February 05, 2015
I know this story well because 1.) dads cannot resist telling dad jokes and 2.) living in the Philly region meant we passed a Wawa just about every five minutes. Well, at least it felt like it.
Before it was the ubiquitous convenience store we know and love, Wawa began as an iron foundry in 1803. The company only turned to dairy production in early 1902 when then-owner George Wood became interested in dairy farming. He bought a plant in Wawa, Delaware County, and the company began delivering its milk products to local households. When home dairy delivery declined in the mid-1900s, Wawa opened the first Wawa Food Market in Folsom, Delaware County, in 1964. Today, the beloved prepared food market has more than 650 stores in the mid-Atlantic region and Florida.
According to Wawa's store locator, 80 of those stores are within 10 miles of the Center City West ZIP code. Apologists for rural rival Sheetz could argue that Wawa's immense local popularity is due to market saturation alone, but that doesn't really explain the store's rabid fandom.
But, the great coffee, delicious sandwiches and consistent customer experience just might.
The cheesesteak may be Philadelphia's iconic sandwich, but the hoagie is the official sandwich of the city, and Wawa does it well. The made-to-order sandwiches with store-baked bread are so good, and the touch-screen ordering system gives you so many options. My ideal order is a toasted Italian hoagie with the "little bit of mayo" (my favorite button), sweet peppers and pepper jack cheese. I love the 10-inch Classic size because it works for one meal or two small ones. Also, though Hoagiefest isn't actually a great deal, who doesn't love a celebration of hoagies?
I love grabbing Wawa's snack packs when I'm on the go, too; the "Protein Power Pack" with hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter and nuts is healthy and tasty. Of course, if you want something totally bad for you, look no further than the Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin or the nostalgia-filled Chocolate Dirt Cup. And no love letter to Wawa would be complete without a mention of the mac & cheese. Its thick, creamy, gooey, cheesy goodness has seen me through many a rough morning.
I must say I love Wawa's little coffee station. It's like an energy factory. Most Wawa stores give you plenty of room to mix your sugar and cream, providing varieties of both, into one of their eight different blends. It's cheaper, faster and easier to customize coffee at Wawa than it is at other chain cafes, too. I'm not usually a flavored coffee drinker, but I love the hazelnut variety. I can smell that caffeinated holy water a mile away.
Wawa Iced Tea has a cult following that rivals Arctic Splash, and as a self-proclaimed iced tea connoisseur, I proudly support Wawa's brew. I have many a fond memory of sipping a bottle on a hot summer day. Curiously, I've often seen full gallons of it carried around like a single serving during the warmer months - I guess that's how deep the fandom runs. Wawa's brand of juices and lemonades is great, too, because they have just the right amount of sweetness.
Wawa stores with fuel stations - referred to as "Super Wawas" - make me a happier reluctant driver. I don't like driving and I have an irrational fear of self-combusting gas stations, but the Wawa pumps are very user-friendly and the workers are nice (read: helped me when I was 17 and pumping gas for the first time). The gas stations in my hometown hold weird hours, but the Wawa is always open. Plus, if you're in Jersey, you can pump your own diesel gas, which is just always better when you're in a hurry.
Trips to Wawa are truly all about the experience - and I'm not just talking about good customer service. If I'm visiting my parents, chances are I'm going makeup-free and am dressed like it's laundry day (because family is supposed to love you no matter what). That is, until I'm sent on a Wawa run, which requires a bit of primping. Why? Because I've literally never been to the Wawa in my hometown without seeing someone I know. And while sometimes it feels like an unwanted high-school reunion, it's nice to know there is somewhere I can go and always see a familiar face.
Growing up, loitering outside the Wawa with a snack or two was a prominent social activity, like a quieter version of going to the local mall. In high school, Wawa became the place we'd go when we got our driver's licenses just because we could. In college, it was open when I got out of work late and needed a study snack and a pick-me-up. Now, it's the place I can go to reminisce, grab a meal I know will be good and inexpensive, or just find a clean bathroom and a no-surcharge ATM. What's better than that?
Though I don't think there's much room for debate (Wawa is king, obviously) customers continue to egg on competition between Sheetz and Wawa. While Sheetz agreed that there is one, Wawa kept its cool when asked about any rivalry. (Probably because it knows it's superior, but I don't want to put words in Wawa's mouth.)
Wawa said in a statement:
We don't feel like we have “rivals.” Like every retailer, we have competition in all of our markets, that [includes] convenience retailers, fast feeders, QSR’s and the like. Our measure of success is continually innovating against ourselves. We have a long history (200 years) of embracing change and changing to meet customer needs and we will continue to work hard to fulfill our customer’s lives, every day, in all communities we serve.
We have a lot of respect for Sheetz, we are both PA-hometown companies and, last year, we were proud to have had the opportunity to partner with them to build and serve lunches, to thousands of service men and women and honor the families of flight #93, during the Naval Commissioning Ceremony of the USS Somerset in Philadelphia. It was a very meaningful event, and we were honored to be part of it.
See? Keeping it classy, as usual. Gotta lova Wawa.
