View source for Sheetz–Wawa rivalry

{{Short description|Rivalry between American gas station chains}}
{{Use list-defined references|date=December 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{multiple image
	| total_width	= 450
	| image1		= Sheetz Store 543 - Fredericksburg, Virginia.jpg
	| alt1			= Photograph of a Sheetz gas station
	| image2		= Wawa (53589295252).jpg
	| alt2			= Photograph of a Wawa storefront
	| footer		= Sheetz and Wawa stores
}}
In the U.S. state of [[Pennsylvania]], the [[convenience store]] chains [[Sheetz]] and [[Wawa (company)|Wawa]] each have distinct and mostly non-overlapping territories. Sheetz primarily keeps its stores in [[Western Pennsylvania]], while Wawa stores are primarily located in the [[Delaware Valley]]. This division is strongly apparent in the culture of [[Regions of Pennsylvania|regional identity in the state]], with many Pennsylvanians often strongly preferring one or the other. State politicians in Pennsylvania often make public statements in support of and campaign stops at their preferred convenience store chain.

== Origins ==
{{Sheetz–Wawa rivalry map}}
Sheetz is headquartered in [[Altoona, Pennsylvania|Altoona]], Pennsylvania,<ref name="Otterbourg 2013" /> while Wawa is based in its namesake community of [[Wawa, Pennsylvania|Wawa]], Pennsylvania.<ref name="Mayer 1989" /> During the rise of [[Filling station#Types of service|self-service fuel stations]] in the 20th century, both companies improved their convenience store offerings to entice motorists to spend money on more than just fuel.<ref name="Wolcott 2006" /> Both chains receive high marks in consumer satisfaction, with Wawa being placed first and Sheetz fourth in the 2024 [[American Customer Satisfaction Index]] survey of convenience stores,<ref name="Valinsky 2024" /> outperforming some [[fast food]] chains.<ref name="ACSI 2024"/>

Sheetz and Wawa have historically kept their operations in their respective regions.<ref name="Baldino 2024" /> When a store opens near or across the traditional dividing line, it is often local news.<ref name="Farr 2024" /><ref name="DiSanto 2023" /><ref name="Gleiter 2022" /> An [[urban legend]] posits that the two companies have a [[gentlemen's agreement]] not to intrude on each other's territory;<ref name="Farr 2024" /> however, the president of Wawa revealed in 2024 that no such agreement had ever existed.<ref name="Weaver 2024"/> There are plans to build both a Wawa and a Sheetz at the same intersection in [[Phoenixville, Pennsylvania|Phoenixville]] in southeastern Pennsylvania.<ref>https://www.inquirer.com/news/wawa-sheetz-phoenixville-gas-stations-neighbors-20240622.html</ref>

== As a cultural signifier ==
The divide between fans of Sheetz and Wawa has been described as the "most heated food rivalry in the country".<ref name="DiSanto 2023"/> Amongst Pennsylvanians, the choice of convenience store is a cultural signifier of regional identity.<ref name="Skehan 2021" /> ''[[The Spectator]]'' described Sheetz as having a "cultural hegemony" in central Pennsylvania,<ref name="Mull 2023" /> and ''[[The New York Times]]'' described its fans as having sworn a "fealty" to the store.<ref name="Gabriel 2013" /> Likewise, Wawa fans{{spaced ndash}}including [[Johnny Knoxville]]<!-- do not include Bam Margera without additional source – Klara (2021) article may be wrong, see Tenpop421's comment at Template:Did you know nominations/Sheetz–Wawa rivalry--><ref name="Klara 2021" />{{spaced ndash}}have gotten [[tattoo]]s of the store logo,<ref name="Flanagan 2022" /> demonstrating what [[Philadelphia (magazine)|''Philadelphia'' magazine]] called a "cult-like customer devotion".<ref name="Steinberg 2011" />

