Well, here we have it, the Fabulous (rolling eyes) new program that Kroger is rolling out. They are stacking the gas rewards program. The big deal is that they are offering $1 off your gas purchase at a Kroger station. This is the problem:
- You have to spend $1000 in groceries for the month to get the $1 off.
- You can only use it once.
- If you don’t use your points, they expire at the end of the month.
Not a great deal since I won’t be shopping there anymore, without the double and triple they are too expensive!
Let’s do the math:
I drive a suburban that has a 31 gallon tank. Ouch! I have to spend $1000 at Kroger to get the $1 off. Normally, I spend about $350 at Kroger monthly, but that is with coupons. So without doubles and triples I figure my total will be about $700 a month for the same groceries. This means I will get a $.70 discount ONE TIME when I fill up. If gas is $3.50, I am getting it for $2.80 with the gas discount, and paying $75.60. I would have normally paid $94.50. The difference is $18.90!
So I have to spend $350 MORE a month in groceries to save $18.90 in gas!
Way to go Kroger that is BRILLIANT! NOT.
Starting Wednesday, April 13, customers will be able to save up to $1 per gallon at Kroger Fuel Centers in the greater Houston area (only) through our new fuel accumulation program. We operate 68 Kroger Fuel Centers in the greater Houston market.
Our enhanced fuel rewards program will allow shoppers to accumulate their earned fuel points. For each increment of 100 points they have earned, they’ll be awarded a discount up to $1 per gallon at Kroger Fuel Centers. Fuel points are based on shopping total before coupons and discounts are applied. For instance, if a customer’s total is $200 but the balance after coupons and discounts is $125, the shopper would be awarded 200 fuel points.
Through our partnership with Shell, shoppers will still be able to save 10 cents per gallon at over 500 participating Shell locations in the Houston area when redeeming 100 earned fuel rewards points.
Here’s the breakdown of fuel point redemption:
·100 points = 10¢ off per gallon of fuel for 1 fill-up at Kroger or Shell (35 gallon cap).
·200 points = 20¢ off per gallon of fuel for 1 fill-up at Kroger (35 gallon cap).
·300 points = 30¢ off per gallon of fuel for 1 fill-up at Kroger (35 gallon cap).
·400 points = 40¢ off per gallon of fuel for 1 fill-up at Kroger (35 gallon cap).
·500 points = 50¢ off per gallon of fuel for 1 fill-up at Kroger (35 gallon cap).
·600 points = 60¢ off per gallon of fuel for 1 fill-up at Kroger (35 gallon cap).
·700 points = 70¢ off per gallon of fuel for 1 fill-up at Kroger (35 gallon cap).
·800 points = 80¢ off per gallon of fuel for 1 fill-up at Kroger (35 gallon cap).
·900 points = 90¢ off per gallon of fuel for 1 fill-up at Kroger (35 gallon cap).
·1,000 points = $1 off per gallon of fuel for 1 fill-up at Kroger (35 gallon cap).
I don’t know about you, but that is pretty insulting. There are MANY other Kroger markets that have this SAME fuel program and UNLIMITED double and triples.
It is obvious that Kroger does not care about my measly $350 a month. I will just shop elsewhere.
Angela says
Well with all those higher prices it won’t be hard for those who continue to shop there to make the 1000.00 each month.
Gretchen says
To be fair, the policy says “before coupons and discounts” so if you normally spend $350 after coupons, and without doubling that would go to $700 (really doubling the price without double coupons??) your before discounts you’s probalby $1000 any way.
Tiffany says
Gretchen true, I was hitting the $1000 before coupons but I always forgot to use the rewards. Now though without the doubles it will cut it in half. I did all my big shopping there! I did everything else at Walmart.
Cori says
In my area, (Cincinnati Region) we have both the coupon doubling (no triples) and the fuel reward program. I certainly don’t sneeze at getting .20 off my gas, except that the Kroger gas is 10 cents per gallon more expensive than at the one by my house!
I am really, really hoping that this is one initiative that doesn’t continue or spread. I love the brand-new remodeled Krogers that I shop at, but if they discontinue coupon doubling, I’m gone. It’s just not a good deal anymore.
kari phillips says
My number 1 issue with this “reward” is that they are removing my previous customer benefits in my town of 100,000+ people with 3 Krogers, but we don’t have a fuel center here! I would have to drive 10 miles one way to get gas at a Kroger fuel center. Although it will save money for the fill-up, due to typical congested traffic it will realistically be a 1 hour round trip (no exaggeration) to either location. Not a deal. It irritates me that they would implement a program that isn’t applicable to all of its locations, because the old way I could go to any Kroger and double and triple. Now I would have to leave my town to use my “rewards.” Not such a great idea, Kroger. I’m not interested in this “perk.”
