Wawa Vs Sheetz: What's The Difference?

People from New Jersey like myself will fiercely defend their state to their last dying breath. We are often arguing with New Yorkers about whose pizza and bagels are better; it's an argument we only humor, as there is really no contest, but most people outside the tri-state area would also be surprised how much we stand by our gas stations.

The gas station in question is Wawa, one of the many regional chains of gas stations and convenience stores we wish were everywhere, but in reality, line the East Coast from New Jersey down to Florida. Wawa fans are dedicated to the business' fresh food and snacks that you can get on the side of almost any highway in the Mid-Atlantic region. But if you were to go more inland into Pennsylvania, you would find the chain's sole possible competitor: Sheetz.

Most people would assume that both of these convenience stores were like 7/11: just a place to buy sodas, chips, and candy during a long haul road trip. However, both Wawa and Sheetz have wide menus and unique options for fresh food and drinks, so guests can feasibly get an entire meal at both locations. But beyond that, the options for food at Wawa and Sheetz could not be more different.

Wawa is the larger of the two brands, with 1,081 locations spread across the Eastern Seaboard. New Jersey holds the most Wawa locations of any state, with 298 locations that account for over 27% of all Wawas in the country. The first Wawa was a dairy company that was founded in Wawa, Pennsylvania, in 1902; both the town and the chain draw upon the Indigenous Ojibwe word for "wild goose." for their names, and Wawa pays tribute to its namesake with the image of a goose in flight as its logo. It wasn't until 1964 that Wawa became a food market, and since then, growth has been consistent over the past 60 years. 

In addition to typical convenience store offerings like slushies, soda, chips, and candy, guests can also order freshly made food via touch screen menus. The brand is known for its made-to-order and entirely customizable subs and sandwiches, as well as other hot food options like pizza, quesadillas, burritos, and crispy chicken sandwiches. The morning crowd loves the brand's Sizzli breakfast sandwiches, and considers its vast array of different coffee flavors and roasts in a league of its own.

Although a bit smaller with 765 locations, Sheetz is still a formidable competitor, with its own  roadside food and beverage options that it sells from Western Pennsylvania to Michigan and as far south as Virginia.

Robert "Bob" Sheetz founded the company in Altoona, Pennsylvania in 1952. Sheetz also started as a dairy company before Bob Sheetz purchased the brand from his father. Despite its smaller footprint across the map, fans consider some of the best food to order at Sheetz to include the burgers, fries, quesadillas, and appetizer samplers that include mozzarella sticks and onion rings. Compared to Wawa's fresh sub and salads, Sheetz specializes in a menu more akin to a fast food restaurant, as well as all the typical roadside snacks and drinks one finds at most convenience stores. Since it is a smaller company, Sheetz has been able to remain a family-owned company, and is currently helmed by Bob's nephew, Travis Sheetz. The brand also continues to expand, branching out into more locations across Pennsylvania and Ohio.

In customer surveys, Wawa typically fares better than Sheetz, with many people saying that the size of the Sheetz menu lowers the quality of the food. But that doesn't deter its most dedicated fans from frequenting their favorite convenience store.