Convenience store culture

[xzmattzx]

Convenience store culture is a little fascinating. Nowadays, convenience stores here are more than just a gas station with a little store, or more than a Kwik-E-Mart type of place.

There are several notable convenience store chains that offer gas and made-on-demand food that is no less bad or less fast than McDonald's or any fast food chain. Many of these chains have home bases that are not unlike sports team fanbases, with territories and even pop culture fanaticism. Among others, there's Cumberland Farms in New England, Wawa in eastern Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley, Sheetz in western Pennsylvania, Royal Farms in Maryland, and Buccee's in Texas.

In the past decade, the big debate is which convenience store chain is the best in the US: Wawa or Sheetz. But, things may be changing with Buccee's now getting some national fame, like Wawa did 5-10 years ago.

The Mid-Atlantic region (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) is historically the center of the convenience store culture. However, there are other areas where convenience stores as not just a milk-and-bread stop, but also gas and made-to-order food center. Florida, for example, is where many of these chains expand to. There are also places where there is no convenience store culture. Upstate New York, for instance, does not have any chain with huge footprints or makes food on demand.

The mecca of convenience store chains may be Lancaster, PA. It's where all the major convenience stores have been located or have crept into, like the center of a Venn diagram. In addition to being where Sheetz is about as far east as it gets, and Wawa is as far west as it gets, there is also Rutter's, which is specific to south central Pennsylvania (the Harrisburg/York/Lancaster triangle), and Royal Farms has crept up from their home base in Maryland.

[plinko]

“Strange things are afoot at the Circle K...”

[pj3000]

Finally the topic has its own thread

I grew up where Country Fair was the regional convenience store/gas station king in NW PA, WNY, and a few in NE OH. I think there are around 100 locations, but I know they downsized a bit, so there may not be as many in NY any more.

Pittsburgh has long had CoGos... and it’s pretty disgusting inside. But it looks like they’re revamping their brand to Coen Mart and refurbishing their stores to compete. Giant Eagle also has Get Go locations throughout western PA.

They’re all gas stations to me. I try to spend as absolute little time in any of those places as possible. I don’t get the Wawa-Sheetz rivalry at all. Why do loyalties exist to gas stations? I remember my college roommate from outside Philly always talking Wawa up, like it was the greatest place on Earth. He also thought Tasty Cakes were the most delicious food on the planet.

What the hell is with Philly people and their allegiance to gas station food that probably won’t make you vomit and massively artificial glucose-spiking “pastries”?

[xzmattzx]

I forgot to mention that the big convenience store chains mainly began as dairy farms that switched from home delivery to store purchases of their products.

[KevinFromTexas]

I have to confess that I haven't used a convenience store in years other than to get gas. We have one quite closeby in the neighborhood only about 1,500 feet from where I'm sitting, but I don't smoke cigarettes and even rarely drink beer and I don't drink soda anymore really, so I don't have much of a reason to go up there.

Also, Buccee's is overrated. They're supposed to be way clean, but they really aren't. On more than one occasion I've seen flies around the food prep areas. There's one in Austin's metro and the next nearest one is between Austin and San Antonio in their metro, but we only patronize them for the fudge when we're passing by. They're also always so crazy busy, which never bothered me until this year when we visited the one in New Braunfels.

[SIGSEGV]

Unfortunately I just have 7-11 convenient to where I live right now. Those take and bake pizzas from 7-11 are better than you might think though. Though I also live really close to Target and Walgreen's, so not much reason to go to a convenience store.

Before, my closest convenience store was a small local chain (Go Grocer) which had some pretty high-quality bougie snacks.

[Peggerino]

Convenience stores are definitely an under appreciated component for a walkable neighbourhood in my opinion. I have a convenience store (30 second walk away), a small grocery store (5 minute walk away) and major grocery store (10 minute walk away). I feel like for every trip I make to the major grocery store I make two trips to the smaller store and three to the corner store.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by Peggerino

Convenience stores are definitely an under appreciated component for a walkable neighbourhood in my opinion. I have a convenience store (30 second walk away), a small grocery store (5 minute walk away) and major grocery store (10 minute walk away). I feel like for every trip I make to the major grocery store I make two trips to the smaller store and three to the corner store.

