Sheetz, the gas station and convenience store chain, is slashing prices at some of its pumps ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel period.
Effective immediately, the price of its Unleaded 88 is being reduced by 40 cents per gallon. The deal lasts until the end of November and is available at 505 Sheetz locations that sell that type of gas.
Sheetz and other chains periodically slash prices to generate buzz and sales, even at the expense of lower profit. Drawing in people with cheap gas could help give convenience store sales a boost.
But it’s an odd time to cut gas prices, which are below $3 a gallon in 31 states and hovering at $3.06 a gallon nationally. That’s down from $3.30 at this time a year ago, according to AAA.
Sheetz, which has 750 locations primarily in the mid-Atlantic region, encourages customers to check its app or website to see if their location offers the discounted fuel. The chain also offered discounts on Unleaded 88 last summer and during the Thanksgiving holiday last year.
AAA is predicting the busiest Thanksgiving in years, with nearly 80 million people forecasted to travel for the holiday. That’s an increase of 1.7 million people compared to last year, the agency said, adding that nearly 90% of them will be drivers.
Drivers fueling up ahead of their trip next week might notice that the price of a gallon of gas is about 25 cents cheaper overall this year compared to last. GasBuddy said many drivers will see prices at $2.98 per gallon.
“Gas prices, after two-plus years of sizzling because of outside factors like Covid and Russia, are finally coming back into balance,” GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan previously told CNN.
