A $0.88 per gallon difference between cash and credit usually means the station is charging extra for card payments.
Here’s what it means in simple terms:
- Cash price: lower (you pay less per gallon if you pay with cash)
- Credit price: higher (you pay more per gallon if you use a card)
So if gas is, for example:
- $3.50/gal cash
- $4.38/gal credit
That’s your $0.88 difference.
Why this happens:
Gas stations pay processing fees every time someone uses a credit/debit card. Instead of absorbing that cost, some stations pass it to customers by increasing the credit price.
What to watch out for:
- Always check both prices on the pump or sign before fueling
- The difference is usually much smaller (like $0.05–$0.20), so $0.88 is very high
- It may be a local pricing strategy or a typo on signage in some cases
