The Rental Car Fuel Trap: That $10 Fill-Up Costs $35 at the Counter

Rental companies charge $9–12/gallon to refuel your car — nearly 3× the pump price. A 3-gallon top-off that costs $10 at the gas station runs $35 at the counter. Here's the math, and the 5-minute fix.

Each weekday at lunch, an accountant-meets-behavioral-economist reads one everyday receipt and shows you the pricing trick, the loss leader, or the fake fee hidden in plain sight.