ALTOONA, Pa., and WAWA, Pa. -- Sheetz or Wawa? There’s an eternal clash between these two mid-Atlantic convenience-store giants. Each has its camp of loyal aficionados. And each boasts touch-screen ordering, expansive, ever-changing sandwich selections, customizable offerings and speedy transactions.
Even Chris Gheysens, CEO of Wawa, Pa.-based Wawa, admits there are some similarities between the two brands. “Sheetz and Wawa, underneath the veneer of what the stores look like, are very similar—foodservice, lots of innovation around fresh food,” he said this May to Philly.com.
For the customer, when it comes down to which chain is best overall—and which one delivers superior service, the widest variety and the most appealing menu lineup—the debate wages on. But one die-hard Wawa fan recently went on a road trip to put both Wawa and Altoona, Pa.-based Sheetz to the ultimate taste test, and was pretty surprised by the results.
Sarah Laskow, a writer for Atlas Obscura, decided to pit Sheetz and Wawa against each other in a head-to-head competition. She and her husband hit the road and visited numerous Sheetz and Wawa locations along the way, judging them across various factors, including speed, customizability and uniqueness of sandwiches, quality, variety, price, cleanliness and general aesthetics. “At the end,” said Laskow, “I would know the truth.”
To find out which chain won, click here.
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