Gas stations offer discounts for cash

USA TODAY, July, 2008 by Kathy Chu

This year, as gas prices surged, Richard Bell mounted a sign in the station he owns: "Attention gas cash customers: FREE 16 oz. fountain drink or 12 oz. coffee with purchase of 10 gallons of gas or more."

The goal, says Bell, owner of the Market at Jodeco, in Stockbridge, Ga., was to encourage customers to pay with cash rather than a credit card. But so far, he notes ruefully, it's been a struggle. As gas prices climb ever higher, more -- not fewer -- consumers are using credit cards, because they don't have enough cash on hand.

The offer "doesn't help that much," Bell says. "We have only a few people take us up on it."

Despite such resistance, a growing number of gas stations across the nation are launching promotions to encourage drivers to choose cash over credit. They're doing so because as gas prices rise, so ...