Simple: Tesco owns the land. No middleman. They sell fuel as a loss leader to get you inside for groceries. Classic retail psychology.
But there’s a catch. The queues. Oh, the queues. On a Friday evening, you’ll wait 20 minutes to save £3. Is that worth your time? Only you can decide, but it’s a fantastic spectator sport.
Watch the drivers. Some are calm. Others look like they’re about to combust. One guy once argued with a pump for five minutes—until he realized his car ran on electricity.
The Monopoly Connection
Old Kent Road is the cheapest property in Monopoly. Paying £60 rent? A steal. Tesco knows this. They’ve turned a joke into a retail strategy.
Imagine Monopoly’s “Chance” card: Advance to Tesco Old Kent Road. Save 4p per litre. Collect smugness. It almost writes itself.
Locals treat it like a secret handshake. “You get your fuel from there?” they whisper, eyes wide. It’s a badge of thrifty honor.
But here’s the real fun fact: the price changes every few hours. It’s like a living, breathing beast. Check the app at 9am—116.9p. Check at noon—115.9p. By 6pm? 121.9p. Panic ensues.
Twitter erupts when the price drops. “TESCO OLD KENT ROAD IS 114.9!” becomes a trending micro-event. People literally race there, like it’s a black Friday for unleaded.
One driver told me he drives 4 miles out of his way to fill up here. That’s dedication. Or madness. Probably both.
