7-Eleven Expands Loyalty Program with Contactless Gas Payment Pilot

Need to Know 

• 7-Eleven’s improved Fuel Loyalty program is rolling out at select locations across the U.S. and is available directly in the 7-Eleven app.
• Customers opting for contactless payment will be able to pay directly via the app or with voice commands using Siri on iPhones. 
• In addition to avoiding high-touch surfaces like gas pumps, customers using the program at participating locations will earn exclusive discounts and unlock interactive features. 
• 7-Eleven’s rewards program 7Rewards currently has over 33 million members.

Analysis

With travel resuming in many states and workplaces getting back to normal, 7-Eleven hopes its revamped loyalty options and contactless payment at gas pumps will result in a boost in sales. 

Available through the 7-Eleven app, Fuel Loyalty is being piloted at select locations in North and South Orlando Florida, North Texas, and Woodbridge, Virginia. The program incentivizes customers to use contactless payment when paying for gas by offering exclusive discounts and interactive features. 

With Fuel Loyalty customers with saved payment information can pay for fuel directly in the 7-Eleven app with mobile pay. Additionally, for the first time ever, iPhone users can use voice commands and Siri functionalities to pay. Before stepping outside of their vehicle, customers can use the app to select—or tell Siri—the pump number and their desired fuel amount and tank option. 

With the new rewards program, customers can receive, with limitations, a discount of 11 cents per gallon on the first seven fill-ups, followed by a discount of 3 cents per gallon. In addition to discounts, users will also have access to interactive in-app features. While Fuel Loyalty is only available in select locations for now, 7-Eleven customers are able to earn and redeem rewards on in-store purchases through its national app 7Rewards. 7Rewards currently has over 33 million members. 

Earlier this year the convenience chain enhanced its digital experience with its “Evolution” store concept by introducing skip-the-line and mobile delivery services. “We will continue to evolve based on customer feedback and we look forward to creating the next generation of convenience together,”  7-Eleven EVP and COO Chris Tancos said at the time. Leaning into its tech-focused customer-first experience, and to compete with the likes of Amazon the chain also began piloting cashierless store concepts using proprietary algorithms and predictive technology. 

In January Amazon partnered with Exxon to develop a similar service—voice command payment options at over 11,500 locations using Amazon Pay and Alexa.