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OT: WaWa vs The Field

Gray52

Gray52

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Dec 9, 2012
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With this pause in wrestling, I figure nows a good time to have this discussion...
So I’ve been hearing for many many years from people living East of State College about this convenience story... how great it is... better than Sheetz... yadda yadda yadda. So my daughter has a volleyball tournament in Kutztown a few weeks back (a lifetime ago now, it seems), and we drive passed a WaWa. She begs me to stop because she’s never been in one and she’s been told they’re awesome. I’m like yeah, me too, let’s do it. So we go inside... and... I felt dirty just being in there (and this is a newer store). So I had the Italian. Decent enough, but I kept double checking for hair... or something... every third bite. Yikes.
WaWa honestly felt like a third rate convenience store. Newcomer Rutter’s is far and away PA’s #1, Sheetz a distant second... and then there’s the Iowa of wrestling, the Paris Hilton of celebrities, famous only for being famous, WaWa. It’s a small step up from a UniMart.
I’d say, best case, WaWa is wrestling Saturday morning for a medal. And if it’s not careful, it might even get upset by Truman’s General Store in the pigtail!
 
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Gray52 said:
With this pause in wrestling, I figure nows a good time to have this discussion...
So I’ve been hearing for many many years from people living East of State College about this convenience story... how great it is... better than Sheetz... yadda yadda yadda. So my daughter has a volleyball tournament in Kutztown a few weeks back (a lifetime ago now, it seems), and we drive passed a WaWa. She begs me to stop because she’s never been in one and she’s been told they’re awesome. I’m like yeah, me too, let’s do it. So we go inside... and... I felt dirty just being in there (and this is a newer store). So I had the Italian. Decent enough, but I kept double checking for hair... or something... every third bite. Yikes.
WaWa honestly felt like a third rate convenience store. Newcomer Rutter’s is far and away PA’s #1, Sheetz a distant second... and then there’s the Iowa of wrestling, the Paris Hilton of celebrities, famous only for being famous, WaWa. It’s a small step up from a UniMart.
I’d say, best case, WaWa is wrestling Saturday morning for a medal. And if it’s not careful, it might even get upset by Truman’s General Store in the pigtail!
Click to expand...

This is blasphemy. Wawa is the best convenience store hands down, and even beats some actual sandwich shops. As someone who grew up in Eastern PA but has lived in State College for 10+ years, sheetz is garbage and Rutters might actually be worse. All sheetz does somewhat decently is throw food in a deep fryer. I've only ever gotten a burger from rutters but it looked and tasted sadder and a McDouble that someone sat on. Even Wawa's pre-made sandwiches and wraps are pretty good. I would take one of their buffalo chicken wraps that has been sitting in a cooler for 9 hours over anything MTO from sheetz. Back in college I happened to be in an area that had both sheetz and wawa with some friends who had never had wawa before. We did a blind taste test with an Italian hoagie form Sheetz, Wawa, and a decent local sandwich place. 3/4 picked wawa and 1 picked the sandwich place. All this is even before factoring in the gobbler around thanksgiving which is truly magical. Oh and Wawa's coffee is far superior to sheetz's, which is essential in a convenience store. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but in this case yours is wrong. .
 
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If there's a Sheetz and Rutters next to each other, I'd pull into the Sheetz every single time. Especially now after hearing they are now giving every one of their employees a 3 dollar raise during this epidemic. They are known to treat employees well and a very good company to work for.....I respect that.

Not only that, but I've always had a soft spot for the chain since childhood. As a kid, they were my go to 2 am stop for "grubbage" after a night of drinking with my buddies. Back then, it was pretty much just hot dogs..a far cry from thier current menu and you placed the order on paper.

I don't know....maybe I'm just "nostalgic" in my thinking and set in my ways but yeah....I'll definitely always have my Sheetz card on me.
 
