We Don't Walk Slow

Why I Stopped Going To Wawa

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.

That familiar feel

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?

By Tom Stortz|2017-08-02T12:16:09-04:00August 2nd, 2017|My Brain|5 Comments

Wawa Deserves the Recognition

Wawa was named America’s favorite convenience store as shown by the graph below. I’ve wrote many entries on Wawa being the best and it’s nice to get confirmation that my opinion of the best convenience store is also shared by others.

Aside from the time CK4 got a turkey hoagie with no turkey, I rarely run into problems. I’m actually not a huge fan of the Wawa menu. I get the turkey club almost every time (which I do enjoy) and also the meatball sub but I’m pretty sure the hoagies are average and I wouldn’t chance a cheese steak. I like the Sizzli’s and the coffee is great because you control the sugar and milk.

The #1 selling point about Wawa the consistency of every store devoted to high quality ( ie. the store in PA is the same as the store in VA). Also, the employees all seem happy which means they are treated well. The stores are always clean and PNC ATM’s happen to be my bank. Wawa sets the bar for convenience store. Top comments from Reddit.

#1 comment – Suck it Sheetz
#2 comment – My card accidentally got double charged one night at a Wawa. I went home and emailed customer service, expecting a return email within 24-48 hours. Within 10 minutes a representative called me to apologize, had the second charge reversed, and sent me a $10 gift card.
TL;DR Wawa is the best.

Service attendant at Wawa:

By Tom Stortz|2015-07-22T13:13:38-04:00July 22nd, 2015|My Brain|0 Comments

The Breakfast Conundrum

After 5 years of serving me a shitty breakfast, I put my foot down. I will no longer be giving the 3rd and Spring Garden Dunkin Donuts my business. I don’t have a personal problem with the guy who toasts the bagel but he’s terrible at his job. He aims for speed rather than serving a proper bagel. That being said, I’m looking for new options and here is the breakdown.

Dunkin Donuts

Location: ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
Price: ⋆⋆⋆⋆ – $4.87 for a medium coffee, sesame seed bagel w/ cream cheese, and a glazed donut.
Analysis: If you are interested in my breakdown you can read this post. The bottom line is that the bagel tastes like shit even though I’m addicted to their coffee. The price is decent and the location is perfect which is why I’ve gone there as often as I have. Wait time can be long if there is a line.

Johnny’s Hots

Location: ***
Price: ** – $6.00 for a sausage, egg, and cheese + a Lemon Snapple
Analysis: Johnny’s Hot’s is on Columbus near the Sugar House. This requires me to drive about 5 minutes to get there which isn’t horrible but it’s not great either. The price is hefty if I add a drink. I think the sandwich is tasty and the staff is nice. Wait time is usually 3-5 minutes as it’s cooked to order.

Wawa

Location: ⋆
Price: ⋆⋆⋆ – $4.54 for a bacon, egg, and cheese sizzli and a medium coffee
Analysis: I can drive to the one on 11th and Race which I saw was shutting down, the one on 21st and Hamilton, or the one on Columbus near Club Risque. Each one takes 5-10 minutes which is longer than I’d like to go for breakfast. The price is what I consider exactly average and the sizzli is the sizzli that I’ve grown to expect. It’s average. I can make the coffee myself which I like but I don’t think that puts Wawa over the top. Parking at any of them but Columbus can be an absolute nightmare which means if I’m not there by 7:30, forget about it.

Sassafras

Location: ⋆⋆⋆⋆
Price: ⋆⋆ – $5.34 for a sausage, egg, and cheese on a sesame seed bagel, and a Half and Half Nantucket Nectar
Analysis: The price is fairly high for a homemade breakfast sandwich. It takes about 4-5 minutes for the sandwich to be prepared and if there is a line (which there never is) it could add minutes. It’s right on my way to work on parking is free on the street as long as I get there by 8am. The sandwich is above average.

Spring Garden Restaurant

Location: ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆
Price: ⋆ – 7.00+ tip
Analysis: A restaurant that opens at 4 or 5 in the morning and cooks quickly. It’s sit down so I’d have to allocate at least 20 minutes to the meal which is what usually keeps me away. It will also cost upwards of 7 bucks plus tip which would get pricey for breakfast. I always liked the idea of waking up early and reading the paper at a diner with the regulars. For whatever reason, I don’t do it often. I’ve only ever gotten the omelet for breakfast and it’s average.

Conclusion

As you can read, it’s not an easy decision. Each one has their perks and downsides. Of course I could just make my breakfast at home which I’m leaning more and more to but I haven’t quite got there yet. My perfect world would be waking up, pee / brush my teeth, out the door, drive to work where a breakfast cart sells me a sausage egg and cheese for $3.00. Has anyone tried Subway breakfast? I could also include Plaza Pizza in this list but haven’t had it enough.

