Where we go for our snacks (and, sure, gas) is no simple choice.
There’s an invisible line separating the east and west of Pennsylvania — and the Sheetz and Wawa fans of the world. At least, that’s as simple as it used to be.
When Sheetz first opened its doors in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in 1952, the chain was already 50 years behind what would become its biggest rival: Wawa Dairy started in 1902 in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and its first Food Market opened in 1964 before becoming the modern-day Wawa.
The chains expanded further to claim their respective regions — Wawa took over states like New Jersey and Florida, while Sheetz went into Ohio and West Virginia. There’s been some overlap in states like Virginia, but even those are regionally divided.
And with territorial expansion came regional loyalty and a heated cultural debate among local customers over which of the two is definitively better. It’s a feud that eventually became akin to sports rivalries, with each chain claiming geographic fan bases.
From a marketing standpoint, the companies couldn’t be luckier.
“It’s the kind of thing that money can’t buy,” Matthew Fridg, founder of the Trolley Group, said. He is currently working on a documentary exploring the Sheetz-Wawa rivalry. “It’s an enigma in and of itself.”
Asha Prihar, a Philadelphia resident originally from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, explored this debate in a 2022 story for Billy Penn. She reviewed a selection of each establishment’s food items, as suggested by various Sheetz and Wawa fans. Her findings were mixed, but ultimately neutral.
“I’ve just realized they can coexist,” Prihar said. “They don’t always have to fight about it. I like both of them, but for different reasons.”
Still, the rivalry is part of the fun.
“If you’re only a Wawa fan, you got something wrong with you,” David Mauser, a Sheetz supporter from Delaware, Ohio, said.
And for those who find themselves on the wrong side of the line, their hometown preference fights back.
This is the case for Aren Framil, a Philadelphia native currently dealing with a major adjustment after moving to Pittsburgh. “They don’t have Wawa over here. They have frickin’ Sheetz,” Framil said. He misses his familiar Wawa go-to: a toasted Italian hoagie with jalapeños.
At Wawa, it’s all about the hoagies — the Philadelphian name for what others might call subs, grinders or heroes. At Sheetz, the mac and cheese “bitez” are a frequent favorite.
And for the most part, it seems like each chain should stick to its strengths.
“I’ve had the hoagie from Sheetz — same thing — and it is not as good as Wawa. So I’ve confirmed that,” Framil said.
Part of the long-standing feud means that there will always be comparisons and criticisms from both sides. A long-time Sheetz fan willing to take a trip to Wawa for a Hustle video, for one, noted the lackluster seating area when he arrived, as opposed to the welcoming red chairs and booths found in many-a-Sheetz. At most locations, Wawa’s fast-paced environment often doesn’t even allow for a designated eat-in spot.
Still, there’s a certain charm to each chain’s simple reliability — a social space for grab-and-go items that builds a sense of familiar comfort through all of life’s uncertainties.
“Wawa has seen me in times of struggle, in times of happiness,” Framil said. “I go there with my friends a lot, like after work or after school.”
Mauser said Sheetz has seen him “through all the stages.”
But this doesn’t mean the Sheetz-Wawa turf has remained clearly delineated. Sheetz locations are expanding into eastern Pennsylvania and beyond; Wawa’s doing the same — its stores now stretch as far into the Midwest as Indiana.
In some towns, customers will now have to make a decision on which to visit — a marker of new possibilities.
“It’s always good for some rivalry,” Mauser said, considering a hypothetical Wawa addition to his Ohio hometown. “It’ll make Sheetz maybe a little cheaper. Maybe it’ll bring down gas [prices].”
Fridg sees growing awareness of the opposite brand as a way to incite the rivalry to a broader scale.
“You have all these people that are like, ‘Sheetz is amazing and Wawa’s stupid,’” Fridg said. “And all of a sudden, now you’re thrust into this world [of competition] that you may never even thought existed.”
Of course, the opposite could happen as well — the rivalry could dissipate altogether.
“I wonder if it might be generational,” Prihar said. “Like kids grow up having Wawa and Sheetz in their town — if it’s just going to become a matter of your personal preference or your family’s preference, whereas people who are maybe my age and older remember a time when there was less crossover.”
Ultimately, a Sheetz and Wawa coexistence promises opportunity.
“Maybe one day you’re a Wawa person because you’re running late for work or something,” Prihar said. “But maybe another day you wanna just take it slow and order a bunch of made-to-order stuff from Sheetz and have a fun time.”
And while there may never be a winner, the love of the game will be hard to forget.
As Fridg said, “You can’t rationalize passion very well.” Why would you?
