Travelers along I-35 North reported waiting in line nearly two hours for Buc-ee's $3.10 gas this week. The station introduced what it calls "economy gallons" while prices across the country are projected to continue rising. The new pricing has proven a success: more than 50 customers a week reportedly drive over 90 minutes to fuel up and take selfies at the pump.
Director of Pricing Strategy Rick Pinkerton, who worked as a shrinkflation manager before joining Buc-ee's, explained he's drawing on that experience to counter rising costs. "My hybrid pricing model optimizes "galliters," which are approximately 52% of a standard gallon," Pinkerton said. "At $3.10, customers pay just $1.65 per legacy equivalent. This isn't less, we simply right-size the units."
Based on Buc-ee's success, competitor Murphy USA announced a $28.99 flat-rate "60-second fuel frenzy" (all you can pump), while QuikTrip quietly introduced a "gallonette" (one-eighth of a standard gallon) with seasonal pricing.
"I worked in shrinkflation for over a decade," Pinkerton responded. "I understand the difference between someone who gets unit optimization and someone who just read about it on the EIA website."