By Tom Stortz|2015-06-24T08:25:18-04:00June 24th, 2015|My Life|2 Comments

Slippery When Wet

I heard this title during some porn. ANYWAY, while I was going to Wawa today an unusual course of events happened. So I’m pretty psyched about the 2 for 3 sizzli deal and I picked up 2 sausage and cheese croissants when I entered. I knew this wasn’t the best idea because carrying 2 sizzli’s around made it difficult to do other things. I got a 16oz coffee successfully and then wanted to purchase 2 Nantucket Nectars because they are 2 for $2.22. Unfortunately other people are aware of this deal and they were all sold out except for the Orange Mango which I didn’t want. I settled on 2 for $3 32oz Gatorades (Glacier Freeze if you were curious) and as I was going to pick one up with my already crowded hands, I dropped it. Wouldn’t you know but it drops exactly on the cap and opens up unloading liquid all over the floor. This doesn’t happen instantly but I was able to stop it with about half way of the liquid leaving. I didn’t know what to do and felt like an idiot so I put the messed up one back on the shelf and successfully took 2 away. There was a slippery when wet sign already in the area so I added to the its relevance. Cool story bro.

By Tom Stortz|2014-04-20T10:36:26-04:00April 20th, 2014|My Life|0 Comments

Wawa Is The Best Place On The Planet

Are you a fan of Wawa? Read this article and become one. In it contains 11 reasons why Wawa is popular. The reasons are their tasty hoagies, fresh food, free Atm’s, touch screen ordering, service, convenience, house brand items, breakfast, 24/7 hours, the place to be, and uniqueness. As a frequent Wawa customer, I have developed a few of my own particular reasons I love Wawa.

Coffee

How to miss this one on the list is frightful. Wawa coffee could be the most highly anticipated reason I go to Wawa out of everything. It’s almost always piping hot and you get to put in your own cream and sugar. This last point is so key that there is nothing worse than having my coffee not exactly the way I want it. Maybe I want 2 truck-loads of sugar and half milk in there, I can. There are a wide variety of flavors as well which I don’t partake but is certainly a bonus. Plus it’s so damn good and reasonably priced. The person who wrote the article should be fired for missing this one.

Consistency

I know the Wawa in Fort Washington, Pa is going to be the same in Wilmington, De. The stores are all the same and the consistency of quality is unmatched. I know what I’m getting every single time and I like it. This gives a sense of security and when I see a Wawa in any single location, I identify it with a good experience in a myriad of locations. This is key in a chain because I don’t stick to just one, but I’ll buy from any of their 625 locations.

Gas

Not every Wawa has gas but the ones that do are usually fairly priced in relation to the market. Is this true or is my bias towards Wawa making me think this? Do a few cents a gallon even matter? Whenever I’m out of gas, I’m actively seeking a Wawa for other reasons than just gas. It’s my survival hub. I don’t have physical evidence to back up low prices but here’s an article about a Wawa opening in Orlando and charging $2.99 per gallon for gas while others in the article are price gouging at $5.99. What do you think about their prices?

Brands I Like

When I’m at a Wawa, I’m able to get products that I want to buy. I like Nantucket Nectars and they have Apple, Orange Mango, and Half and Half every location. I like Smartfood which is a staple. When I get sick of that I go Honey BBQ Fritos. Every store, every time. The bottom line is that I always find something I like. I’ve gone to CVS and 7-11’s and even if I want to buy something, I don’t. The other stores don’t pay attention to what the consumer wants but tend to sell items with the vendors they are currently set up with. They sell you what they want, not what you want.

You Don’t Want To Be Competing Against Wawa

The final and ultimate reason why Wawa is the best. If you are Cumberland Farms in Dresher and the Wawa just opened up in the perfect spot next to the on ramp by the turnpike, you just shit your pants. The owner of that Cumby is the last person on Earth you want to be right now. For the reasons listed above, for the reasons listed in the Business Insider, and for the reasons listed by BuzzFeed, you don’t want to compete against Wawa. The only reason people don’t like Wawa is because they are scared of the first-rate convenience store that does everything perfect. Wawa = Joy. Most company’s don’t instill this level of excitement and satisfaction. Wawa does.

Did I miss anything? Like if you agree!

By Tom Stortz|2014-03-06T21:07:00-05:00March 6th, 2014|My Brain|3 Comments

Wawa’s 2 for 3 Sizzli Ends

The 2 for 3 Sizzli special is one of the best breakfast sandwich specials on the market.

Wawa’s 2 for 3 Sizzli special run by Wawa is one of my favorite specials of all time. You get 2 breakfast sandwiches, that usually cost $2.59 for 1, for 3 bucks. I usually don’t want to eat 2 sandwiches in the morning but I love taking advantage of the special because I save the second one for the next day. Plus, anyone who goes to Wawa knows that the customizable coffee is what separates it from other places like Dunkin Donuts. I love being able to put as much milk and sugar into my coffee as I want instead of being at the mercy of some half wit brewing a full pot of coffee. So with the combination of the 2 for $3 and the great coffee, I’m in breakfast heaven. I will usually visit Wawa two times a week when this deal is ongoing. I don’t know exactly but I suspect it runs for about 2 weeks and it’s done every few months.