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Hazy_Davey said:
This is blasphemy. Wawa is the best convenience store hands down, and even beats some actual sandwich shops. As someone who grew up in Eastern PA but has lived in State College for 10+ years, sheetz is garbage and Rutters might actually be worse. All sheetz does somewhat decently is throw food in a deep fryer. I've only ever gotten a burger from rutters but it looked and tasted sadder and a McDouble that someone sat on. Even Wawa's pre-made sandwiches and wraps are pretty good. I would take one of their buffalo chicken wraps that has been sitting in a cooler for 9 hours over anything MTO from sheetz. Back in college I happened to be in an area that had both sheetz and wawa with some friends who had never had wawa before. We did a blind taste test with an Italian hoagie form Sheetz, Wawa, and a decent local sandwich place. 3/4 picked wawa and 1 picked the sandwich place. All this is even before factoring in the gobbler around thanksgiving which is truly magical. Oh and Wawa's coffee is far superior to sheetz's, which is essential in a convenience store. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but in this case yours is wrong. .
Click to expand...
Everyones taste in things are different so I don't see how theres a right or wrong here. You feel wawa is hands down the best while the person you replied to says it was garbage...so there's that. Also, I swear anytime I'm ever told that I have to try a certain restraunt or pizza or ice cream or anything else , it always turns out to be a huge disappointment. Because of that, I don't really take advice from people when it comes to food. I just don't...
 
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Gray52 said:
With this pause in wrestling, I figure nows a good time to have this discussion...
So I’ve been hearing for many many years from people living East of State College about this convenience story... how great it is... better than Sheetz... yadda yadda yadda. So my daughter has a volleyball tournament in Kutztown a few weeks back (a lifetime ago now, it seems), and we drive passed a WaWa. She begs me to stop because she’s never been in one and she’s been told they’re awesome. I’m like yeah, me too, let’s do it. So we go inside... and... I felt dirty just being in there (and this is a newer store). So I had the Italian. Decent enough, but I kept double checking for hair... or something... every third bite. Yikes.
WaWa honestly felt like a third rate convenience store. Newcomer Rutter’s is far and away PA’s #1, Sheetz a distant second... and then there’s the Iowa of wrestling, the Paris Hilton of celebrities, famous only for being famous, WaWa. It’s a small step up from a UniMart.
I’d say, best case, WaWa is wrestling Saturday morning for a medal. And if it’s not careful, it might even get upset by Truman’s General Store in the pigtail!
Click to expand...
Time for some popcorn. I get three things at any of them: gas, soda/drinks and an occasional candy bar. I can count on one finger the number of times I've ordered hot food to go. It was a Sheetz breakfast burrito, and it was not good.

Mostly, they're good places to take a leak.
 
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johnstownsteel said:
Because of that, I don't really take advice from people when it comes to food. I just don't...
Click to expand...

Not even tongs advice?

tongs.jpeg
 
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Diego Badman said:
I really like Sheetz. Their business model has been amazing.

I do like Royal Farms for its chicken. I wish one was handy to Central PA.
Click to expand...
I'm one of those nerds that actually bought and read the book about the history of Sheetz. Been years since I read it but I think they filed for bankruptcy in 80s, regrouped and became a huge success.

I was born in Winston Salem North Carolina and much of my Dads side of family lives there. I visited back around 2013 and went to the mall there. At the food court, Sheetz put in a "concept" eatery. Thought it was neat but think it has since closed.
 
johnstownsteel said:
I'm one of those nerds that actually bought and read the book about the history of Sheetz. Been years since I read it but I think they filed for bankruptcy in 80s, regrouped and became a huge success.

I was born in Winston Salem North Carolina and much of my Dads side of family lives there. I visited back around 2013 and went to the mall there. At the food court, Sheetz put in a "concept" eatery. Thought it was neat but think it has since closed.
Click to expand...

Sheetz has been growing in NC. None in SC that I know of. Quick Trip has been expanding in the Upstate of SC, but overall there are not a lot of Sheetz/Wawa type stores here. I have a one-off conv. store close to my office. 2-piece chicken dinner, 2 sides, large drink $5.99. Center cut pork chop, 1-inch thick, dinner $6.99. Both pretty decent.
 
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Whenever I hear the Yinzer Sheetz crowd arguing with the “Wudder” WaWa crowd I steer clear because it is a clear indication of two groups of people who have given up on life and will fight to the death, if need be, over the superior gas station food.
 
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Back in the day before Wawa was taken over by big corporate mentality, their fresh made sandwiches were on a level with the best deli sandwiches around. Now every piece of meat and cheese is carefully counted and the rolls are not as good. Sheetz premades are inedible from being stored too long. Their fresh made to order are ok.

Royal Farm is making a big push into southeast PA and hurting Wawa sales. Royal Farms broasted chicken is the best I ever had. A must try. Fresh made to order sandwiches are very good.
 
