A Quick Flip for QuikTrip? Why the Convenience Store Chain Is Giving Away NFTs

By Andrew Hayward

Brands big and small across a wide array of industries have entered the NFT world, ranging from Starbucks and Nike to Charmin and Taco Bell. And today, U.S. convenience store chain QuikTrip joined the fray with the debut of a free mint of digital collectibles.

Launched to commemorate the chain’s 1,000th store, QuikTrip announced a free drop of 1,000 Ethereum NFTs, each featuring a cartoonish “QT” character with randomly generated visual elements and the same red shirt as store employees. Some are even chomping on hot dogs, burgers, veggie wraps, and other quick eats that are available from the chain.

The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based chain—which has stores across 17 states, including many in Texas and Arizona—isn’t plotting any sort of rewards program or future utility around the NFTs, however. A company rep confirmed that there are no future plans around the assets for now.

“For our customers that have interest in the digital space, this is a fun and unique way to celebrate the opening of our 1,000th store,” QuikTrip Corporate Communications Manager Aisha Jefferson-Smith told Decrypt.

The Ethereum NFTs are “not intended for resale,” according to a press release, although they can be traded and sold like any other standard Ethereum NFT. Only about 30 of the free NFTs have been grabbed so far, according to the free claim page. One is already listed on the OpenSea secondary marketplace for 1 ETH, or about $1,885.

QuikTrip’s pure focus on a free digital keepsake—marking Thursday’s opening of its Converse, Texas store—comes in contrast to more robust brand loyalty approaches around NFTs and blockchain tokens from mainstream companies.

Starbucks, for example, is rolling out a Web3 rewards platform on Ethereum scaling network Polygon called Starbucks Odyssey, with both free and premium NFTs in the mix, while bubble tea chain Boba Guys is building a rewards program on Solana.

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