David S.

If you haven't heard of Wawa, there is a distinct possibility you are a shut-in. Wawa has been invading the Florida landscape like a swarm of cicadas the past few years. Unlike their buggy counterparts, Wawa is a welcome oasis in a sea of mediocrity. From the moment you see that trademark slanted roof, you know something special awaits your arrival. Mere mortals would simply call it a gas station with a convenience store. The joke, however, would be on them. No Wawa is so much more than that, and it is apparent from the get-go. If you have come for gas, the pumps are spaced perfectly. You can easily enter from either side, with plenty of space to share a row of pumps with landscaping trucks with much ease. If your tire is getting low, they have free air. Who would have thought air could be free! The awesomeness doesn't stop there. AS you approach the entrance to the store, you are greeted by several outdoor seating options where you can sit, relax, and enjoy a delicious meal. I'm not talking about the traditional grab-and-go variety or rows of age-old rolled meat sticks. I am talking about a full deli-counter where you can basically get any type of made-to-order sandwich that you desire. If you are a coffee lover, they have a huge assortment of freshly brewed coffees from mild to bold in flavor. Desire some milk in that cup of joe? They have no less than 12 options of flavored creamers, fat-free milk, nut milk, etc. Plus they make all those fancy Starbucks type dessert coffee drinks for a fraction of the price. Want a decaf caramel mocha frappucino with extra whip and a cherry? Not a problem... From delicious fresh donuts to healthy salads and a variety of drinks, it is really more like a mini-supermarket than a gas station convenience store. My best advice is to download their app and load a gift card on it. It allows you to check out faster, and you get lots of free perks. I score free coffee every few weeks and get invited to special Wawa soirées. Ok, I made that last part up, not sure I would want to attend a gas station party. But the fact remains, Wawa is, in my opinion, the best place to get gas, and to also fill up your tank (see what I did there?)

Chris W.

"I cannot believe that I'm enjoying food that was made in a gas station!" That's what I was thinking as I was eating my first hoagie (what they call a sub) from Wawa. I've been reading about this convenience chain that was set to make its presence known in the Tampa Bay area for a long time and I have to say that my first experiences with them have not been disappointing! Wawa is how you've imagined a convenience store could be instead of what you're used to. They're not small, their ATM doesn't have outrageous fees, and instead of strange, who knows how old hot-dog-like food items rolling on grill in front of you they have freshly prepared, good food. I usually like getting my subs from my local grocery store. As good as the subs are it's always somewhat of a train wreck getting one. The deli area is always crowded with no real lines and people jockeying for position. Plus I always seem to get behind the people that either can't decide what they want or have the most complicated sub order imaginable. The system Wawa has eliminates that. There are multiple touch screens where you can place your order. If you've never been to a Wawa before I would recommend looking for one of the employees that's wearing (!) a touch screen. While you're placing your order you can ask them any questions you have. If someone's taking too long just go to another touch screen. After your order is complete you'll get a printed ticket. You can then browse the store and go pay. After that when they call your order number you pick it up and you're out the door. It's a very efficient system. As far as the sub itself I got a toasted chicken parmesan sub on wheat bread and it was quite good. It blows away similar subs I would get at the local sub chains around here. Not only is the food better but Wawa is open 24 hours. If you're feeling naughty there are lots of options to curb a sweet tooth. Pre-packaged items include such decadence as Reese's Peanut Butter Cup pie slices. Fresh made items such as doughnuts and chocolate chip muffins were available also. There are plenty of healthy choices available as well. There's Greek yogurt, salads, and a surprising number of perishable food choices such as fresh apple and orange slices. I chose a container of mixed fruit. Considering that there are many more locations that will be opening around Tampa I see a lot of Wawa in my future!

Beatrice O.

If you've never been to a Wawa before, think "advanced convenience store". They've got gas pumps and snacks and drinks, but also made-to-order sub sandwiches and coffee drinks. Start at the touchscreen. Order your sandwiches, soups, coffee drinks, etc. and choose from a bewildering variety of toppings. It'll print a receipt, which you take to a register. When you pay for the touchscreen order, two things happen: the cashier stamps your receipt "Paid" and the kitchen goes to work. They'll call out your order, you'll give them your paid receipt, and they'll hand over a package full of deliciousness. My first experience here was great if chaotic -- free water bottle, free "I (Heart) Wawa" t-shirt, and free coffee. (The free shirts and water bottles will probably run out this morning, but the free coffee is a newly-opened-store special and will probably last a bit longer.) I also bought a six-inch egg and cheese sub with grilled onions, roasted red peppers, and cracked black pepper, and that was only $2.99, and freaking delicious. So I'm happy Wawa is in town! Their coffee fixins include, in addition to the usual stuff, 100% light cream (for those who regard half-and-half as insufficiently rich). I opted for the fat-free French vanilla creamer. They also have Irish cream, hazelnut, and French vanilla in regular-fat varieties.

