Randomness Dos

[Nuge]

For my money, in central PA Snappys is king.

[nocera]

I guess I don’t understand why anybody would willingly go to a gas station for food instead of, you know, a restaurant. Unless you’re traveling and killing two birds with one stone, there are much better options.

[tifosi77]

I'm not sure if I've ever set foot in a WaWa, and if I did the most recent time would've been like 2008 or something. But Sheetz (MTOs specifically) is one of the very small number of things from PA that I regard with some measure of fondness. Sheetz sponsored my roller hockey team for several seasons, and I brought one of my jerseys with me when I moved; I usually wore it to play in the pickup games at the Venice Beach parking lots. So there's this whole group of hockey schmucks that know me as 'SHEETZ', cos the jersey said SHEETZ is big all-caps letters like so that onlookers would know who bought it for me.

[RonnieFranchise]

The only convenience store that's a destination for me is the Rutters in Milroy because it's the least out of the way location to get the Hartley's chips. Wegmans and Weis in SC used to carry them but apparently they shrunk their footprint to not go north of the mountain.

I'll grab a Sheetz MTO for lunch sometimes or Get Go. But not top of my list.

[eddy]

I have fond memories of Sheetz food, but it's a young man's game. That food is mostly overpriced garbage now. If the 5 of us stop on a trip, it's usually more expensive than sitting down at a restaurant.

[skullman80]

I guess I don’t understand why anybody would willingly go to a gas station for food instead of, you know, a restaurant. Unless you’re traveling and killing two birds with one stone, there are much better options.

I'm not getting a meal there it's usually early morning or late at night food...or a road trip stop.

Their breakfast sandwiches are better than McDonald's and that is what I usually get. Their fries also are pretty good, and they have decent soft pretzels too.

[dodint]

Sheetz is fast food. As far as fast food goes, it's pretty high up there. It's going to smoke, say, Subway or Taco Bell. And it does it with a pretty broad menu.

[eddy]

*2 for $1 hot dogs are still money though. Chilli cheese all the way there.

[faftorial]

I used to live on 2 for $1 hot dogs and meatball subs (small meatballs on a hot dog bun) at Minute Mart in State College.

[count2infinity]

I guess I don’t understand why anybody would willingly go to a gas station for food instead of, you know, a restaurant. Unless you’re traveling and killing two birds with one stone, there are much better options.

You are lost, and I feel bad for you. Find your way, nocera. FIND YOUR WAY!

[faftorial]

Modern gas station "restaurants" are no worse than any other fast food.

[blackjack68]

Royal Farms fried chicken beats most fast food chicken by far.

[RonnieFranchise]

We used to go up to Country Fair when I was at Grove City on drunk hot dog runs.

Yeah, I was drunk at Grove City, pretty often actually.

[Willie Kool]

We used to go up to Country Fair when I was at Grove City on drunk hot dog runs.

I haven't had either in a couple years but I always preferred Country Fair food and coffee over Sheetz. Grew up with Country Fair and Lawson's, didn't get a Sheetz around here until about 15 years ago.

[shafnutz05]

[nocera]

I guess I don’t understand why anybody would willingly go to a gas station for food instead of, you know, a restaurant. Unless you’re traveling and killing two birds with one stone, there are much better options.

You are lost, and I feel bad for you. Find your way, nocera. FIND YOUR WAY!

I know exactly where I’m going: not to a gas station for lunch.

[shafnutz05]

Royal Farms fried chicken beats most fast food chicken by far.

So glad we have one in Downingtown

[Shyster]

In these days where the pandemic pretty much killed off most 24-hour stores other than gas stations, and most fast-food places that used to be open extra late (like Taco Bell) aren't anymore, as an extreme night owl I can say that places like Sheetz and GetGo are often the only places to get food after 10-11 pm or so. I can't even go into Giant Eagle to buy something to cook myself because all of the stores that used to be open 24 hours now close at 10 pm or earlier.

[NTP66]

That was cool and all, but I'd have filled a Home Depot bucket with water, dropped that thing right into it, covered it and walked away.

