Turkey Trot Your Way To Wawa For A Taste Of The 'Gobbler' Thanksgiving Sub

Temperatures are dropping, the days are getting shorter (and colder), and the holidays are on the horizon. Obviously, that means it's time for the Wawa Gobbler. What originated as a dairy in 1902, Wawa is now a vast network of convenience stores (and gas stations) offering much more that sustenance for your vehicle. In fact, Wawa has since become a bonafide food market, serving freshly made hoagies (submarine sandwiches) since the 1970's. Back in the days of bell-bottoms and disco, the sandwiches were pre-made and sold at the register, but thanks to modern, self-order kiosks, you can order practically anything from Wawa, from a variety of hot and cold subs to salads, bowls, side dishes, and more. 

One seasonal item patrons crave all year is the Wawa Gobbler. How do I know this? Because I'm a food writer from Pennsylvania and, like anyone from the East Coast, I'm quite familiar with the Wawa fixation. I'm also privy to the annual quest for the Thanksgiving-themed hoagie. This year, I decided to sample the massive sub and report back with my honest review. This is the time of year everyone says, "You get the Gobbler yet?", so it's about time I did my job.

Imagine stuffing your entire Thanksgiving feast onto a sub roll; that's the essence of the Wawa Gobbler. The classic hoagie features a soft Wawa roll loaded with turkey, gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. You can order the sandwich with a toasted roll, or you can toast the whole darn thing. And, since it's Wawa, you can customize the sub a gazillion different ways. For example, you can get the sub hot or cold, and as a hoagie, sandwich, or wrap. You can even load all the ingredients into a bowl and skip the roll. Note, if you haven't tried Wawa's incredibly soft, chewy rolls, I suggest you order the hoagie. 

When it comes to the fillings and add-ons, you can pile on cheese, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and/or macaroni and cheese. Talk about Thanksgiving gluttony. You can also swap in/out the spreads — cranberry sauce is standard, but if you want Buffalo, chipotle, or BBQ spread on your Gobbler, and a stack of pickles or hot peppers, nobody will judge you. It's Wawa after all.

I purchased the Wawa Gobbler on a classic (10-inch) roll with the "take it as is" option — meaning I didn't customize it. The hoagie came on a white roll and was stuffed with turkey, turkey gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. I didn't add mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cheese, or any addition spreads. The cost was $9.09, plus 6% tax, for a total of $9.63. If I wanted extras like cheese, spreads (mustard, mayo, etc.), and seasonings like salt, pepper, oregano, Old Bay, and parmesan cheese, they would have been included in that price. If I wanted extra cranberry sauce, $1.00 would have been tacked on. 

Nutritionally, the 10-inch classic Gobbler on a white roll contains 830 calories, assuming you don't add anything else. The Wawa Gobbler is currently available at all Wawa locations and will be in stock until December 1, 2025. That said, Wawa doesn't stop selling the Gobbler until they run out of inventory, so check with your local store — they often keep Gobblers on the menu until mid to late December. 

Now let's get to the good stuff — how does the Gobbler taste? I can assure you, my hoagie tasted exactly like the whole Thanksgiving table smooshed into a Wawa roll. I'll start from the outside and work my way in to the fillings. Wawa's rolls are unrivaled. They're soft and chewy in the center, crackly and buttery on the exterior, and they have a pleasant, yeasty tang. This roll happened to be soaked in cranberry sauce and gravy, so it was especially moist and chewy. And speaking of the drippy sauces, I loved the marriage of cranberry sauce and gravy. 

The cranberry condiment was tangy and sweet, and balanced the salty elements of the turkey gravy (I didn't find the gravy too salty; it was savory and perfectly velvety). Some might find that this hoagie is wildly messy, but that's to be expected when you drench a sandwich in sauce. 

Onto the fillings. I was shocked by the quantity of meat and stuffing in my hoagie. There was a hearty amount of both. The roasted turkey was cooked perfectly, the slices were thick and substantial, and the meat was rich and juicy. The stuffing had great flavor, but it was a little dense. I suppose you can't put crumbly stuffing in a sandwich; the fact that it was compressed made the sub easier to eat. In one bite, I went from not knowing what to expect from the Gobbler to its newest enthusiast.

If you're craving all the elements of the Thanksgiving meal, and want it all in one bite, the Gobbler is for you. I was impressed by this hoagie, and found it delivered all the deliciousness of the holidays. The flavors were cozy and savory, and certainly didn't taste like they came from a convenience store deli counter. The textures were appealing, and I appreciated how the chewy bread was drenched in sauce yet didn't turn to mush. The turkey and stuffing were nicely balanced, and there was a hefty amount of both on the roll. Truth be told, when I thought about eating bread (stuffing) on bread, I wasn't that excited. But it works here. 

Since Wawa offers the Gobbler in customizable forms, there are virtually endless ways to enjoy the flavors of Thanksgiving. Next time, I plan to try the Gobbler bowl, and I'll be adding sweet potatoes and macaroni and cheese (and wearing my stretchy pants).