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I'm a transplant and I just can't figure out why everyone likes Wawa so much? I've been to a number of stores and I don't see anything special. It's a convenient store with decent sandwiches and coffee, and everything else is about the same. The service is ok, nothing to celebrate, and the offerings are similar to every other convenient store I've been to. Are they better than 7-11? Yes. Would I go in one in Center City....probably never. I can get better food and coffee in so many other places.
Note: I'm not condemning it and I know there's history there. Just curious of why everyone goes.
Well, not sure where you are transplanting from, but as you've probably experienced or already knew, the NE section of the country moves quite quickly. People seldom take 30 mins to an hour and go out to have lunch, as is common practice in many geographies. To me the big drawls of Wawa are prevalence of stores, speed of food procurement and prices coupled with the offerings. In my opinion, it is one of the few places you can get a relatively healthy and somewhat different lunch for under 7 bucks unless you are fortunate to be near a store like the Palm Market (which is considerably more expensive, but better quality) in NL and South Philly. On the other hand, you can also get 15 hoagies made to order, paper towels, solo cup and chips in under 15 minutes on the way to a tailgate or party. This would take a call-ahead order at almost every other deli in the area. There just isn't much that fits this quick yet somewhat diversified offerings model. Will this change if we get several similarly higher-end convenience stores in the area? Quite possibly it will...
I'm a transplant and I just can't figure out why everyone likes Wawa so much? I've been to a number of stores and I don't see anything special. It's a convenient store with decent sandwiches and coffee, and everything else is about the same. The service is ok, nothing to celebrate, and the offerings are similar to every other convenient store I've been to. Are they better than 7-11? Yes. Would I go in one in Center City....probably never. I can get better food and coffee in so many other places.
Note: I'm not condemning it and I know there's history there. Just curious of why everyone goes.
I think Wawa used to be a fantastic store. I am going back 15+ years. They were a small local convenient store. They had less food options back then, but used higher quality lunch meat and ingredients. Most stores had a nice neighborhood vibe to them. That all began to change once the gas stations took off.
Fast forward to 2018, they are a gigantic national chain with overall crappy prepared food, however, they are convenient, generally nicer than most other quick stops, and their coffee is still good (and cheap).
I also find it ridiculous that a $10B company can't place a security guard in the CC Wawas to keep the thugs and bums from causing trouble. The one at Broad and Walnut actually has to chain the bar stools down at nighttime... like really?
Wawa followed the almighty dollar like most large companies do. They are becoming the Walmart/ Target of quick stops. I am glad they are still committed to the region though.
That's the feeling I get. That it was more authentic and less chain-like in the past, but that's definitely not the case now. Coffee is probably their best asset, at least in their non-gas station stores.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pennsport
Well, not sure where you are transplanting from, but as you've probably experienced or already knew, the NE section of the country moves quite quickly. People seldom take 30 mins to an hour and go out to have lunch, as is common practice in many geographies. To me the big drawls of Wawa are prevalence of stores, speed of food procurement and prices coupled with the offerings. In my opinion, it is one of the few places you can get a relatively healthy and somewhat different lunch for under 7 bucks unless you are fortunate to be near a store like the Palm Market (which is considerably more expensive, but better quality) in NL and South Philly. On the other hand, you can also get 15 hoagies made to order, paper towels, solo cup and chips in under 15 minutes on the way to a tailgate or party. This would take a call-ahead order at almost every other deli in the area. There just isn't much that fits this quick yet somewhat diversified offerings model. Will this change if we get several similarly higher-end convenience stores in the area? Quite possibly it will...
I'm a transplant and I just can't figure out why everyone likes Wawa so much? I've been to a number of stores and I don't see anything special. It's a convenient store with decent sandwiches and coffee, and everything else is about the same. The service is ok, nothing to celebrate, and the offerings are similar to every other convenient store I've been to. Are they better than 7-11? Yes. Would I go in one in Center City....probably never. I can get better food and coffee in so many other places.
Note: I'm not condemning it and I know there's history there. Just curious of why everyone goes.
Ha, ha, ha.... Not everyone goes. I don't go. Whatever positiveness I felt was pretty much was destroyed by the mess they allowed at Broad and Walnut.
That's it for me too: I can get better coffee and food elsewhere from other locally-owned establishments. So here's someone else who is pretty "meh" about them.
I'm will get slammed for saying this and that's okay. We lost all of our locally owned departments. These were great institutions...places that truly showed our pride about being Philadelphians. Nowadays some think we should cheer over convenience stores.
Ha, ha, ha.... Not everyone goes. I don't go. Whatever positiveness I felt was pretty much was destroyed by the mess they allowed at Broad and Walnut.
That's it for me too: I can get better coffee and food elsewhere from other locally-owned establishments. So here's someone else who is pretty "meh" about them.
I'm will get slammed for saying this and that's okay. We lost all of our locally owned departments. These were great institutions...places that truly showed our pride about being Philadelphians. Nowadays some think we should cheer over convenience stores.