Barbara P says
Is this ALL of the “NEW” program or is there more to come by the 13th?
Dana says
I’m with Tiffany. I will just shop somewere else. We do have a choice!!!
Gina A. says
Ok, how is this suppose to help people that fill up at least once a week. Not very bright. Sorry, Kroger I am out of your stores.
Stacy says
Has anyone written a complaint to Kroger? I’m sure it won’t really make a difference but I was just wondering if anyone had done that? I live in HOuston & was considering it.
Melliejoe says
Several people I know did and Kroger removed us from their FB. My family and friends decided to go for a boycott and we let them know. Even if the gas rewards are before coupons it’s still not worth it since we still are losing money.
Michelle G says
I will just start keeping up better with Paul’s blog…Walmart is winning me over!
Kelli says
This is crazy. They are stopping the double and triple coupon deals and giving their customers really nothing in return. I buy a tank of gas a week and yes I get it from Kroger and like it when I get the .10 off which is not every week. No way will I every spend a $1000 a month to get a $1.00/gal. They better have one heck of a sale starting this week. Too many other stores close by.
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Ginger Fray says
So Tiffany, where are we going to shop? I live right by you and go to the same Kroger. Are we going to use Walmart now and have them price match with the Food Town ads? I am thinking this is the way to go.
Tiffany says
I have been using Walmart a lot more. I also am going to be running into Randalls since they double and triple, they have been having a bunch of better deals also.
Leah says
Tiffany, what do you do at Randalls since they only double & triple once? Also, for some reason I don’t get the Randalls insert in my Chronicle…I guess I could just view the ad online…
Melliejoe says
I am trying that today. Food Town has Blue Bell ice cream for $3.88 1/2 gal. I have $1 off coupons from Blue Bell’s website.
Bonnie says
We have had this program for a while in Bloomington/Indy, IN area and it SUCKS! I have found more than once I didn’t get my 10c or whatever off when I expected to and have had other say something happen to them. Someone punches in random phone # and it takes your credit! I have receipt in pile today to show our local store, why April 6 says I have 78 points so far for month and April 8 says I have 9 total for month?!?!? (once told daughter to use it – she got 10c off & next week husband went and it gave him 50c off!!! ok, I didn’t shop, but run in for a couple things that week – no way spent that much for 50c credit!).
Angela says
I have been so frustrated since they announced it that I have only been back once and that was to use as many double/triple q’s as I could. Since then, I have only been to Walmart. No darn fuel center for me either.
Sabrina says
Actually I live in Kansas we have Kroger/Dilons and they’ve had this policy forever on fuel points. Here atleast it is your before coupons discount. Say like one month I had a Blinkie for Krusteaz cookie mix .50 it doubled to $1.oo and well we bought like 140 boxes for free. 😀 So since it was on that buy 10 save $5 I think before the .50 was added it was like $1.49) they gave us over 200+ fuel points. With all the deals we got $1 off gas that month and believe me we maybe spent total like $200 on that save $5 sale, it was the retail they went by. So unless they are doing something different down there it should be I would think the same as it is here.
kris says
They are not double any coupon.
Barbara says
I went into Kroger today and just felt lost, sad, and ticked that my coupons don’t double/triple any longer.
I’m with you ladies I’ll start shopping elsewhere. If really stinks because I only have a Kroger within a mile radius of my house and it is SO convenient going there on the way home or just a quick trip once the hubby gets home.
I emailed Kroger and got a generic reply back – almost the same as a dear friend of mile.
Relly bummed. I guess we will see what happens. May turn out that they bring it back once they see what happens to their sales and lack of customers.
Tiffany – do you have a price book for Kroger already set up? I’d like to have something in hand when I start shopping at Wal-mart to compare prices.
Julie H says
Boo for Kroger! I’m also in the Houston area. I had done a price book for all of our local stores and found Kroger was more expensive, even with double/triple coupons. There’s no way I’ll go there now that they don’t double/triple. And this fuel “rewards” thing is crazy and useless.
jill says
We need to make sure we are calling Kroger to let them know how we feel, they said they are documenting every complaint they get. I am not going down without a fight!!!!!!
