When I compared Buc-ee’s to Wawa, there was a clear winner. Megan duBois Convenience stores Buc-ee’s and Wawa both have cult-like followings so I decided to compare them. I was impressed by Buc-ee’s selection of sweet and salty snacks, but Wawa’s sandwiches were amazing.
Though Buc-ee’s sandwiches can’t compare to Wawa’s, its selection of other products is superior. First, I went to Wawa, an East Coast convenience-store chain known for its sandwiches. I saw aisles of snacks and a refrigerated section when I walked into Wawa.
Megan duBoisSince Wawa opened its first convenience store, Wawa Food Market, in 1964, the chain has amassed over 950 locations across the US. Wawa is known for its custom sandwiches and hot grab-and-go snacks located near the cash registers. Wawa is much smaller than Buc-ee’s but still fun.
Wawa had a decent selection of cold snacks. Megan duBoisWawa locations are usually about a third of the size of Buc-ee’s, but they still offer a lot of the same products and are known for having completely customizable sandwiches. This convenience store was pretty quiet and I could hear music playing overhead.
When I walked in, I saw a small island with a decent variety of precut fruits and cheeses. Wawa also had a large counter for sandwich making. Wawa had a counter where the sandwiches were made.
Megan duBoisI also noticed a large deli counter where employees made sandwiches after customers ordered at the kiosk. There, employees also prepared some of the specialty drinks you can get at Wawa, like flavored lemonades and iced coffee drinks. To order a sandwich at Wawa, I headed to the counter and kiosks.
I customized my sandwich at the kiosk at Wawa. Megan duBoisAt Wawa, you can customize your sandwich at a kiosk in the store. You can choose what you want to order and what sort of bread size, toppings, condiments, and drinks you’d like.
However, I found it challenging to customize the sandwich at the ordering kiosk. In the end, I had to tell the employee making my sandwich that I didn’t want mustard. The sandwiches at Wawa were loaded with meat.
My ham and cheese sandwich from Wawa was loaded. Megan duBoisAt Wawa, I ordered the double-meat ham and cheese sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayo. There was so much meat, I could have easily taken the sandwich home and split it into two portions and still have a fully loaded lunch.
The bread tasted nice and fresh, and the vegetables were crisp. I noticed more hot snacks near the register at Wawa. I had to grab a hot snack before I checked out at Wawa.
Megan duBoisNear Wawa’s registers, a small shelving unit held a variety of hot snacks like mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers, and cream cheese-filled pretzels. I went for the piping-hot deep-fried egg rolls, which had a generous meat and vegetable filling and weren’t greasy at all. The egg roll from Wawa was delicious.
Megan duBoisNormally, I’m leery of gas-station egg rolls, but I’m glad I tried these because they were honestly better than those at some take-out places. Next, I went to Buc-ee’s, a popular roadside stop in the South. There’s truly something for everyone at Buc-ee’s.
Megan duBoisSince 1982, Buc-ee’s has expanded to over 40 locations and is known for its large convenience store, gas station, and clothing set-up. Typically, gas prices at Buc-ee’s are cheaper than at other convenience-store gas stations. After going inside, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of products, which makes Buc-ee’s comparable to Walmart.
I visited Buc-ee’s knowing I would likely spend more than I planned. The Buc-ee’s parking lot was busy. Megan duBoisThe Buc-ee’s parking lot was a synchronized dance of cars turning into small spots, customers walking to and from the store, and people pumping gas.
After finding a place to park, I was sad to find out that the small statue of Buc-ee the Beaver (the Buc-ee’s mascot) was roped off so my family couldn’t take a photo with it. The noise and number of people was overwhelming at Buc-ee’s. It was pretty crowded at Buc-ee’s.
Megan duBoisAs I walked inside Buc-ee’s, I was overwhelmed by the noise from tons of people talking to each other, which sounded like a dull roar. Though there might have been music, I couldn’t hear it. As I entered the store, employees said things like, “Welcome to Buc-ee’s,” and, “Fresh brisket on the board.
