Road life changes you. I clock 25,000 a year. Roughly. Driving New York to North Carolina for the cat rescue every six weeks makes a person an expert on convenience food.
Gas stations. Roadside diners. I know them. I stop at Buca in Virginia for snacks, but the real money is at Wawa. You know Wawa. Philly-born, everywhere-else-known for the subs.
I’ve eaten through most of the menu. It wasn’t enough.
I ordered eight popular hoagies recently. Tested them. Rated them. Here are the three that survived.
The Classic Italian
Sometimes you don’t need fancy stuff. This is it.
Ham, salami, hot ham. Provolone on top. Shredded lettuce, tomato, raw onion. A heavy pour of oil and vinegar finishes it. It is balanced, yes. But also tangy. Sharp. Fresh.
My rule: crush chips inside before eating.
The texture mix? Chef’s kiss. 🍔
The Buffalo Chicken Strip
This is a collision of favorites. Crispy breaded chicken strips. Melted American cheese. Buffalo sauce dripping down.
It tastes like chicken fingers and wings had a baby. Good news. The chicken stays crunchy. Even after sitting in a hot car for an hour. The heat from the sauce hits right but doesn’t kill the flavor.
Dip it in blue cheese. Do it. You’re welcome.
The Philly Cheesesteak
This one wins. It beats everything.
Hot bread. Juicy steak. Melted cheese oozing into every crumb. It is a mess. Bring napkins. A lot of them.
Is it tidy? No. Is it the best thing I ate there? Absolutely. I would have ranked the Italian first if this wasn’t so damn good.
The steak melts. The sauce carries. It wins.
Wawa gets it. The sandwich is great. My absolute favorite.
So. What’s your order? Tell me I’m wrong. 👇