Maricela says
I agree 100% with Tiffany! Even before I started couponing I didn’t spend 1000.00 in groceries in a month. We don’t have any Kroger Fuel stations in the spring or woodlands area so we are only allowed the 10 cents anyways at the shells.
Sarah says
There’s s Kroger gas station at Kuykendahl and 2920
Melliejoe says
There is one on Rayford Rd near Imperial Oaks Blvd in The Woodlands
kimberly adkins says
There is a Kroger gas station on Rayford.
I’m mad at Kroger because they refused to take their own coupons the other day for diapers. Not cool, but I just found a better way to stack coupons. Makes me made that we spend 1000 plus there a month and they want to turn away their 3.00 coupon.
Normally, I don’t have a problem at all with Kroger, but with the stopping of double/triple coupons they’re too expensive. I’d estimate .60-.70 average mark-up compared to Wal-Mart.
I only check out with Jennifer (for transaction ease, nice conversation and no rolling eyes about my millions of coupons) at the Sawdust Wal-Mart now and hardly ever have a problem period. Unless they come out with a marvelous coupon program, Kroger is going to lose a ton of business and once you’ve lost customers it’s hard to recover! We’re very loyal to companies and once you’re excluded you’re OUT! 🙂
Ashley M says
Hubby and I have two trucks: A 4 door long bed, 1-ton Chevy; and a new 4 door standard bed 4 wheel drive Toyota (thanks to couponing!! Yippee!) lol
Anyways, we fill these up twice a week…. each! If I spend $300 before coupons and about $600 after (that’s what our average was for Kroger) and I use it on one truck than the others I have to pay full price for? Great job Kroger! I will certainly be looking into HEB. They have gas too.
If I use my 60cents off a gallon one time i’d pay about $3.05 a gallon (until gas goes up again, like tomorrow) So I figure i’ll save $21 even. Wow…. and if I got 10cents off a gallon 6 times lasting almost a whole month I’ll save $21 even. OK?? So I save the same about but if I use all my fuel points on one fill up I pay more out of pocket the rest of the time? Nice job Kroger… nice….
Heather says
I am still beside myself with the change. I was saving atleast $100 a shopping trip with my doubles. Im going to have to shop Randalls or Target, I refuse to shop my Walmart, their customer service stinks and they are not coupon friendly 🙁
Mike says
Write Kroger and complain… they will listen… THE biggest thing at Kroger this year is their Customer First program… Maybe they could allow customers to choose, stacking fuel rewards or double coupons…!!
couponermom says
If my math is correct, its the SAME THING as it was you can now just accumulate them and use them all as once. Does Kroger think we are stupid not to figure this out. Is you save $.10 a gallon 10 times or $1.00 a gallon one time – its the same savings….dah. And seriously who spends $1000.00 a month at Kroger. Even without coupons my totals don’t come close to that and I have a serious stockpile and shop (or did) a lot! I feed 4 households (all three kids in college) and donate food, and still do not spend $1000.00 a month. ( it does count points before qpons even when you use qpons)! HOAX, HOAX, HOAX – KROGER IS NOW TOOOOOO GREEDY FOR ME!Hello Wal-Mart, General Dollar, Target, Wags and CVS – you will now see more of me!
Susan Meador says
After reading all of this, I think I need to stop shopping at Kroger as well. I cringe when I think about going into the Walmart in Cypress because they are SO crowded all of the time but honestly, if they are cheaper, I def. will. I am new to couponing so I am trying to learn all I can. Can someone explain what it means that Randalls only double/triples once? I would love to learn more so I can reduce my grocery bill from about $1,500/mo to about $500 🙂
Michelle says
In my area we lost the program where we got $.10 per gallon off of 4 fill-ups per month if we spent $150 in the month prior, $.20 off of 4 if we spent $350 the month prior and so forth. We would really plan our trips to get to to $350 each month so we could save the $.20 cents per gallon on 4 fillups. Typically, in the summer months, they doubled up to 8 fill-ups which was huge.
Now, with the $100 spent to earn $.10 off per gallon we’re actually losing out shopping at Kroger because we have Giant Eagle in town and they give $.10 off per gallon for every $50 spent. Giant Eagle also lets the points accumulate more than 2 months.
I prefer to shop at Kroger but economics dictates that I shop at Giant Eagle now. Way to go Kroger!