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Gray52 said:
With this pause in wrestling, I figure nows a good time to have this discussion...
So I’ve been hearing for many many years from people living East of State College about this convenience story... how great it is... better than Sheetz... yadda yadda yadda. So my daughter has a volleyball tournament in Kutztown a few weeks back (a lifetime ago now, it seems), and we drive passed a WaWa. She begs me to stop because she’s never been in one and she’s been told they’re awesome. I’m like yeah, me too, let’s do it. So we go inside... and... I felt dirty just being in there (and this is a newer store). So I had the Italian. Decent enough, but I kept double checking for hair... or something... every third bite. Yikes.
WaWa honestly felt like a third rate convenience store. Newcomer Rutter’s is far and away PA’s #1, Sheetz a distant second... and then there’s the Iowa of wrestling, the Paris Hilton of celebrities, famous only for being famous, WaWa. It’s a small step up from a UniMart.
I’d say, best case, WaWa is wrestling Saturday morning for a medal. And if it’s not careful, it might even get upset by Truman’s General Store in the pigtail!
Click to expand...


Used to live in the Philly burbs. I had a friend who got laid off and had to take a job at Wawa while he looked for a new job. He referred to it as Che´ Wa-wa.... he humorously felt that gave it a French, sophisticated feel. Too funny.
 
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amattaro said:
Whenever I hear the Yinzer Sheetz crowd arguing with the “Wudder” WaWa crowd I steer clear because it is a clear indication of two groups of people who have given up on life and will fight to the death, if need be, over the superior gas station food.
Click to expand...
Stuck in the house pretty much alone. And since I've retired from the HR forum....I'm welcoming any form of debate/ conversation/ entertainment..
 
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johnstownsteel said:
If there's a Sheetz and Rutters next to each other, I'd pull into the Sheetz every single time. Especially now after hearing they are now giving every one of their employees a 3 dollar raise during this epidemic. They are known to treat employees well and a very good company to work for.....I respect that.

Not only that, but I've always had a soft spot for the chain since childhood. As a kid, they were my go to 2 am stop for "grubbage" after a night of drinking with my buddies. Back then, it was pretty much just hot dogs..a far cry from thier current menu and you placed the order on paper.

I don't know....maybe I'm just "nostalgic" in my thinking and set in my ways but yeah....I'll definitely always have my Sheetz card on me.
Click to expand...

Went to IUP in the 80s. I recall a mandatory stop at Sheetz on the way home from parties. Two chilli dogs and a bag of chips for a buck. May as well have been a 5 star restaurant for all I knew. :)
 
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Hazy_Davey said:
This is blasphemy. Wawa is the best convenience store hands down, and even beats some actual sandwich shops. As someone who grew up in Eastern PA but has lived in State College for 10+ years, sheetz is garbage and Rutters might actually be worse. All sheetz does somewhat decently is throw food in a deep fryer. I've only ever gotten a burger from rutters but it looked and tasted sadder and a McDouble that someone sat on. Even Wawa's pre-made sandwiches and wraps are pretty good. I would take one of their buffalo chicken wraps that has been sitting in a cooler for 9 hours over anything MTO from sheetz. Back in college I happened to be in an area that had both sheetz and wawa with some friends who had never had wawa before. We did a blind taste test with an Italian hoagie form Sheetz, Wawa, and a decent local sandwich place. 3/4 picked wawa and 1 picked the sandwich place. All this is even before factoring in the gobbler around thanksgiving which is truly magical. Oh and Wawa's coffee is far superior to sheetz's, which is essential in a convenience store. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but in this case yours is wrong. .
Click to expand...

And don't forget Wawa Hoagiefest! Try touching that with Sheetz or Rutters :)
 
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Gray52 said:
With this pause in wrestling, I figure nows a good time to have this discussion...
So I’ve been hearing for many many years from people living East of State College about this convenience story... how great it is... better than Sheetz... yadda yadda yadda. So my daughter has a volleyball tournament in Kutztown a few weeks back (a lifetime ago now, it seems), and we drive passed a WaWa. She begs me to stop because she’s never been in one and she’s been told they’re awesome. I’m like yeah, me too, let’s do it. So we go inside... and... I felt dirty just being in there (and this is a newer store). So I had the Italian. Decent enough, but I kept double checking for hair... or something... every third bite. Yikes.
WaWa honestly felt like a third rate convenience store. Newcomer Rutter’s is far and away PA’s #1, Sheetz a distant second... and then there’s the Iowa of wrestling, the Paris Hilton of celebrities, famous only for being famous, WaWa. It’s a small step up from a UniMart.
I’d say, best case, WaWa is wrestling Saturday morning for a medal. And if it’s not careful, it might even get upset by Truman’s General Store in the pigtail!
Click to expand...