In larger cities there are independently owned corner markets, sometimes called “bodegas”, everywhere. In San Francisco, for example, only downtown in the Financial District do you find chain convenience stores like 7/11 because down there the independents can’t afford the rent. In the residential neighborhoods it’s all the independent corner markets. And yes, many of these have deli counters with a variety of house-made dishes that can either be served cold (salads) or microwaved hot and also sandwiches.

Also, increasingly I find that chain drug stores—Walgreen’s, CVS—have sizeable grocery sections with not only shelf-stable items but also extensive refrigerated cases with dairy items, some salads and sandwiches, cold drinks et al. One I know even has a bin of fresh fruit like bananas and apples up front.

[KevinFromTexas]

We had a full service grocery store, an HEB, until early last year when they replaced it with another larger one farther away. I hated seeing them close it because it was nice and close - just an 8 minute bike ride mostly through the neighborhood, and it was the smallest HEB in Austin, so it was really convenient. Don't get me wrong, I like how busy HEB is because you can always trust that the food is fresh since it rarely sits on the shelf long, but I liked that smaller store because it wasn't such a monster of a store. I knew where everything was and it was super convenient. We have two other HEBs that I can ride to, but they're about a 20 minute bike ride, which is totally doable, but it's less pleasant when I've got a load of groceries to carry back.

[hauntedheadnc]

The convenience store chain where all the cultured go in Upstate South Carolina is Spinx. Gas your car, wash your car, buy some groceries, get some of their (locally) famous fried chicken. As chicken goes, it's pretty good. Not quite worth the cult following, in my opinion, but not bad at all.

But it all pales in comparison to crummy video store culture... My large, frightening cousin used to run a video store waaaaay back in the day that kind of served as a community center for all the migrant farm workers. I spent many, many happy evenings there eating beef jerky, drinking Crystal Lite, playing the very latest PS1 games (including OG Final Fantasy 7) with my cousin, and listening to Mexicans playing pool and listening to oompah music in the next room.

[biguc]

German Kiosks all tend towards being self-serve sidewalk bars thanks to the country's liberal drinking laws. St. Pauli Kiosks can host outright street parties with balcony DJs and whatever, but the Spätkauf of Berlin presents a lifestyle of its own. An ambitious drunk could wander endlessly, Späti to Späti, Drink Drunk to Drunk Smokes, drinking, take a train across town, pick up where he left of. Many do. The city invites you to explore your limits of comfort and stamina; this is the front door.

[xzmattzx]

In addition to big convenience store chains like Wawa, this area also has smaller ones. In southern New Jersey, there is a chain called Heritage's. Here in the Wilmington area, there is Jack's Country Maid. Neither of these sell gas (although Heritage's is beginning to build bigger locations that mimic the size and scope of modern Wawas), and focus more on the staple foods, deli items, and made-to-order food.

[MolsonExport]

Since I quit smoking (17 years ago) and since I left Quebec (16 years ago, because in Quebec, the dépanneur is where you go for beer), I haven't had much reason to visit a corner store. I may have been in one less than a dozen times over the past 16 years. Many grocery stores are now open late, and besides, the corner stores in Ontario cannot legally sell beer (and I rarely drink nowadays).

[muertecaza]

Similar to the Wawa/Sheetz thing, in Arizona/Phoenix it's Circle K v. Quiktrip. Quiktrip has remodeled most of their stores to do the the made-on-demand food thing; I don't think I've really seen it in a Circle K though.

A lot of the convenience store culture here tends to center on large soft drinks during the ungodly heat of the summer. They usually lower the prices in the summer to .89 or .99 to lure people in. Even some of the fast food places here get in on the action with $1 large soft drinks.

People definitely have their preferences. I mostly favored Circle K for a while as it had large Styrofoam cups that I prefer to plastic at QT. But now QT has Styrofoam, and Circle K has started running ads at their gas pumps, so I'm leaning back toward QT.

[JManc]

[edale]

I swear there was already a thread that discussed this topic. But for Cincinnati, there is a local convenience store chain called UDF (stands for United Dairy Farmers, weirdly enough). All of their locations have ice cream cases (stocked with their own brand) and most have seating areas inside. Usually the ice cream area is on one side, and the other side is your typical 7/11 type of setup with candy, chips, sodas, beer, etc. Cigs sold behind the counter.

It's odd, but as a high school student I found myself hanging out at random UDFs with my friends more than I'd like to admit. Most have gas stations, but the one closest to my old place was just a walk up-- no parking or gas station: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1085...7i16384!8i8192

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by pj3000

Finally the topic has its own thread

I grew up where Country Fair was the regional convenience store/gas station king in NW PA, WNY, and a few in NE OH. I think there are around 100 locations, but I know they downsized a bit, so there may not be as many in NY any more.

