I haven’t been to Wawa in about a month and I can’t pinpoint exactly why. With that being said, I’m going to try to pinpoint why.
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Cost – Wawa is sneaky. All the items seem cheap but this is deceptive. They have all sorts of deals where you buy 2 and save money. Buy 4 and get the 5th free. By the time I leave, I have 3 bags full and spent $50. A bit of an exaggeration but I’ve had totals in between $15-$20 for a simple lunch stop.
- Quality – I don’t think I’m going out on a limb here to say that the quality of Wawa is not rising. What’s odd is that I used to enjoy the taste of the Sizzli and when I compared that to an Egg McMuffin, I preferred McDonald’s. This made me feel like the Sizzli was just a ploy at getting you to overspend on a shitty quality breakfast sandwich. Combine this with their whack ass cheese steaks, poorly constructed hoagies, and other average items, it’s not as cracked up as it used to be.
Coffee – This is a great business to be a part of as people get addicted, they shop at your store. I am making no remarks that Wawa’s quality has gone down or the service level is disappointing but for some unbeknownst reason, I don’t find myself craving their coffee much. There were times I’d drink evening coffee and I’ve cut that out of my life.
- Convenience – This is the #1 reason why I go to Wawa but the fact of the matter is, there is no convenient Wawa for me in the city because they don’t have parking lots. My worst trips to Wawa involve me driving 8 minutes to a Wawa and then spending another 10 minutes parking where I have to walk another 5 minutes to the store. By the time I get there I’m dead. The only one with a parking lot is on Delaware Ave and that’s a 10 minute drive during non-rush hour and a 20 minute during. Not happening.
ATM – One of the main reasons I go to Wawa is because I use their ATM’s because I have PNC. They are free for other customers as well. When I have zero dollars, unlike Sam, I go to the ATM. This makes me frequent Wawa and for whatever reason, I’ve been getting my money from other ATM’s on the street.
So with those factors, my Wawa visits have declined to maybe 1 or 2 a month. I’ll still go before golf to stock up on 2 for $3.33 28oz Glacier Freeze Gatorades (they used to be 32 oz), but not for food runs. Any other people agree with these reasons for my declining commerce?
Cost – I disagree because I never leverage those deals. My typical purchase is only coffee, with an occasional classic chicken strip sandwich. I think their prices are fair for those items.
Quality – As for my expectations of gas station food (truly that’s what it is), Wawa’s quality is fine. Their hoagies are poorly constructed if you order more than one topping, because they simply throw everything on top and wrap it up in the paper. When you open up the paper, you have tomatoes and pickles flying in every direction. Aside from that though, it pretty much meets my expectations.
Coffee – I prefer Wawa coffee to most other chains, so it’s a big reason I go there. I’m not saying it’s the best quality, roasted with the best fair-trade or whatever beans, but it fits my personal preference. I also like the multiple flavor options and the ease of self-service.
Convenience – There are probably five Wawas within ten minutes of my house, so no complaints there. One thing to note is the parking lot situation at most Wawas I’ve ever visited. I usually encounter a crowded lot with drivers all over the place, creating a more hectic situation than i’d prefer. No getting around that though, considering the volume of customers and the short visits.
ATM – Free PNC ATMs are a plus.
*Gas – Big plus for me. I typically consider Wawa gas to be priced properly, and they have a lot of pumps. I’ve rarely ever had to wait for a pump. Since there are typically several Wawas which I pass on most drives, the convenience of stopping there for gas is a big thing for me. Also, their air pumps are from the 21st century, which is not always the case at any gas station.
I suppose it depends on the type of account you have, but PNC reimburses me for any ATM fees I pay using someone else’s ATM. You may get that too. I don’t think I have anything beyond a standard checking account for that.
Good comment JKash. Quality comments are hard to come by. One other funny part when I read yours was that I find myself eating the food in my car often. The sloppier the sandwich, the more that ends up between my seats. Also the Wawa’s in the suburbs I’m sure are far superior.
Bud, they only give those banking services to guys who have millions in their account. Buy a weapon because anyone sniffing out this blog is going to have a field day.
As someone who lives in the city, almost zero WaWa’s have gas. ATM’s seem meaningless with “cash-back” options at nearly every other store.
Quality of food has been there biggest downfall. PHL/NJ are sandwich hot-spots. WaWa used to make a “comparable” quality deli sandwich for lower cost. Now it is mostly shredded lettuce and wet turkey.
The Chestnut Hill WaWa was the best.
Now, I only stop in one if I’m craving their meatball sub – the same way I occasionally pull into a McDonalds.
Bud needs some Big Baller Brand shoes