[faftorial]

Royal Farms fried chicken beats most fast food chicken by far.

So glad we have one in Downingtown

There's one over by the Lancaster DMV on Rohrerstown Road. I recently looked at their menu and too expensive for me.

[Ad@m]

Sheetz vs Wawa

The “East vs West” battle in Pennsylvania is always strong. Steelers vs Eagles is big among football fans, but there’s one that some might say is even bigger and that’s the battle of convenience: Sheetz vs Wawa.

It’s a battle that’s almost as iconic to a Pennsylvanian as scrapple or apple dumplings. Lines get drawn, loyalty gets built, and even passion takes over. From grabbing a coffee while filling up the gas tank to a convenient dinner for the family, both companies have continued to serve our great state — and well beyond — for nearly 60 years.

The brands have built themselves into economic powerhouses in Pennsylvania that seem to have a metaphorical ” do not cross” line drawn somewhere around the state’s capital. When you hit a certain point while driving through the state, you’ll stop seeing one store and only see the other, but that might all change as Wawa plans to expand into Centre County.

So, “Sheetz vs Wawa.” What’s the right answer? While it might be hard to just put everything into a simple comparison list, here’s what factual numbers tell us about the two companies.

On Dec. 1, Forbes put out a list of the largest private companies in America. While neither company ranked top 20, Wawa came in hot at number 24 with Sheetz coming in at number 37.

SHEETZ

Sheetz currently ranks at number 37 on the Forbes list. The company is touting an $11.7 billion revenue in 2022. They also employ 24,000 people (give or take a few) across their 671 stores in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and even all the way down in North Carolina.

Sheetz opened their first-ever shop in 1952 when Bob Sheetz bought a few of his father’s dairy stores. The first official Sheetz, however, is no longer a Sheetz.

Now sitting at 2601 5th Avenue in Altoona is a Magisterial District Judge, but that iconic “Sheetz building” look is unmistakable.

WAWA

Wawa ranks 13 spots ahead of Sheetz on the Forbes list at 24. The company showed $14.9 billion in revenue in 2022 with 40,000 (more or less) employees across 983 stores.

Not only does Wawa cover the east coast of PA, NJ, Maryland, Delaware, Washington DC, and more, but it completely litters central and eastern Florida. Much further south than Sheetz has been.

The Wawa family began in the market in 1803, but it wasn’t until 1964 that the first Wawa market officially opened as an outlet for their dairy products. The first ever Wawa opened at 1212 McDade Boulevard in Folsom, Pa., but it has since closed as an improved Wawa opened down the street in the 2000s.

TAKEAWAY

Year over year, Wawa showed a strong 35% increase in revenue from 2021 to 2022, from $11B to $14.9B.

Sheetz, however, showed a massive 109% increase from 2021 to 2022, from $5.6B to $11.7B

While both stores provide a different experience and different menus, they both sell gasoline, are known to have great staff, and make sure you’re in and out.

The numbers show Wawa with more stores, more employees, a bigger expansion, and more revenue, but Sheetz is far from down and out in this east/west battle.

The company — Sheetz — has announced its expansion into Detroit in 2025 and the sky is the limit. “Sheetz run and done” is taking over as they grow. Can Wawa keep their lead? Only time will tell.

[Viva la Ben]

I had really good fried chicken from these Coen Kitchen joints in gas stations. Shockingly good.
https://coen1923.com/

[Dickie Dunn]

The Exxon or whatever it was on Brownsville in South Park turned into a Coen. I was very confused by their "Famous Fried Chicken" because they seemed to barely exist at the time of the change. My parents have gotten their fried chicken multiple times and said it was pretty damn good.

[DigitalGypsy66]

I just noticed a Sbarro opening up in a gas station down here. That's a new one, and I haven't seen a Sbarro in years anywhere.

[faftorial]

I just noticed a Sbarro opening up in a gas station down here. That's a new one, and I haven't seen a Sbarro in years anywhere.

I've only seen them in airports and maybe the PA turnpike. Never eaten at one.