A Sunoco gas station in Halfmoon, New York, is drawing attention and customers with its "Dance for a Discount" promotion, a social media trend that offers a 20% discount on purchases in exchange for a brief dance performance. The initiative, designed to provide relief amid rising living costs, has seen widespread participation and gained significant traction online, with one video amassing nearly 10 million views.
Denise Lapointe, a 60-something customer from Saratoga County, successfully saved $15 on her fuel and snacks by participating in the challenge. "I just danced to the beat of my own drum while singing, ‘I’m dancing for a discount. I’m dancing for a discount,’" Lapointe told The Post. "Just being my goofy self."
The trend was conceived by Paulina Sirtori, the 23-year-old social media manager for Sunoco of Halfmoon. Inspired by songs like Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," Sirtori, along with store manager Eva Marie and the rest of the staff, aimed to create a fun way for customers to save money. "The No. 1 complaint we hear from people everywhere is that gas prices are just too high. So we wanted to really do something to alleviate that a little bit," Sirtori explained.
Customers are asked to dance for at least 15 seconds to receive the discount. Sirtori described some of the energetic performances, including one customer who "started twerking and kind of dropping it down and got as low as he could," and another who executed a "Michael Jackson move."
The gas station, located about three hours north of New York City on highway NY-146, hopes to bring enjoyment to patrons during financially challenging times. The "Dance for a Discount" initiative comes as many Americans grapple with escalating costs for essentials like fuel, rent, and groceries. Nationally, gas prices have been impacted by ongoing global conflicts, with states like California experiencing some of the highest prices.
While the "Dance for a Discount" challenge is winding down, Sirtori indicated that the station plans to introduce new promotional challenges and giveaways to continue offering customers relief and a positive experience.