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10 Methods Powering Loyalty In Fuel & Convenience Retail

Running a loyalty program in fuel and convenience isn’t simple. Between margin pressure, fragmented tech stacks, disjointed franchises, and fickle app usage, execution is everything.

PUMP UP THE PROGRAM

72%

C-store shoppers

Are already in a loyalty program

12%

LOYALTY MEMBERS

Spend more than non-members

44%

Higher Frequency

Members visit more frequently

23%

Text Subscribers

Spend more with messaging

85%

Want Personalization

Would join if personalized

FUELING THE FOUNDATION

Core mechanics for driving repeats visits and transaction volume.

01

MOBILE-FIRST LOYALTY

If it does not live in their pocket, it will not drive behavior.

Fuel customers expect loyalty to work in real-time, wherever they are. That means personalized offers, digital ID, and in-app redemption that just works, whether they are at the pump, in the store, or on the go.

Quick Enrollment

Sign up in seconds - no slowdown

Real-Time Balance

Check points, rewards, and offers instantly

Location-Based Offers

Trigger promotions when customers arrive

Digital Receipts

Track purchases and earn seamlessly

80%+

of consumers are willing to download a loyalty app

41%

engage with loyalty weekly

20%

higher monthly spend by app users
02

PERSONALIZED OFFERS & INCENTIVES

Generic discounts do not drive frequency, personalized ones do.

Loyalty programs that tailor offers by behavior, daypart, or location consistently outperform one-size-fits-all campaigns. C-store customers expect relevance, especially across fuel, food, and beverage.

Favorite Products

Reward customers for repeat purchases

Time-of-Day Offers

Morning coffee deals for commuters

Personalized Bundles

Bundle suggestions based on purchase history

40%

more revenue generated via advanced personalization

51%

of consumers want curated rewards

03

Redeem at the Pump

If rewards are not visible at the nozzle, they are invisible.

Fuel discounts remain one of the most powerful loyalty levers, but only when redemption is frictionless. Real-time earn-and-burn at the pump builds trust and reinforces value at the exact moment of spend.

of fuel providers prioritized mobile and contactless payment to enhance the loyalty experience

85%

Instant Discounts

Apply cents-per-gallon savings automatically

One-Tap Redemption

Activate rewards directly from the app

04

Flexible Rewards Catalog

Let customers choose how they define value.

Fuel savings matter, but so do snacks, car washes, and gift cards. Offering multiple redemption types across tiers helps drive broader participation and deeper engagement; especially for non-price-sensitive customers.

of fuel revenue come from loyalty sales for top brands

70%

Fuel Discounts

Classic cents-off savings

Free Coffee

Daily driver staple rewards

Car Wash

Bonus service redemptions

In-Store Items

Snacks, drinks, and essentials

FROM PUMP TO PURCHASE

Loyalty that fuels snacks, car washes, and every aisle in between.

05

GAMIFIED EXPERIENCES

Spin-to-win

Sign-up-and-forget

From digital games to earn streaks and surprise unlocks, gamification keeps loyalty programs top of mind, especially for mobile-first and Gen-Z customers. It is not just engagement; it is habit-building.

Earn Streaks

Reward consecutive visits to build habit loops

Surprise Unlocks

Hidden rewards revealed through engagement

Digital Games

Interactive experiences that drive app opens

3-8x

more app sessions are seen with gamified programs

150%

of members open loyalty apps 1-2x per week
06

REAL-TIME COMMUNICATIONS

Timing beats targeting when your customers are 5 minutes away.

Push notifications, SMS offers, and in-app prompts drive action in the moment. Great programs trigger based on location, daypart, and behavior, not just batch and blast.

Location Triggers

Activate offers when customers are nearby

Daypart Messaging

Time-sensitive offers for peak hours

Behavior-Based

Personalized prompts based on past activity

59%

of consumers prefer email, but 18-24 yr olds want in-app push

41%

of members open loyalty apps 1-2x per week
07

PUMP-TO-STORE PROFITABILITY

Fuel gets them there. Offers bring them inside.

Bundled promotions (like fuel + snack or BOGO coffee) drive in-store conversion and lift average ticket value. Loyalty is not just a retention play; it is a margin lever.

Fuel + Food Bundles

Cross-category offers that increase basket size

Car Wash Add-Ons

Service upsells at the point of purchase

BOGO Promotions

High-margin items to drive in-store traffic

20-30%

lift in average ticket size when brands leverage cross & up-sell functionality

SCALE WITHOUT FAIL

From multi-program franchise logic to partner networks—loyalty that just works.

08

DATA-DRIVEN LOYALTY OPTIMIZATION

Track more than transactions. Optimize everything.

The best programs aren’t just responsive, they’re intelligent. Loyalty data should drive segmentation, performance benchmarking, and next-best-action decisions across fuel and in-store journeys.

Segmentation

Target customers based on behavior patterns

Benchmarking

Measure performance against industry standards

Next-Best-Action

AI-driven recommendations for each customer

10-20%

annual ROI is delivered by loyalty programs

41-60%

average redemption rate
09

FRANCHISE & MULTI-PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY

Corporate logic, local control.

Whether you’re balancing corporate-led campaigns with franchisee flexibility, or layering in B2B and employee rewards, your platform needs to handle complexity without fragmentation.

Regional Customization

Location-specific offers with brand consistency

B2B Rewards

Business customer and fleet programs

25,000+

fuel sites run on one unified loyalty platform

10

PARTNERSHIP-ENABLED LOYALTY

Build loyalty beyond your four walls..

Coalition models: fuel + QSR, CPG partnerships, or adjacent retailers, unlock expanded earning and redemption networks. Great loyalty platforms enable it all without custom development.

Fuel + QSR

Cross-brand earning and redemption

CPG Partnerships

Manufacturer-funded promotions at retail

Coalition Models

Expanded networks across adjacent retailers

32%

of consumers want to earn and redeem loyalty rewards across multiple brands

#TRUSTtheMETHOD

SOURCES

NACS | C-Store Dive | Mobivity | EY | Ipsos | McKinsey | ACI Worldwide | Voucherify | Global Convenience | CStoreThrive | Mobivity