Would you suffer through the DMV for a loved one?

Loyalty runs deep: More than half of Americans would suffer through going to the DMV (53%) for the sake of their loved ones, according to new research.

To understand how far people are willing to go to help others, a recent survey of 2,000 U.S. adults explored the concept of loyalty in terms of friends, family and even brands.

The DMV’s line is not the only sacrifice. Two in five Americans said they’d happily donate an organ to their family and friends, showcasing the depth of loyalty in interpersonal relationships.

According to the results, Americans would also act as a reference for an apartment or job (62%).

Partners (35%) and best friends (27%) were ranked as the top two most likely people respondents would start a business with.

And if $100,000 were to suddenly fall in their lap 82% of respondents are even likely to share their winnings with family and friends.

Conducted by Talker Research for Circle K’s Inner Circle Rewards Program, results also found that brands and businesses also pull a similar type of loyalty.

Almost three in five (57%) have certain items or services where they prefer one brand over another, including shoes (52%), technology, such as phones or computers (51%), hair products (50%) and clothing (44%).

Seven in 10 (71%) have loyalty to their grocery store, and 59% feel loyal to certain restaurants and food services, while others prefer certain gas stations (39%) and convenience stores (27%).

In fact, the average American has remained loyal to their favorite brands and products for 13 years, while 35% indicated that two decades have passed.

Nearly three-quarters (74%) even agreed that they can tell the difference between the same products made by different brands.

“Loyalty is fundamental to our relationships with family, friends, businesses and brands. The more loyalty you give, the more you get — and it deserves to be recognized,” said Rick Rasor, Vice President of Loyalty at Circle K. “That is why we are dedicated to rewarding customers for continually making us a part of their daily life.”

Currently, Americans reap certain benefits from their unwavering loyalty, such as free shipping and returns (38%), BOGO deals (35%), daily or weekly discounts (33%) and even free items when they spend a certain amount (31%).

They also aren’t keeping them all to themselves — 58% of those polled are even likely to share their rewards with their family and friends.

The survey also explored Americans' likelihood of participating in sweepstakes for a cash prize. According to the results, nearly two-thirds (63%) would take their chances.

At a minimum, Americans would need that winning amount to be a little over $31,500 ($31,609.70) for it to be worth it.

And they don’t need the mega millions. The average American said winning just over $70,000 would completely change their lives.

"No matter where our loyalties lie, they help guide our daily lives, choices and the connections we have with each other," said Rasor. "To connect with our customers, we’re currently hosting the Big Circle K Giveaway, giving $100,000 to five people across the nation. Of course, we’ll leave it to them to decide how they share it!"

Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Circle K and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between March 20 and March 24, 2025.
We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
● Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
● Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in
Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
● Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
● Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
● Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
● Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.