You may reside in the eastern region of Wawa territory and prefer a hoagie for lunch, or insist on eating a “sub” because you are not from the New Jersey/Pennsylvania area, but one thing every inhabitant of the Northeast can agree on is that Wawa is more than a gas station or a convenience store. It is simply a way of life for us. Claiming my local Wawa as my second home address, I have learned quite a few hacks to make the Wawa experience even more pleasurable. These 10 hacks may vary from one location to another, but most are general rules I now live by in my daily Wawa endeavor.
Hack #1: For the Person Whose Milkshakes Are Failing to Bring the Boys to the Yard
We all know the beloved “F’real” milkshake machine that every Wawa possesses. This machine allows you to choose the thickness of your milkshake and has a variety of classic and limited edition flavors you can choose to make. The downside to this machine is that normally there is only two of them. One hot summer day me and my dad retreated to Wawa for a refreshing milkshake only to be ultimately discouraged when the only working machine they had began smoking and erupted my cookies and cream milkshake so harshly out of the machine, it even ended up on the ceiling. As milkshake dripped down from above our heads, we defeatedly proceeded to the infamous touch-screen to order something else and I made one of my most compelling discoveries.
For those of you that did not know, Wawa was originally a dairy company. Wawa makes their own brand of milk, ice cream and other dairy products. If you click on the “Beverages” section on the touch-screen, it will lead you to a large variety of different refreshments. Smoothies, slushies, hand-made milkshakes and “Flurricanes” are just a few of the options. Milkshakes are usually not too thick so they are drinkable the moment you get them, but “Flurricanes” resemble a “Blizzard” from Dairy Queen, and are much thicker.
You have the option with all of these drinks to order them with whip cream and a cherry on top, and to make it even better, there are three times as many flavors as the F’real milkshakes. I now order these more than the milkshakes from the F’real machine, because they are always the perfect consistency and my friends behind the counter of my local Wawa know to pile on extra whipped cream for my ravaging sweet tooth.
Hack #2: For the Muffin Man
Known for their baked goods, Wawa prides itself on freshness and quality. Whether it be a boston creme donut to go along with your morning cup of Wawa coffee, or a late night craving for the indulgence of a sweet blueberry muffin, you simply cannot go wrong when purchasing a baked product from Wawa. I thought these treats could not get any better, until the day I met someone very crucial to Wawa’s team. I learned this day that there is indeed a way to ensure that you get your favorite baked good at the peak of it’s freshness. Do you know the muffin man? I do. And he is fantastic.
Knowing your muffin man, a.k.a., the angelic and mysterious figure who delivers the baked goods to Wawa multiple times a day, is key to achieving the most successful Wawa experience every day. Times may vary from one Wawa to another, but asking this person or even a regular staff member at your local Wawa what time the bakery case will be refilled will ensure that you will never be heartbroken again upon realizing the person in front of you just claimed the LAST banana nut muffin, the muffin that had been fueling your reason for existence that entire morning. If you learn how to catch your muffin man arriving on time with the new batch of baked goods, I guarantee you will enjoy the absolute freshest, softest, most delightful baked delicacy you have ever consumed.
Hack #3: For the Anti-Morning Person
Although this is limited to a number of locations, and unfortunately mine is not one of them, Wawa is beginning a delivery service through Grubhub. This is a dream come true for early mornings when sausage, egg and cheese croissants and our beds are both beckoning our names. I envy those with the luxury of this service greatly.
Hack #4: For the Broke Hungry College Student
Have you ever walked into Wawa with a group of friends and realized your stomach was just as empty as your wallet? Keep your eyes open and your wallets closed, because it may just be your lucky day. Wawa often will put out trays of generous samples, to promote items such as their giant chocolate chip cookies, or their bacon egg and cheese breakfast bagels. If it’s free, it’s for me!
Hack #5: For the Sake of the Wawa Experience
Why not be amiable to people you choose to bother about four times a day for food? Simply knowing the names of the staff at your local Wawa, which is not hard considering they all wear name tags, can make your trip so much better. Being a bit of a blabbermouth, it is easy for me to bump into a random person and within two minutes of talking to them know their entire birthright. But even if you are not like this, just saying hello to the staff at your Wawa when you waltz in for your daily fix will make your face known to them and can make all of the difference. If I ever have a question or want to make a special request, they are more than willing to help me because of this.
Hack #6: For the Person Whose Hands Are Full
I have a habit of walking into Wawa with my stomach empty and walking out of Wawa with my hands full. I often find my eyes bigger than my stomach and who could blame me with the amount of options I have to choose from. Sometimes after purchasing a meal that could feed a family of four on a lonesome Wawa trip, I question my ability to carry all of my belongings to the car. However, it always dawns on me just in time that somehow there is always someone willing to hold open the door for you at Wawa. Upon reaching the handle that beholds the endless goods that Wawa has to offer, Wawa somehow manages to turn people into well mannered civilians. We’re not sure how, but this always proves to be helpful when needed.
Hack #7: For the Health Nut
Even though Wawa is famous for it’s touch-screen personalized sandwiches as well as the multitude of snacks that go with them and give you the ability you to grab and go when in a hurry, Wawa is also a great go-to if you need something quick and healthy to fuel up on. With cases full of freshly packaged salads, cut up fruits, and nutritious snacks, Wawa has plenty of healthy options that most of us are normally too blinded by macaroni and cheese bowls to notice. To make it easy, the packaged snacks in the display cases have the nutrition labels in clear view. But how are you supposed to know if your favorite meal from Wawa is breaking the diet if you are ordering something from the touch screen? With the Wawa app, you can easily access all the nutrition information of your usual Wawa order that you are dedicated to. This nutrition information will even narrow itself down by the toppings you add onto your sandwiches or the ingredients you add to your mac and cheese, giving you a precise look at what you’re eating.
Hack #8: For the Breakfast Lover
The concept of breakfast being limited to the morning time is the biggest disgrace that this world condemns. It is 2018, breakfast should last all day long. Who needs dinner and lunch anyways? If breakfast is your favorite meal of the day, you’re bound to have a strong affinity for Wawa’s variety of coffee, breakfast sandwiches, crispy hash browns and warm cinnamon oatmeal. Unfortunately, the only one of those things you can enjoy on the 24 hour basis that Wawa is open, is their coffee (which we are not complaining about). If your Wawa does not accommodate to serving 24/7 breakfast, there are still some key breakfast items you can order all day to lessen your longing for a morning meal. Warm toasted bagels are available to order from the touch screen all day long, and if you order something from the deli, you have to option to ask for bacon as a side. In a world gone mad, we find comfort in knowing bacon and bagels seem to be a timeless entity.
Hack #9: For Wawa's #1 Fan
Do you want the world to be informed of your infatuation of Wawa? Wawa’s website has a variety of novelty gifts to purchase for your favorite Wawa lover (even better in my opinion if that person is yourself). This merchandise includes “I love Wawa” mugs for the coffee enthusiast, Wawa T-shirts, and even Wawa beach towels, because who actually goes to the beach without stopping at a Wawa to pick up lunch on the way? Having a towel to lay on the beach with that matches my hoagie...I’m sold. If this is not enough, you can even find Wawa merchandise for sale on websites like Ebay and Amazon. Here is a picture of the 2017 Wawa “Hoagiefest” T-shirt that I copped from Ebay for only 10$:
Unsplash on unsplash
Hack #10: The One We Have All Been Waiting For
I found out through some inside sources that Wawa Mac and Cheese is Nestle Brand, and I even found a link to the recipe: https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/121926/macaroni-cheese-for-a-crowd
You’re welcome.