When I tried typing Rutters into my phone, it keeps auto-correcting to Rutgers, so I move that we throw them off the list for this debate :)

I told my son about this thread. He chuckled and said why is Rutters even in the discussion.
 
Diego Badman said:
I really like Sheetz. Their business model has been amazing.

I do like Royal Farms for its chicken. I wish one was handy to Central PA.
Click to expand...
Is Littlestown Central PA? When I lived in the Philly area, I'd call Littlestown Central PA. They have a Royal Farm store. just FYI

In my experience, WaWa is the better convenience store. And I stop at Sheetz a couple times a month. We have no WaWa where I am now. WaWa allegedly has the best coffee (though I don't drink coffee). Back where I used to live, the WaWa had a Starbucks right accross the street. WaWa pushed the Starbucks out of business. That's gotta tell you something.
 
ad1986 said:
Royal Farm is making a big push into southeast PA and hurting Wawa sales. Royal Farms broasted chicken is the best I ever had. A must try. Fresh made to order sandwiches are very good.
Click to expand...
There is a Royal Farms directly across the street from my employer. The outdoor smell of fried is nauseating and overpowering. I often need to time when I drive home -- to leave during non-peak cooking times. The only thing worse was being at the gate in ATL next to Popeye's.

There is also a chocolate factory near the office. Some afternoons, the parking lot smells like brownies. Naturally some idiot filed an environmental complaint with our employer -- because the Delaware River stench was so much better.

Sadly, on most days Royal Farms drowns out the brownie smell.
 
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El-Jefe said:
There is a Royal Farms directly across the street from my employer. The outdoor smell of fried is nauseating and overpowering. I often need to time when I drive home -- to leave during non-peak cooking times. The only thing worse was being at the gate in ATL next to Popeye's.

There is also a chocolate factory near the office. Some afternoons, the parking lot smells like brownies. Naturally some idiot filed an environmental complaint with our employer -- because the Delaware River stench was so much better.

Sadly, on most days Royal Farms drowns out the brownie smell.
Click to expand...
I lived in Tennesse briefly and in the town I worked had a rather large bakery. Half of it smelled like cinnamon rolls. It was magnificent...
 
johnstownsteel said:
Stuck in the house pretty much alone. And since I've retired from the HR forum....I'm welcoming any form of debate/ conversation/ entertainment..
Click to expand...
If you are looking for entertainment, google Girls flash their Hooters for Harambe the Gorilla Sorry but I'm not willing to post the link on here.
 
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I'm glad this topic came up. As an out-of-towner who never lived in PA but who's family lives in Central PA, when I come into town, I want a great hoagie. Sadly, Troy's in State College closed. That was my favorite spot for their Italian. But I'm very limited in my knowledge and experiences. I don't know much of anything about where else to go, as much of the family has dispersed, and the ones that do remain say Jersey Mike's, which I already got in Chicago. So where else should I go when in town?? Wegman's? Sheetz??
 
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backdrft76 said:
I'm glad this topic came up. As an out-of-towner who never lived in PA but who's family lives in Central PA, when I come into town, I want a great hoagie. Sadly, Troy's in State College closed. That was my favorite spot for their Italian. But I'm very limited in my knowledge and experiences. I don't know much of anything about where else to go, as much of the family has dispersed, and the ones that do remain say Jersey Mike's, which I already got in Chicago. So where else should I go when in town?? Wegman's? Sheetz??
Click to expand...
Not familiar with the sub shops in State College but wished I could help. Sheetz is ok for a cheap sub but you sound like you're looking for something more so I wouldnt recommend them.
 
Back in November, my son and I went on a vacation to Las Vegas, southern Utah and Arizona. Nowhere did we see anything remotely similar to a Sheetz, Rutter’s, or a WaWa. They had Circle K’s, which were gas stations with a convenience store, but they did not have made to order food. Big untapped market opportunity.
 
manatree said:
They just closed one location. They are still open at their Benner Pike location beyond the mall.
Click to expand...
Troys location is right next to Joel Confer Ford (old Dunlap Ford) just to be a little more specific. Outstanding hoagie. PSU football players eat them all the time when semester is in session.
 