I'm a transplant and I love Wawa. I first grew fond of it when I was a poor grad student and would go to the wawa at 11th and Arch before catching the Chinatown buses to NYC/DC. This was before I realized how unsafe they were. I have gathered that the hoagies aren't as good as they once were but I think they are still pretty good for the price. I get an Italian Hoagie once every other month or so. I like to get the Turkey Pinwheels and apple slices for a quick prepackaged but low calorie lunch.
Unfortunately I am very disappointed with the Broad and Walnut. I often avoid it because I don't feel like pushing past a sea of homeless people and pregnant women smoking to get inside. Wawa's failure here is inexcusable. I also wish they would do something about the panhandling at the Germantown Avenue Wawa in Mt. Airy.
I'm closest to Broad and Walnut, so i go there on free coffee day and when any size coffee is $1. The store is a pigsty and i never go there for food. They definitely need security guards.
I'm a transplant and I love Wawa. I first grew fond of it when I was a poor grad student and would go to the wawa at 11th and Arch before catching the Chinatown buses to NYC/DC. This was before I realized how unsafe they were. I have gathered that the hoagies aren't as good as they once were but I think they are still pretty good for the price. I get an Italian Hoagie once every other month or so. I like to get the Turkey Pinwheels and apple slices for a quick prepackaged but low calorie lunch.
Unfortunately I am very disappointed with the Broad and Walnut. I often avoid it because I don't feel like pushing past a sea of homeless people and pregnant women smoking to get inside. Wawa's failure here is inexcusable. I also wish they would do something about the panhandling at the Germantown Avenue Wawa in Mt. Airy.
They must have changed that wawa to a Dunkin Donuts on 11th and Arch
Ha, ha, ha.... Not everyone goes. I don't go. Whatever positiveness I felt was pretty much was destroyed by the mess they allowed at Broad and Walnut.
That's it for me too: I can get better coffee and food elsewhere from other locally-owned establishments. So here's someone else who is pretty "meh" about them.
I'm will get slammed for saying this and that's okay. We lost all of our locally owned departments. These were great institutions...places that truly showed our pride about being Philadelphians. Nowadays some think we should cheer over convenience stores.
Wawa is technically "locally owned"
I have been saying since the moment the store was announced that it was a bad idea. I remember certain posters (I actually forget who) got on my case for claiming the corner could do better, but apparently the foot traffic was a postive, just not the right kind of foot traffic.
I would have preferred a CVS (yes across from a Walgreens), at least it would have been a well lit storefront with normal people going in and out.
I also think its a disgrace that Wawa would let the store resemble that, and also a general disgrace that a prestigious corner looks like that.
Its not terrible during the day, but after the sun goes down...eek.
I used to always stay on the North side of the street.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KansastoSouthphilly
I'm a transplant and I love Wawa. I first grew fond of it when I was a poor grad student and would go to the wawa at 11th and Arch before catching the Chinatown buses to NYC/DC. This was before I realized how unsafe they were. I have gathered that the hoagies aren't as good as they once were but I think they are still pretty good for the price. I get an Italian Hoagie once every other month or so. I like to get the Turkey Pinwheels and apple slices for a quick prepackaged but low calorie lunch.
Unfortunately I am very disappointed with the Broad and Walnut. I often avoid it because I don't feel like pushing past a sea of homeless people and pregnant women smoking to get inside. Wawa's failure here is inexcusable. I also wish they would do something about the panhandling at the Germantown Avenue Wawa in Mt. Airy.
I think a lot of people also have fond memories of Wawa which adds to the draw.
I remember trekking to Wawa at 26th and Chestnut during the terrible snowstorms in 2012-2013 to get a meatball sub since that was the only thing open, it was a lot of fun.
And back when their sandwiches were good circa 2005, that would be my family's stop on the way to the beach or pool for sandwiches.
And even though they are meh nowadays, they are one of the only places you can get a whole days worth of food for the beach or pregame party.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpomp
I think Wawa used to be a fantastic store. I am going back 15+ years. They were a small local convenient store. They had less food options back then, but used higher quality lunch meat and ingredients. Most stores had a nice neighborhood vibe to them. That all began to change once the gas stations took off.
Fast forward to 2018, they are a gigantic national chain with overall crappy prepared food, however, they are convenient, generally nicer than most other quick stops, and their coffee is still good (and cheap).
I also find it ridiculous that a $10B company can't place a security guard in the CC Wawas to keep the thugs and bums from causing trouble. The one at Broad and Walnut actually has to chain the bar stools down at nighttime... like really?
Wawa followed the almighty dollar like most large companies do. They are becoming the Walmart/ Target of quick stops. I am glad they are still committed to the region though.
WaWa isn't national. It's an east coast chain. They've moved a few stores into North Jersey & they go down to Petersburg, VA, then show up in Florida.
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