” After pushing through the crowds, I made my way to Buc-ee’s sandwiches. I didn’t enjoy my roast-beef sandwich from Buc-ee’s. Megan duBoisBuc-ee’s and Wawa are both known for having good sandwiches.
Though Buc-ee’s barbecue option is popular, I opted for a deli-style sandwich since this was the most comparable to Wawa’s options. There was a wide selection of sandwiches, from roast beef to turkey. I chose roast beef, which came in plastic wrap with a yellow nutrition label and price sticker.
After unwrapping the sandwich, I noticed that there wasn’t a ton of meat on it and the bread seemed slightly stale. I also wasn’t a fan of the red onions, which I wasn’t expecting. They had a strong, overwhelming flavor.
Overall, I wouldn’t get this sandwich again. Buc-ee’s also had a selection of fruits and cheeses. Customers could grab a variety of cold snacks for the road at Buc-ee’s.
Megan duBoisSelections of smoked sausage, salami, and cheeses were around the corner from Buc-ee’s cold sandwiches. I liked that there was a variety of packing styles, including a flat tray appropriate for party buffets and cheese and sausage in a cup, which is good for snacking in the car. I got the latter, which came with a few cubes of colby jack and pepper jack and smoked summer sausage.
The cup was topped with pretzels, which stayed fresh thanks to a plastic barrier between them and the cheese and meat. I liked the basic snack, especially because it fit into my car’s cup holder. Beef jerky takes center stage at Buc-ee’s.
I couldn’t believe how many beef-jerky flavors Buc-ee’s had. Megan duBoisThere was a large selection of beef jerky behind a glass case and in a prepackaged display, ranging from flavors like teriyaki and lemon pepper. The pieces were large and, from the glass case, you could get jerky by the pound.
Buc-ee’s also sells its delicious beaver chips. Buc-ee’s is also known for its beaver chips, made from potatoes. Megan duBoisBeaver chips are also at the same counter as the barbecue sandwiches.
The thick-cut potato chips are fried in-house and packaged in brown paper bags. They were served warm and were incredibly crunchy, which is the type of snack I enjoy most. Fudge is also a must-get at Buc-ee’s.
The fudge counter at Buc-ee’s is the place to get a sweet treat. Megan duBoisBuc-ee’s fudge counter had two dozen different flavors including chocolate, peanut butter, and white chocolate with caramel. I grabbed a slice of salted caramel, which was a tasty sugar rush at first bite.
The fudge base was creamy and the salted-caramel swirls were slightly sticky but had a well-balanced flavor. I checked out the clothing section at Buc-ee’s. Buc-ee’s sells clothes ranging in sizes for babies to adults.
Megan duBoisI made my way to the clothing where there was everything available from Buc-ee’s-emblazoned tank tops to swimsuits. Fans of Paramount’s “Yellowstone” could also find some branded T-shirts and cowboy hats. I even met Buc-ee the Beaver before I checked out.
The opportunity to snap a photo with the beloved Buc-ee’s character was a treat. Megan duBoisAs I was getting ready to check out, I noticed that Buc-ee the Beaver was greeting customers. The line to meet the mascot was long (especially since it was in the middle of the store near the drink station) but it also moved fast.
If Buc-ee the Beaver is taking photos, I highly recommend seizing the chance to make your friends jealous that you’re at Buc-ee’s and they are not. Overall, Buc-ee’s reigns supreme — unless you’re looking for a deli sandwich. Buc-ee’s was my favorite convenience store of the two, but its sandwiches don’t stack up to Wawa’s.
Hollis Johnson/Business InsiderBoth convenience stores were clean and had a nice variety of stuff, but Wawa’s custom sandwiches far outdid Buc-ee’s cold lunch options. Still, Buc-ee’s comes out on top because of its display of beef jerky, fabulous fudge, adorable Buc-ee character, and larger selection of junk-food snacks. When I’m traveling and need something for lunch, I’ll seek out Wawa for a sandwich.
But Buc-ee’s will totally be the spot for snacks and sweets. Read the original article on Insider.
From: insider
URL: https://www.insider.com/buc-ees-and-wawa-review-differences-which-is-better-photos-2022-8