'We are trying to help people': Arizona gas station owners slash prices to help drivers
The owners of C K Food Mart, a gas station in Phoenix, Arizona, have decided to help residents in a big way – by lowering gas prices to $4.99 a gallon.
Other gas stations in the area have almost reached a $6 per gallon price tag, but owners Jaswinder Singh and Ramandeep Kaur say that cutting roughly 70 cents per the price of a gallon from the county average is their way of helping their community.
"Gas is too expensive," Singh said. "We are trying to help people."
They made the decision four months ago. Cars now pile up at the gas station and people are in line with cash in hand ready to get their gas.
They only accept debit payments and cash at their pumps for people to get the reduced gas price. "We used to take credit but we got a lot of chargebacks," Singh said.
And while slashing the prices means losing money, Singh said that the blessings they receive from people are "more important than money."
"Money we can make later," Singh said. "Right now we know that the situation is pretty tight and people need to save money."
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Arizona native Patricia Vaughn has always gotten her gas at C K Food Mart, but what Kaur and Singh are doing has given her a reason to always come back. "I came here today to fill up my van and take it back. I thought I would spend $80 or $90, but I only spent $55," Vaughn said.
Another Arizona resident, Santiago Reyes, has decided to get his gas from there to save money. "I heard about it and shot down here," he said. "Couldn't believe it but it's true,"
Kaur said people from out of state are also going out of their way to make a stop at their gas station and fill up. "They want to see if we are doing this and they take pictures with us, and send thank you cards," Kaur said.
Throughout this gas price surge, C K Food Mart has kept their gas prices at no higher than $5.19 per gallon, Singh said.
According to the American Automobile Association, Arizona has an average price of $5.37 a gallon as of Tuesday, while the national average sits at $4.97.
However, Maricopa County is the most expensive in Arizona, with an average of $5.67. In the Phoenix-Mesa region, the average is $5.65 per gallon.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona station owners cut high gas prices to help drivers
