They dupe consumers by having "sales" which, ironically, are sometimes the same price and even more than Hannaford's (occasionally they're lower). Still, it never ceases to amaze me when I see some of their prices equivalent to prices in convenience stores! If you add the "savings" you get from this new gas thing, you're lucky if you break even. Just shop at Hannaford. Second, those stupid cards are annoying. Third, even worse is those cards are used to not only track your purchases for marketing reasons, but they actually sell your name to mailing lists (ask anyone who's had a new baby and shopped for items at Price Chopper - they're bombarded with related mail).
... said Andrew on Jul 30, 2009 at 11:25 PM | link
Jessica R, you do not have to spend $50 at once. It's cumulative. You will see "$xx.xx spent towards your next discount level." or something similar.
Andrew, not everyone has a Hannaford at a reasonable distance to them. Currently, the nearest one to me is in Guilderland although they are building one in Duanesburg near the intersections of US Route 20 and NY-30. Also, I tend not to get bombarded with related mail although one time they sent me cereal coupons to my sister's address. Also, you need to shop around. I can guarantee I can find items that are cheaper at Price Chopper than anywhere else, items that are cheaper at Walmart than anywhere else, and items that are cheaper at Hannaford than anywhere else. However, I do find it funny when Stewart's has prices that are cheaper than Price Chopper.
... said Brandon on Sep 1, 2009 at 2:03 PM | link
Just a reminder for Capital Region folks that the $$ off expires after 2 months... I guess that means that we've already started to see our incentives expire since the program started in June...
... said Matthew on Sep 1, 2009 at 2:55 PM | link
I hate this promotion because I don't have a car!!!!!!
... said Kira on Oct 24, 2009 at 2:00 PM | link