Images courtesy of Wawa and Sheetz. Canva by Emma Dela Cruz.

This story previously ran in our September 2023 print issue.

For a quick breakfast, afternoon snack, or late night dinner, a convenience store is one of the best options.

Wawa, located on what seems like every corner, is a classic. Turkey Hill, 7-Eleven, and Speedway are also popular, but pale in comparison to Wawa’s gas station prowess. But now that Sheetz has been introduced to the area, Wawa finally has some competition in the land of sandwich-making rest stops.

Wawa has a wide array of products for anyone stopping at their many locations. Candy, snacks, sandwiches, drinks — you name it, Wawa’s got it. If you’re look- ing for something refreshing, try the strawberry lemonade. Or, if you want a quick snack, grab a bag of chips, a donut, or order mac-and-cheese. Of course, if you want something heavier for lunch or dinner you could try their savory buffalo chicken club sandwich.

When I go, I usually get a variation of the same few items — a sandwich, a drink, and a snack. To see how Sheetz truly compares to the fan favorite, I decided to get the same items at both places and compare them, as well as the general qualities of cleanliness and atmosphere.

I walked into the Cedar Crest Boulevard. Wawa location and noticed how clean it was. It’s a small but welcoming store and the workers you’ll see there are usually friendly and ready to help.

To order food, there are efficient, easy to use touch-screen tablets readily ac- cessible. Just select the items you want and customize them as needed. Once you have completed your order, you receive a receipt with an order number and go to pay. You then wait for your order to come out, which typically takes a few minutes.

When I walked into the Sheetz on Lehigh Street for the first time, it was definitely a typical convenience store, and yet it holds a completely different energy than Wawa. While Sheetz holds almost all of the same products as Wawa, the way they are displayed gives the products more glimmer — colorful slushie machines lining the back of the store, various decorated donuts displayed in- side a shiny glass case, and a milkshake vending machine give Sheetz a special glow. Even the color scheme was warm and inviting, and not as sterile and white as Wawa.

Sheetz utilizes the same touch screen order method to create the meal you want, but the Sheetz I visited had more tables and chairs to sit and wait for your number to be called.

My order at both stores was an Italian hoagie, consisting of lettuce, tomato, provolone cheese, ham, and mayonnaise. I also ordered a strawberry refresher, which is sparkling water with a ton of fresh strawberries. Finally, I bought candy from Wawa and the famous, highly recommended curly fries from Sheetz.

The order from Wawa was exactly what I’m used to and what I expect. The sandwich was hastily made, but still tasty. It was toasted and wrapped securely in the paper.

On the other hand, the refresher tasted like water more than the fresh strawber- ries that were supposed to be added, which was a little disappointing to say the least. The candy was the same as any convenience store candy, but cheap enough for it to be worth it.

When I got the same order from Sheetz, I was pleasantly surprised. The sandwich was more carefully made, completely toasted, and secured in tinfoil. The refresher tasted more like the fresh strawberries I was expecting and was substantially bubblier than Wawa’s version.

While both Wawa and Sheetz are great convenience stores to stop at for some- thing quick, I plan on going to Sheetz again for their more carefully crafted meals, warm atmosphere, and general quality.