October 20, 2021
THOM CARROLL/FOR PHILLYVOICE
Wawa's new 16-inch pizzas are available at only two stores right now, but the company is interested in reviving some type of pie after previous experiments failed to stick.
Wawa's quest to develop a good pizza has been revived.
The company's innovation department, which has been busy in the last few years, recently began testing a new pizza exclusively at two locations. If feedback is positive, it may become available more widely.
Last month, Wawa invited customers to its store on West Baltimore Pike in Media, Delaware County to test out the new 16-inch pie that can be made either plain or with a pepperoni topping. The pizzas also are available now at the Drexel University Wawa at 36th and Market streets. At both locations, customers can only order a pizza after 4 p.m.
"It is a test, and will help our innovation teams learn and assess whether or not to continue the offer," said Wawa spokesperson Lori Bruce. "We are currently offering one size, a 16-inch in both cheese and pepperoni. This is a completely different pizza than any other we’ve tested in the past."
The prospect of a Wawa pizza become a subject of debate Wednesday on the Philadelphia subreddit, where some were intrigued by the idea and others lamented that Wawa has been attempting to do too much with its menu expansions in recent years.
Earlier this year, Wawa rolled out its Angus burger and fries chainwide, receiving overall positive reviews for the new addition after it had undergone testing in 2020. The company also has introduced packaged pasta platters, rotisserie-style chicken and chicken sandwiches over the past year.
This isn't Wawa's first foray into the pizza. In 2014, the company tried a much smaller pizza, kind of like a pizza bagel without a hole, that could be made with a variety of toppings. It didn't last very long, but it did inspire someone to create a Wawa Pizza Twitter account solely dedicated to bringing back pizza at Wawa.
Just flipping through some old pics @wawa https://t.co/QAsOjxT6OI
— Wawa Pizza (@WawaPizza) February 23, 2020
Wawa has no timeline set in stone for making a decision about whether and when to make the new pizza more widely available, even as a test. But if you start to see promotions pop up at your local Wawa, it's because the company is encouraged by early reviews and wants to make a return to the pizza business.
