PITTSBURGH — Supermarket and convenience-store retailer Giant Eagle is expanding its WetGo car wash. Giant Eagle’s GetGo convenience retailing chain is growing its car wash business in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area with the launch of WetGo Pro, a car wash that uses a longer wash tunnel with new cleaning equipment to provide a superior wash in nearly half the time of a traditional car wash, the company said.
WetGo Pro includes a suite of free-to-use options available for use before or after the wash and the extension of the company’s fuelperks+ loyalty program.
“WetGo Pro will raise the bar on what express car-washing will mean in the Pittsburgh area,” said Sean McBride, vice president of carwash at GetGo. “From start to finish, the customer experience was always considered—starting with dual gate access for faster payment processing and an optional contactless experience.”
McBride said the dual-gated access method is the first of its kind in the Pittsburgh area and will include a designated lane for members of GetGo’s car wash subscription service as well as a full-time greeter always on site to aid a customer whenever needed. Additionally, the new format will feature a new building design, 120 feet in length, with natural lighting to eliminate light transition.
After selecting their service, WetGo Pro customers will stay in their vehicle as it is automatically guided through the tunnel, where it will be soaked, soaped and washed with multiple brushes; rinsed with a spot-free solution for a high shine; and then dried with high-powered, touchless driers.
At the conclusion of the wash, customers will have access to a bay of free amenities including, vacuums, mat cleaning, microfiber towels and tire air.
“We are elevating the classic car wash to create an enjoyable, effective and convenient experience for our guests,” said McBride. “Not only have we completely automated the process to make the payment process easier, we have made keeping your car spotless even more affordable with our new subscription service.”
GetGo’s Go Unlimited Wash subscriptions start at $14.99 a month and can be used at any of the company’s 40 WetGo locations, offering subscribers the ability to wash as often as they want at whichever WetGo location.
“The wash subscription service has changed the car wash business forever, as no one worries about the rain anymore” said McBride. “For WetGo guests, our Go Unlimited offers so much more than the typical wash operator can. The number of locations and wide range of wash styles our portfolio has to offer makes this service truly unlimited.”
The first planned WetGo Pro locations will be in Bridgeville, Pa., and North Versailles, Pa., with the company exploring the development of 10 additional Pittsburgh-area sites thereafter, according to the company.
Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle operates 175 corporate and 54 independently owned and operated supermarkets in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. It has 266 GetGo c-stores in several states. Giant Eagle’s Convenience Division is No. 30 on CSP’s 2020 Top 202 list of c-stores by store count.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.