$1 Gatorade
Written by Aaron PrattJune 29th, 2005
Tomorrow I should be getting a 32 oz Gatorade for $1 from the Circle K on Washington St. in Marion, IN. Shortly after midnight, I walked in and noticed a new sticker on the Circle K’s cooler: 3 Gatorades for $4! There was no size specified, but the sticker clearly depicted the 32 oz variety of Gatorade in the standard Fruit Punch flavor (the flavor pictured only for illustratory purposes, I’m sure).
“This is perfect,” I thought as I imagined my still air conditionerless apartment. I grabbed three Gatorades and went to the front desk. Imagine my dismay when they rang up closer to $5.00!
“There’s a sign that says Gatorade is 3 for $4,” I said to the scruffy clerk.
“They’re 2 for $3,” he said.
“I’m sure the sign says they’re 3 for $4,” I shot back.
“Must be a new sign. It’s the 20 ounce bottles.”
I went to double check the sign and the price on the 20 oz bottles… which were $1.19 each regular price. Of course, three of those would be less than $4 off sale so I called the clerk over.
“These would be less than $4 for three of them at regular price.” He examined the bottles closely and looked at the sign which did, in fact, say 3 Gatorades for $4, clearly depicted the 32 oz bottles in Fruit Punch flavors (clearly the flavor only for illustratory purposes).
“Well it’s not ringing up; let’s try it again,” he said as we went back to the counter and he attempted to ring it up again with the same results as before.
“I can’t give you that price because it doesn’t ring up as that price,” he said.
“There’s a sign,” I protested, “that says Gatorade is 3 for $4.”
“It’s a new sign. It’s probably the 20 ounces at that price.”
“So you can advertise a price and not give it to me?”
“We’re not selling them at that price. I don’t know where you got that price from. I can ring them up 2 for $3.”
“Fine. Give me two for $3. I’ll take my receipt and come back later.”
And so he did, and so I will.
is this prattwrath?