The Hot Menu Items That Sheetz Always Does Better Than Wawa

Pennsylvania is undoubtedly a battleground state. Beyond sports and politics, the rivalry between Sheetz and Wawa divides the Keystone State: two gas stations, both alike in dignity, founded in PA and specializing in custom-order food. Never has the rivalry been more intense than in recent years, as Wawa opens new locations in Central PA (historically Sheetz's region) and Sheetz opens in Philadelphia (traditionally Wawa's domain). Both chains offer customizable sandwiches, burgers, and quesadillas on their touchscreen menus. But there's one item that Sheetz always does better than Wawa: fried appetizers.

One of the biggest highlights of Sheetz's Made-To-Order menu is the Samplerz box, which lets you order three different fried appetizers of your choosing in one box. Choices include Jalapeno Friez, Wisconsin Cheese Bitez, Mac n' Cheese Bitez, and Onion Petalz — all deep fried to crispy, dark-golden perfection. The bite-sized assortment is easy to eat on the road, making it truly grab-and-go food. Plus, the chain's many variations of Twisted Dipperz (also known as soft pretzels) are just as portable.

While Wawa is famous for its hoagies, its side dishes are more suitable for the dinner table rather than the passenger seat. There are french fries and chicken strips, sure, but the rest of the snacks and sides have to be eaten with a fork. Who wants to eat a meatball in the car on a road trip? Or mashed potatoes?  And although mac-and-cheese and loaded fries are definitely comfort-food classics, they lack the portability and road-readiness of Sheetz's snacks.

Although Sheetz and Wawa are similar in concept, there are some key differences between the two: Firstly, Sheetz came first. Founded in 1952, the Altoona-based convenience store chain added self-service gas pumps to its lineup in 1973. Wawa came much later to the gas station game; it started out as a food market in 1964 and only opened its first fuel stop in 1996. Perhaps the fact that Sheetz has had a longer history as a gas station explains its emphasis on grab-and-go bites, while Wawa's selections are much more in line with traditional side dishes.

They also have completely different atmospheres. Sheetz has a maximalist vibe, with 'Z's adorning most items, a technicolor design scheme, and Sheetz-branded coffee mugs and T-shirts at every corner. In contrast, Wawa is more minimalist and classic, which makes its penchant for offering mostly homestyle hot foods seem appropriate.

Recently, the 2025 American Customer Satisfaction Index gave both chains the exact same score, indicating that there's no clear winner in this battle just yet. And honestly, you'll probably get a similar quality of food at each. But if you're driving through Pennsylvania and you're deciding where to stop for a convenient snack of piping hot fried apps, we'd vote for Sheetz.