Pittsburgh has long had CoGos... and it’s pretty disgusting inside. But it looks like they’re revamping their brand to Coen Mart and refurbishing their stores to compete. Giant Eagle also has Get Go locations throughout western PA.

They’re all gas stations to me. I try to spend as absolute little time in any of those places as possible. I don’t get the Wawa-Sheetz rivalry at all. Why do loyalties exist to gas stations? I remember my college roommate from outside Philly always talking Wawa up, like it was the greatest place on Earth. He also thought Tasty Cakes were the most delicious food on the planet.

What the hell is with Philly people and their allegiance to gas station food that probably won’t make you vomit and massively artificial glucose-spiking “pastries”?

Why ya hating on Tasttykake?'s

They put Little Debbie to shame....well at least when they were locally owned...who knows what their Georgia owners have done to them now.

I haven't had one in a long time...mainly because just by looking at them i gain 5 pounds.

[PhillyRising]

I don't get the Wawa vs Sheetz thing and I have been to both.

Their menus barely cross over....at least until recently when Wawa introduced burger and fies (that aren't fried). Wawa has a lot of proprietary products like milk. ice cream and their line of ice teas. Sheetz has none of that.

Everyone in Philly complains about the new baked in store rolls for their hoagies but they are still better than the rolls used by Sheetz for their "subs". The burgers at Sheetz are okay...their fries are actually fried and aren't bad. But...in the end...both stores aren't that comparable because their store offerings are not quite the same. Sheetz has walk in coolers for soda...Wawa does not. Wawa has a large coffee station...Sheetz does not or at least I don't remember seeing something similar in the Sheetz in Morgantown, Berks County (which is the closest to Chester County that I know of)...

The funny thing is Wawa and Sheetz used to be chummy years ago...Wawa showed Sheetz how to do the made to order food and Sheetz showed Wawa how to get into gas sales and they had understanding each wouldn't compete in the same areas...until Sheetz opened stores in Northern Virginia where Wawa was already operating and that ended the chumminess. Sheetz has locations in Berks and Lancaster Counties but Wawa just flooded Chester County with stores to keep them at bay...but then Royal Farms just shrugged their shoulders and moved into Southeastern Pennsylvania and opened a few stores....love their fried chicken.

It's interesting that Wawa hasn't tried to move further west in Pennsylvania. You'd think a few in State College or really any of the several college towns with kids from Southeastern PA would do well.

I think in the end, Wawa is just a little bit better than Sheetz...but it's not a big difference like the devotees of both like the claim.

[SignalHillHiker]

We're somewhere in between where you were, and where you are.

Convenience stores here are superettes; every block has a pub and superette. For example, my superette is Jackman and Greene and my pub is Peter Easton (infamous local pirate):

Pub:



Superette:





So, superettes NEVER have gas, if it's attached to a gas station, it's just a store. But they have all the same thing. Usually there's also beer (and a selection of local craft beer; legally in Newfoundland, beers must be locally manufactured to be sold in superettes, stores, gas stations, supermarkets, etc.) and a deli. Some of them have an attached butcher, hair salon, etc. So the variety can be huge, but the core store itself is usually just groceries, beer, British imports (shortbread from Scotland, etc.), and seasonal fireworks lol

Culturally... it's a thing. Last incident that's top of mind was going in for a four-pack of Roggenbier, and the guy in front of me walked up to the cashier, and only then did she make eye contact with him, and freaked out. "You can't be coming in here!"

"I got St. Pierre cigarettes in the trunk if ye wants to sell any!"

"I'm after telling ya 100 times I can't be at that at work, b'y! The store could be barred!"

"C'mon b'y, sure you're after selling them before at discount!"

"I can't be at it, b'y. Batter to Jesus, luh."

And I'm like... I put on pants to come here. I really didn't need to do.

[jtown,man]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Unfortunately I just have 7-11 convenient to where I live right now. Those take and bake pizzas from 7-11 are better than you might think though. Though I also live really close to Target and Walgreen's, so not much reason to go to a convenience store.

Before, my closest convenience store was a small local chain (Go Grocer) which had some pretty high-quality bougie snacks.

Same lol


Japanese convenience stores are top-notch.