Addressing Questions about Gas Station Payments

Marshfield Medical Center Credit Union > Blog > Addressing Questions about Gas Station Payments
gas station account holds

Have a question about your available funds balance after buying fuel at Kwik Trip in Marshfield? It’s a common inquiry we’ve been hearing lately at MMCCU.

Starting this month, Kwik Trip has changed how customers pay for fuel. When purchasing fuel at Kwik Trip, customers must have either pre-pay or pay at the pump. You will no longer be able to fill your gas tank and then go inside to pay. (Side diesel fuel islands are excluded from this change and will still have a pay inside option.)
Guests will still be able to use cash or checks to pre-pay inside before fueling their vehicle’s gas tank, with the ability to get a refund after filling up, according to Kwik Trip leadership.

Here’s why this can cause an issue with your account:

When you gas up at Kwik Trip (and other stations with a similar policy), a hold is placed on your account. That hold is later released once the company pulls the funds from your checking account. For example, Kwik Trip places a hold of $100 on most accounts to confirm the card is linked to an active account and that sufficient funds are available to cover the fuel purchase. If you buy $20 in fuel, the excess $80 should be returned to your active funds once Kwik Trip pulls the purchase amount from your account. Companies do this to ensure that the cost of the fuel is covered.

The hold on your account can take days to clear and can be inconvenient if you need access to your funds immediately. Financial institutions (like MMCCU) have no control over these companies’ policies. If you have concerns about a policy, we encourage you to contact the company from which you purchase your fuel.
How to avoid having a hold placed on your account:

  • Pay inside with cash
  • Use a credit card (MMCCU credit cards available -click here), as smaller holds are typically requested by gas stations to simply test to ensure the card is active
  • Use a store branded gift card. Gift cards offer another alternative to debit or credit cards, allowing guests to pay for the exact price of their fuel without a hold placed on their account.

If you have questions about this topic, we’d be happy to chat with you!

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