PHOENIX — Prices at the pump continue to rise. Here in Arizona, the average cost for a gallon of gas is now over $5.
Some businesses are having to make tough decisions about adding fees or even raising prices.
“Gas prices have been pretty rough lately,” said Zzeeks Pizza delivery driver, Caasi Harpster.
Harpster has been delivering for the local pizza shop for around two years.
She remembers a time when she could fill up her tank for under $30, but now she’s inching closer to $60 every time she fills up.
Harpster uses her personal car to deliver and said typically she fills up two, maybe even three times a week.
“It basically in the end almost ensured that I would be paying out of pocket to deliver,” said Harpster.
Zzeeks owner, Mark Petcol, said they wanted to keep deliveries free.
When gas started going up, he said they needed to put their employees first.
“For right now it’s all about holding on to our employees,” said Petcol.
He said the restaurant was reimbursing their drivers $1 for each delivery, but now that’s not enough.
“Once gas got to be $4 a gallon, we went to a $1 delivery charge,” said Petcol. “Now that we are at five, we have to go to two.”
That money goes straight to the delivery drivers, who also get tips.
If the trip is outside of their typical three-mile radius, customers may have to pay more.
“The problem for us is we don't know where it's going to stop,” said Petcol.
Arizona is one of just eight states with the average cost for a gallon of gas jumping over $4. California has the highest with the average for a gallon now over $6.
“Our basic food cost prices, our food basket, is up almost 40% from a year ago,” said Petcol.
The local business owner told ABC15, gas prices impact many aspects of his business. Supply chain issues make things even worse, as he tries to open a new location in Tempe.
Even as he's forced to put some added costs on his customers, Petcol said he still feels their support.
“I felt like there's a lot of love coming back from the community,” said Petcol.