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PSU_Lion_Fan said:
Back in November, my son and I went on a vacation to Las Vegas, southern Utah and Arizona. Nowhere did we see anything remotely similar to a Sheetz, Rutter’s, or a WaWa. They had Circle K’s, which were gas stations with a convenience store, but they did not have made to order food. Big untapped market opportunity.
Click to expand...
As opposed to every podunk town in Tennessee, which had a tiny convenience store, but still served great breakfast sandwiches, chicken tenders, chicken livers and fried okra.
 
pawrestlersintn said:
As opposed to every podunk town in Tennessee, which had a tiny convenience store, but still served great breakfast sandwiches, chicken tenders, chicken livers and fried okra.
Click to expand...

Same here. A new modern convenience store that one of my clients owns opened last year not far from me. They have a great full menu from fried chicken to oxen tails, lots of sides. One to-go box is enough for two full meals. Some of the best breakfast biscuits are still found out in the country, though.
 
Oh the shame in this post! ;) Actually, I’m impressed that so many of you are coming out of the closet as gas station food eaters (GSFEs). I started to look for a GSFE support group to share with my friends here, but apparently the GSFE stigma has significantly abated in recent years and gas stations are making legitimate inroads :rolleyes: in the fast food market.

I even found articles providing helpful info about gas station nutrition for traveling athletes:
https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Taekwondo/Features/2015/April/09/Traveling-Athletes-and-Gas-Station-Nutrition

Some people claim you can lose weight following a “gas station food” diet (maybe Cenzo should consider this before he balloons back up to 250+):
http://kokomoperspective.com/kp/lifestyles/i-ate-gas-station-food-for-days-here-s-what/article_fd2c9e72-f3e2-11e7-a27d-a365651c9f80.html

We don’t have WaWa, Sheetz, or Rutter’s in Texas. At least not that I’ve seen. We do have Buc-ee’s, which is definitely much, much more than a gas station. It’s huge by gas station standards and has all kinds of fresh, prepared, and packaged foods, along with tons of jerky, fudge, snacks, drinks, outdoor gear, and Texas themed souvenirs. I know people that plan meals at Buc-ee's.




We also have Rudy’s Country Store, which is a full-blown BBQ restaurant that also happens to have gas pumps. It’s actually one of the better BBQ places around here. Here's the one in Allen, Texas, home of one of the GOAT wrestlers:
 
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NoVa Lion said:
This entire thread is a little nauseating, but this one takes the cake. I know feel physically ill. Thanks pa. :(:D:p:cool::rolleyes::oops:o_O
Click to expand...
Sometimes it takes a strong stomach to read this board.

While it was a huge running joke, the sushi they had was really good. Unfortunately, in researching to remember the name of the place, I found out that it has since closed. Location was good for a good sushi restaurant, but horrible for a gas station. I'm sure the rent just got too high.
 
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PSUbluTX said:
Oh the shame in this post! ;) Actually, I’m impressed that so many of you are coming out of the closet as gas station food eaters (GSFEs). I started to look for a GSFE support group to share with my friends here, but apparently the GSFE stigma has significantly abated in recent years and gas stations are making legitimate inroads :rolleyes: in the fast food market.

I even found articles providing helpful info about gas station nutrition for traveling athletes:
https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Taekwondo/Features/2015/April/09/Traveling-Athletes-and-Gas-Station-Nutrition

Some people claim you can lose weight following a “gas station food” diet (maybe Cenzo should consider this before he balloons back up to 250+):
http://kokomoperspective.com/kp/lifestyles/i-ate-gas-station-food-for-days-here-s-what/article_fd2c9e72-f3e2-11e7-a27d-a365651c9f80.html

We don’t have WaWa, Sheetz, or Rutter’s in Texas. At least not that I’ve seen. We do have Buc-ee’s, which is definitely much, much more than a gas station. It’s huge by gas station standards and has all kinds of fresh, prepared, and packaged foods, along with tons of jerky, fudge, snacks, drinks, outdoor gear, and Texas themed souvenirs. I know people that plan meals at Buc-ee's.
View embedded media

View embedded media

View embedded media


We also have Rudy’s Country Store, which is a full-blown BBQ restaurant that also happens to have gas pumps. It’s actually one of the better BBQ places around here. Here's the one in Allen, Texas, home of one of the GOAT wrestlers:
View embedded media
Click to expand...
Rudy’s

Now Rudy’s is a some good eats! I used to travel to Texas for work and made sure I have a few BBQ sandwiches served with white bread and pickles.
 
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