Sam’s Club membership rate has never been higher. This Walmart-owned warehouse chain is seriously giving BJ’s and Costco a run for their money with billions in revenue.
Sam’s Club’s boost in sales also reflects at their fuel centers, which ultimately means that more and more people will be lining up to get gas.
If you have Sam’s Club membership card or are a new customer to the warehouse chain, you may be wondering if the gas at Sam’s Club is worth it.
Read on to learn everything you must know about Sam’s Club fuel center, including time-saving tips when refueling gas from any of their locations.
8 Things You Should Know Before Getting Gas At Sam’s Club
While you can make a trip to your local gas station to refuel, for members, getting gas regularly at Sam’s Club can help save money.
However, this service is not restricted to members only. That said, getting gas from Sam’s Club is different from going to any ordinary gas station.
Here are eight helpful tips and information bits that will walk you through the process of getting gas at any Sam’s Club location, including timings, payment methods, and membership perks.
1. You Won’t Get TOP-TIER Gas At Sam’s Club
The first thing you should know is that Sam’s Club gas is not registered for the TOP-TIER trademark, and thus, the gas is not TOP-TIER. However, the warehouse chain gives a Satisfaction Guarantee for all the products it sells, including gas.
But why is TOP-TIER gas better? It contains additives that enhance car performance, has reduced carbon emissions, and better gas economy.
However, Sam’s Club quality guarantee could mean a testing process and personal additive formulation to ensure the gas they are selling is of good quality.
Even though there is no public disclosure from the warehouse champion about their gas supplier, they follow minimum EPA guidelines, as required by law.
Thus, even though a particular oil company does not sell fuel to Sam’s Club, their unbranded, independent fuel centers provide a good quality feel that is safe to use.
2. You Need To Be A Member To Buy Gas At Most Locations
For most Sam’s Club locations, you can only purchase gas from their fuel center if you have a valid membership card. However, there are a few exceptions.
Some warehouse locations allow you to refuel your vehicles even if you are not a member of the Club. Usually, these locations are next to a Walmart or open to the general public by law.
However, even though non-members can get gas in specific locations, members still enjoy perks with a .05¢ discount. The exact value is also offered to Walmart+ users, except for New Jersey, where such fuel discount is not allowed by law.
You can use the online Club Locator to verify if a particular location has a fuel center. Once you find the Club, you can also check the pricing.
3. Know Your Sam’s Club Hours
Sam’s Club is not available 24/7. Nothing is more inconvenient than finding the Sam’s Club Fuel Center closed for service when running low on fuel. Therefore, it is always good to check the working hours.
The typical hours for a Sam’s Club Fuel Center are:
Monday to Saturday: 6 am to 9 pm
Sunday: 9 am to 7 pm
However, Fuel Center timings are different for varying locations. For example, the Deptford Sam’s Club has the following timings:
Monday to Saturday: 6 am to 9 pm
Sunday: 9 am to 6 pm
You can find the timings for any Fuel Center through the Club Locator, which has all the details for any Sam’s Club location you choose.
4. Payment Options At Sam’s Club Gas Stations
There are various payment options to choose from at Sam’s Club gas stations. You can use the Sam’s Club Master to get 5% cashback. Moreover, you can use both Walmart and Sam’s Club gift cards.
One thing to note is that gift cards with just a barcode cannot be scanned at the Fuel Centers as per Sam’s Club’s website. Thus, only gift cards with a magnetic strip are accepted.
You can also pay using a Walmart credit card, most major debit and credit cards, cash, or check.
5. Hold On Your Card Post-Gas Purchase
As per industry standard, when you purchase gas from a Sam’s Club Fuel Center, there will be a pre-authorization hold on your purchasing card. The hold is usually between $75 to $100, replaced by the actual amount paid for the gas in 24 to 36 hours.
But why is there pre-authorization on your card anyway? The reason for the hold is to make sure that you have enough money on your card to buy the gas.
The hold acts as a precaution to ensure that the dispensed gas will be paid in full since it cannot be returned.
Please note that the hold should not last more than 36 hours. If that happens, immediately call your financial institution via the number on the back of your purchasing card.
6. You Can Use The Scan & Go Feature To Pay For Fuel
Contactless payment has become increasingly popular, and as time passes, this new quick and smart payment method shows no signs of falling out of favor with consumers.
Seeing the success of the in-club Scan & Go payment feature, Sam’s Club announced Scan & Go Fuel in September 2020.
The contactless payment method allows Sam’s Club members to use the app for a secure and fast gas purchase. At the time of the announcement, the warehouse club began the roll-out of the payment method across 70 stores.
Moreover, they also disclosed plans of bringing Scan & Go fuel to all 518 of their gas stations by the end of 2020. Thus, now you can use this feature at any Sam’s Club Fuel Center.
This innovative payment technology redefines how you think of paying for gas traditionally (no need to scramble for your membership card). And, naturally, it is super convenient and simple to use.
If you have the Sam’s Club app downloaded on your phone, all you have to do is tap on the Scan & Go icon and get to a fuel center to scan the QR code there.
Once the code is scanned, you will select your payment method through the app. Once you have refueled your vehicle, you will get the purchase receipt via email.
7. Compare Gas Prices Through An App
For any specific Sam’s Club location, you can use the Club Locator to find the gas prices. If the Sam’s Club has a Fuel Center, the gas prices will be mentioned near the address, locations, and phone number.
However, actual gas prices may differ from the ones mentioned online.
However, apps like GasBuddy can help you compare real-time gas prices between different gas stations. It is always a good idea to compare fuel prices at nearby Sam’s Club and your local gas station to determine the cheaper option and then go with that.
Since Sam’s Club gas is not TOP-TIER, you might be able to get TOP-Tier branded gas at a lesser price (Sam’s Club gas is usually cheaper, especially for members).
The GasBuddy app can be downloaded for both Android and iPhone. Using such apps, you can save some valuable bucks.
Helpful Tip: If you go to Sam’s Club to refuel your vehicle during the weekend, you might have to wait for quite some time for your turn since there are more customers than during weekdays. A quick tip is to make your fuel run during the week rather than the weekend.
8. Get To Know How The Fuel Stations Work
Another thing to keep in mind is traffic flow at a Sam’s Club Fuel Station. The cars are only allowed to enter from one side, choose the fueling station of their choice, and leave from the determined exit after getting gas.
This is an efficient system to keep the vehicles at the gas station moving without unnecessary traffic from all sides of the station.
Final Thoughts
Sam’s Club offers excellent value for top brand products, including members-only savings on fuel.
Even though Sam’s Club fuel is not certified TOP-TIER, the warehouse club chains back the quality of its products (like all other items it sells) through its Satisfaction Guarantee.
If you regularly fill up your tank with Sam’s Club gas, you can save good money as a member.
Getting Sam’s Club gas is easy since they offer various payment methods, including cash, credit cards, debit cards, Sam’s Club Mastercard, Walmart, and Sam’s Club gift cards. You also can use the Scan & Go Fuel feature for contactless payment.