State politicians in Pennsylvania often make public statements in support of and campaign stops at their preferred convenience store chain. In 2020, U.S. Representative [[Brendan Boyle]] and lieutenant governor [[John Fetterman]] wrote competing op-eds in ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'' arguing for the merits of Wawa and Sheetz, respectively,<ref name="Boyle v. Fetterman 2020" /> and a year later engaged in a debate on the topic.<ref name="Farr 2024" /><ref name="Dehuff 2021" /> Some national politicians also take care to visit the convenience store of the region in which they are trying to earn votes. During the [[2024 United States presidential election|2024 U.S. presidential election]], the [[Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign|Kamala Harris campaign]] appealed to both Sheetz and Wawa voters; vice presidential nominee [[Tim Walz]] received rebuke from Eastern Pennsylvanians after mentioning having visited a Sheetz,<ref name="Haught 2024" /><ref name="Shannon 2024" /> while the campaign ran ads in Philadelphia with puns on the name "Wawa".<ref name="Schneider 2024" />

== See also ==
{{Portal|Pennsylvania|Companies}}
* {{Annotated link|Eagles–Steelers rivalry}}
* {{Annotated link|Flyers–Penguins rivalry}}
* {{Annotated link|Penn State–Pittsburgh football rivalry}}
* {{Annotated link|Phillies–Pirates rivalry}}

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="ACSI 2024">{{Cite Q|Q131148673 |url-status=live |quote=While the convenience store average score of 80 for cooked food quality trails the fast food industry (84), stores like Wawa, Buc-ee's, Casey's General Stores, Kwik Trip, and Sheetz meet or exceed fast food chains on this metric.}}</ref>
<ref name="Baldino 2024">{{Cite Q|Q130710032|quote=Devotees of the Quaker State's two famous convenience store chains—Wawa and Sheetz—are also mostly divided geographically: east and west, respectively.}}</ref>
<ref name="Boyle v. Fetterman 2020">{{Cite Q|Q130710191 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Dehuff 2021">{{Cite Q|Q130941331 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="DiSanto 2023">{{Cite Q|Q130710114 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Farr 2024">{{Cite Q|Q130710183 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Flanagan 2022">{{Cite Q|Q130710406 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Gabriel 2013">{{Cite Q|Q130710153 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Gleiter 2022">{{Cite Q|Q130710089 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Haught 2024">{{Cite Q|Q130710173 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Klara 2021">{{Cite Q|Q130710369 |url-status=live |quote=MTV's Jackass actor and stuntman Johnny Knoxville sports a Wawa tattoo.}}</ref>
<ref name="Mayer 1989">{{Cite Q|Q130719869}}</ref>
<ref name="Mull 2023">{{Cite Q|Q130741029 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Schneider 2024">{{Cite Q|Q130710176 |url-status=live |quote=Philadelphia loves Wawa and will fiercely defend it any day against Sheetz. But here, the campaign used the Philly staple to mock Trump.}}</ref>
<ref name="Shannon 2024">{{Cite Q|Q130710169 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Skehan 2021">{{Cite Q|Q130741027 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Steinberg 2011">{{Cite Q|Q130710324 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Otterbourg 2013">{{Cite Q|Q130710164 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Valinsky 2024">{{Cite Q|Q131148701 |url-status=live |quote=Wawa, the Philadelphia-based convenience store chain that has earned a loyal following for its hoagies, received the highest marks for customer satisfaction among all US chains, according to a survey released Tuesday by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Meanwhile, Wawa's cross-state rival Sheetz landed in fourth place. The gulf between the two was only three points, with Wawa earning 82 out of 100 and Sheetz getting a score of 79.}}</ref>
<ref name="Weaver 2024">{{Cite Q|Q130719665 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Wolcott 2006">{{Cite Q|Q130710126}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
* [https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/02/09/us/Wawa-or-Sheetz-A-Matter-of-Convenience.html ''New York Times'' map of Sheetz and Wawa locations]
* [https://www.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=8e5136949f2448878c4791ed43b684e1 ArcGIS Web map of Sheetz and Wawa locations]
* Phil Edwards, {{YouTube|id=4DCTENC_bwE |title="Why gas stations are at war"}}

{{Convenience stores}}

[[Category:Convenience stores of the United States]]
[[Category:Fast-food chains of the United States]]
[[Category:Gas stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Retail companies based in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Pennsylvania culture]]
[[Category:Cuisine of Pennsylvania]]