Steve E.

I had to drop off a presentation to a business associate at USF, and on my way back I decided to fill up my gas tank and pop in for a sandwich at this brand-spanking new Wawa convenience store. You'll find Wawa at the intersection of Fowler Avenue and 30th Street which puts it within walking distance of the USF campus, and just a bit north of Busch Gardens. Wawa is opening 5 stores over the next month in the Tampa Bay area following on their huge success in the Philly / NJ region. We know there is more construction planned, so we can expect to see even more Wawa's later this year. They are known for low gas prices, and there were certainly a lot of folks gassing up at the pumps. But the real excitement is inside Wawa's convenience store. For those in the know, the Wawa slogan is "Where the coffee is fresh and the people are inviting. Where the hoagies are deliciously built-to-order for you and the smoothies are freshly made. After one visit you'll see there's just no place like Wawa." Inside the front door and to your right you'll find the infamous touch-screen ordering system. You can choose from a specialty drink such as a smoothie, coffee, hot or cold latte, or a hot chocolate; soups, stews, or bowls; then you have hoagies and sandwiches with bazillions of choices; and finally sides to include mac & cheese, meatballs, chili, and mashed potatoes. If you decide you want a hoagie (sub sandwich) you start by answering yes or no if you want your sandwich toasted. Then you choose from over 20 varieties of hot and cold hoagie options, then you select the size of the sandwich, then choose the cheese and add any toppings or spreads, and finally tack on anything else to your order. Out pops a paper ticket with your order number. While waiting for your sandwich to be made fresh-to-order you wander around the store and check out their freshly-made baked goods (that would be donuts & pastries), along with the cooler filled with garden-fresh salads and fresh fruit salads, then past the aisles of sweet and salty snacks, the coolers filled with drinks including beer, wine, sodas, and more damned energy drinks than I have ever seen in one place! Then there's the coffee bar with a variety of flavored coffees, and so on. Take everything up to the front counter to pay, where they'll stamp your paper ticket, and bag up all of your other purchases. From there you wander back to the sandwich counter and wait for them to call out your number. A quick fist bump with your sandwich maker and you're out the door and on your way. Now consider that this place is open 24 hours a day, and that the gas is about a nickle per gallon cheaper than anyplace in the area, and you begin to see the attraction. Suddenly there is a new option for those 3am munchie runs!

Robin T.

This Wawa is amazing!!!! So large and clean! Plenty of touchscreens where you can order delicious, delicious hoagies that are made from the freshest ingredients! Wawa is brilliant and makes all of their stores super efficient. Basically what happens is you walk in, place your custom-made order into their touch screens. Then, it prints a receipt out for you, which you take to the register and pay. Then you pick your order up at the food station once you've paid... this really cuts down on the waiting time because rather than waiting for your food to get made and then waiting to pay, you usually only have to wait to pay (which, at Wawa, is usuallly a minimal wait), and then by the time you're done paying, your food will be ready! It's so smart and efficient! I don't know why not everyplace does it like this. GREAT COFFEE!!! For the first 10 days that this Wawa is open, any sized coffee is free!!!! They have regular, decaf, 100% columbian, hazelnut, French vanilla and caramel, plus tons of delicious creamer flavors (I personally love the Irish coffee creamer). They also have a multitude of iced coffees and frozen coffees and hot chocolates, etc. (Those one's aren't free, though). Went there for opening day and they gave away so much free stuff (T-shirts, clappers, little stuffed Wawa birds, samples of food), along with having a giant stuffed hoagie and Wawa bird. Wawa has the absolute best customer service around!! Reasons Why Wawa is the Best: 1. Cheap gas 2. Store is clean, especially the bathrooms (making it a great rest stop for road trips) 3. Friendly workers and great customer service 4. Great coffee 5. Freshest ingredients make for the best hoagies and you can custom make the hoagies to your satisfaction (blows Subway out of the water) 6. Fast and efficient 7. They have Icees! 8. Open 24/7 9. No-charge ATM for PNC Bank 10. They have the best iced tea around! Try their lemonade tea, peach tea, raspberry tea, and green tea! 11. Sweet cream cheese stuffed pretzel. 'nuff said. 12. OPEN 24/7!!! The only downside to this Wawa right now is the construction that is going on at Bruce B Downs, which makes it hard to get out of the Wawa. For now, I've been going through CVS to get out, but then even once you get out, you can only turn right onto Fowler. Hopefully the construction on BBD will get done soon to make leaving a bit easier! The first time I went, I turned right onto BBD and then had to make a huge detour because there are no close U-turns to go back the other way.