At 11:42 am on Sunday, December 1, 2019, we waltzed into the newly minted Wawa in Tenleytown. Looking at the clean linoleum floors and stocked shelves, we were shocked that there was only one other customer shuffling around the store. The cloudy sky of the gray December morning was a stark contrast to the bright fluorescent lights illuminating the tastefully decorated aisles of Wawa. It was beautiful.
The smooth jazz echoing across the store added a luxury to our shopping experience we didn’t even know we needed. The first thing that greeted our eyes was a collection of donuts, fritters and other baked and fried delicacies.
“Bakery?! Where do they even make it?” one of us remarked to the other. After a second look at the perfectly glazed donuts, we shrugged our shoulders and moved on, agreeing that the amazement we had both felt was just a part of the Wawa experience.
Walking around the aisles, we felt as if we were in the beautiful child of Safeway, Sheetz and 7-Eleven. Wawa captured the best of each, with slushies, hot comfort food and a diverse collection of snacks and goods. They even had empanadas.
“EMPANADAS?! Safeway could never,” we shouted in unison. The other man in the store looked at us and nodded in silent agreement, equally amazed by our discovery.
Our next task was myth-busting. From the Wawa rumor mill, we had heard that Wawa tap water was unbeatable. After trying a quick sip from the store-provided water fountain, we decided that, indeed, it was a myth. Wawa water was in fact slightly lukewarm with a hint of copper.
As we wandered about the nooks and crannies of the store, we came across a lottery machine. The 18 year old among us decided that Wawa would be the perfect place to buy her first ticket. As we walked up to the machine to test our luck, we were horrified that they didn’t ask for an ID. Was it even worth it? Nevertheless, suspense filled the air as we scratched away, hoping to reveal a six. Alas, the six was nowhere to be found, and we had wasted a dollar.
After spending 20 minutes wandering around Wawa (Wawandering, if you will), we decided it would only be polite if we bought something. At the register, we spotted a golden brown soft pretzel screaming our names. Snatching it off the shelf, we quickly headed to the cashier with our five dollar bill in hand, ready for the high prices we were sure came with the glamor of a place like Wawa.
“That will be 75 cents,” the cashier said nonchalantly, not seeming to recognize the beauty of what she had just said. We glanced at each other, sharing a look of awe. 75 CENTS. FOR A PRETZEL. WAWAWOW! As we left, the cashier handed us a customer service survey. We couldn’t believe our luck. Along with the 75 cent pretzel, we got a FREE SURVEY!
This holiday season, skip Macy’s. Instead, gift yourself with a trip to Wawa. You will not be disappointed by the variety of foods and drinks offered, nor the calming atmosphere of what we call Wawa. You will be wawawelcomed into your dreams. And maybe, if you are lucky, you too might receive a free customer service survey.
Abigail Rose Brickman ’20 and Mica Binder Maltzman ’20