March 26, 2020
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Wawa will provide free coffee to all health care workers and first responders in the areas the company serves during the coronavirus pandemic. The convenience store has locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.
As businesses and workers across the United States reel from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, Wawa stores have remained open to the public with several precautionary measures in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Last week, Wawa announced the closure of all self-serve stations for coffee, iced coffee, fountain drinks, cappuccinos and Icee drinks. The company also said it would close stores briefly between 2-3 a.m. each night to complete thorough cleaning and restock shelves.
On Thursday, the company announced additional steps to ensure customer and employee safety: in-store signage and announcements about social distancing, visual floor markers and clear plastic shields at check-out counters.
Health care workers and first responders in all of Wawa's territories also will now receive coffee for free during the length of the coronavirus pandemic, the company said.
The move follows a similar decision this week from Starbucks, which said it will offer free coffee to all frontline health workers during the crisis.
Wawa has approximately 850 stores in six states and Washington, D.C.
"We want to salute the many health care heroes who are doing great work throughout our communities. From Main Line Health to CHOP to Penn Medicine to Jefferson in Philadelphia," the company said in a statement. "From Orlando Health to Winter Haven in Florida. From Virtua Health System to Bay Shore Medical in New Jersey. From Johns Hopkins to MedStar in Maryland and Virginia and Christiana Health in Delaware. These are just some of our partners who are also truly amazing health care systems now on the front lines of this crisis. You have our deepest thanks and gratitude."