My biggest gripe is that the 2 for $3 is what these Sizzli’s should cost. $2.59 is too much for a Sizzli. My standard D&D breakfast is bagel with cream cheese, glazed doughnut, and a medium coffee for $4.82. When I get the Wawa deal it comes out to be almost exactly the same. When they don’t run the special, it costs close to 7 bucks which in my mind is too much. I put my foot down paying 7 bucks for breakfast. 5 is OK, 7 makes me feel like I’m overpaying. That’s why I blow my load when I get a 2 for 3 deal and pay what I usually pay for breakfast and get 2 SIZZLI’S! and the coffee I like more. I’m sad to see it end. Anyone else love the 2 for 3 as much as I do?

I prefer the biscuit sausage egg and cheese, then the croissant, then the bagel. All bacon sandwiches are worse than the sausage because for some reason they don’t have the right formula for the microwaved bacon. I would never feel comfortable with the pork rolls. Plus you always want the fresh ones, they taste the best.

By Tom Stortz|2013-05-09T23:41:20-04:00May 9th, 2013|My Brain|6 Comments

My Daily Intake

I think people might be interested in what I eat on a daily basis. I’m a person of routines and I don’t change what I eat all that often. Here is a typical day that keeps me running.

Breakfast:
Sesame Seed Bagel w/ Cream Cheese – 360 Calories
Glazed Donut – 260 Calories
Medium Coffee w/ Cream & Sugar – 120 calories
Total = 740 Calories

Lunch
Turkey Club w/ Mayo – 510 Calories
Bag of Dirty BBQ Chips – 150 Calories
Cherry Coke – 150 Calories
Total = 810 Calories

Dinner
10″ Meatball Sub w/ American Cheese – 693 Calories
Smartfood – 240 Calories
Lemon Snapple – 80 Calories
Total – 1013 Calories

That gives me a total of 2563 calories a day. I pretty much never snack so this is a pretty accurate depiction. This doesn’t mean I won’t eat the occasional cookie or milk shake or whatever but it’s not a daily deal. I also think the obvious thing to mention is this doesn’t include alcohol days. For instance, on a Friday I decide to have some beers and drink from 5pm to 2am and consume 15 pints. That’s 15 x 150 calories or 2250 calories. That compares roughly to my daily intake. Now when I say I’m not hungry after a night of drinking, you see why. I also want to point out that I run 3-5 miles 4-5 times a week which is obviously important to being healthy. I’m not saying my diet is good but I don’t have a whole lot of EXTRA trash being put in my system. I’m sure I could eat way better but I have to ask why? I’m not fat, I feel good, and I’m happy eating all these foods because they taste good and I like them. I don’t have to eat shitty tasting food because I’m watching my weight. Also, how does Smartfood ahve 240 calories? I also am aware that I’m only looking at calories which isn’t a great breakdown of these foods. Anyone find this interesting when they compare it to what they eat?

By Tom Stortz|2012-01-11T22:35:31-05:00January 11th, 2012|My Life|2 Comments

Strike While the Iron is Hot

I have 167 people visit the blog yesterday which is easily an all time record. The good news is that google is sending people to my blog. The bad news is that they are getting there by searching for “suri cruise.” Nevertheless, people are people, and the more people that find your website the better. In my mind I think, “hell people want Suri Cruise, give them Suri Cruise.” However, I don’t have anything topical on little Suri. If I start posting more pictures I’m sure copyrighting issues come into play. The bottom line is that with more frequent updating and perhaps people commenting, the site has been gaining in traffic. I like updating people on what they are apart of in my world.

Two random subjects come to my mind to write about this early Saturday morning. The first is WaWa. Why is WaWa so crowded and popular? Such a weird thing about the two WaWa’s that are near me is that their parking lots were tiny (this has since changed for one). There would always be a ton of cars and all the spots would be taken and it would just be a clusterfuck of annoying activity and poor drivers. Other than that little trademark, WaWa’s dominate business. When one has a gas station their price is always on the low side. They have PNC ATM’s which, conveniently, is the bank I use. (PNC actually lets me use any atm and reimburses but home is home) I find the food to be about a 6 out of 10. Some people probably rant and rave how good WaWa food is but I think it’s better than avg but nothing worth bragging about. The real key to WaWa is that it’s in between a supermarket and a drug store like CVS. If I need food or drink, WaWa is perfect. If I need something little like Mayo or plates, I can get WaWa. It’s somewhat weird but I wake up and I don’t feel like making anything so I’m just like, WaWa breakfast sandwiches are good. Plus all the cashiers seem friendly.

Sort of off topic but with all the people in the world, did you ever wonder how much shit is produced and where it goes? When I use shit I mean poop. I envision that you rock a deuce and then you flush and the poop travels in your plumbing system to some sort of filter that takes it from physical form to a more liquid, easily transported waste. Then it follows some more pipes to a giant tank that just gets filled with poop. Then it just must get rinsed with water and constantly diluted so it can be pumped back into the ocean. Something like that.

*I actually wasn’t so far off.
Where does my poop go?

By Tom Stortz|2011-02-05T10:28:29-05:00February 5th, 2011|My Brain|1 Comment