tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post1960150856808259472..comments2024-03-09T00:31:10.190-05:00Comments on Seen Through a Glass: Wawa: Coffeetopia? Not Bloody LikelyLew Brysonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-3469323294655964062015-09-10T08:29:35.628-04:002015-09-10T08:29:35.628-04:00Really? The Wawas I go to all use thermal carafes ...Really? The Wawas I go to all use thermal carafes now, no more burners. Most of them have diesel, too!Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-26969506760386281322015-09-10T08:02:03.804-04:002015-09-10T08:02:03.804-04:00Some 7 years later, they're still burning thei...Some 7 years later, they're still burning their coffee. Not all the time, mind you, but for someone that only drinks it every now and then, I'm tired of getting a bad cup.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-7866339397592373492009-09-15T14:19:16.301-04:002009-09-15T14:19:16.301-04:00You are all complainers... WAWA has teh greatest c...You are all complainers... WAWA has teh greatest coffee around and if you don't like it, brew it at home or go pay 3 dollars for Starbucks!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-55275901699388960102009-07-03T10:02:21.680-04:002009-07-03T10:02:21.680-04:00I agree when the new wawas opened up in quakertown...I agree when the new wawas opened up in quakertown pa they were great but after they been around for a while they started mixing old coffee pots and I haven't been able to get a good cup of the stuff since.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15230354543525115974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-28076326056228400172009-03-15T01:34:00.000-04:002009-03-15T01:34:00.000-04:00I haven't had a 'yummy' cup of Wawa coffee in a lo...I haven't had a 'yummy' cup of Wawa coffee in a long time. I'll throw in a lot of half and half just to make it palatable. It's burnt, or it's stale. I just choked one down the other day because I <I>had</I> to get some big caffeine in me to function, but I didn't enjoy it.<BR/>I dunno. Guys like you sound earnest, and I want to believe, but every time I do...I get a cup full of crap. It's frustrating.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-44551814681148616852009-03-15T01:00:00.000-04:002009-03-15T01:00:00.000-04:00As a Wawa employee, I can tell you we have rules a...As a Wawa employee, I can tell you we have rules about mixing pots of coffee (NOT ALLOWED!!!) and how long the pots can sit (20 minutes). It IS hard to keep track of the coffee at some times of the day/night when no one person is assigned to making coffee, but sometimes it's just a matter of who is working. A little hint on spotting a fresh pot...it doesn't have a thin ring of light brown goop on top. :)You can also smell if it is not fresh...very noticeable when it's not, at least for me.<BR/><BR/>Feel free to call and complain if you ever see pot mixing or feel like stopping your coffee buying because of disgusting old pots. 800-444-wawa. The coffee should be yummy. <BR/><BR/>FYI to the person talking about the cost...it costs a lot more than just the price of the ground coffee as to how much profit we make on a cup. Add in coffee, labor (including cleaning pots, brewers, and warmers), condiments (people take GOBS of this stuff), cups, lids, coffee stirs, milk & creamers, water, cleaner, repairs and new equipment...the price of a cup is very reasonable. Nothing is as cheap as making it at home. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-20584876652446125572008-10-24T23:44:00.000-04:002008-10-24T23:44:00.000-04:00I agree, Dunkin Donuts coffee is not good about 50...I agree, Dunkin Donuts coffee is not good about 50% at 30th Street Station. Philadelphia Java Company (La Columbe) coffee is the only place where the coffee is consistently good. I didn't comment on Wawa since they are so few left.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-38007145156476095762008-10-24T19:53:00.000-04:002008-10-24T19:53:00.000-04:00I used to get a 16oz. cup with the Sunday paper ev...I used to get a 16oz. cup with the Sunday paper every week to drink while I read the news. Then I realized they sell ground coffee in a one pot size that was cheaper than the 16oz coffee. I think that I can throw that in at home and enjoy a fresh pot. I don't drink enough coffee to grind beans all the time but when I do buy some there are some good roasters in the Collegeville area.Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01869272092929533405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-55766811133258389062008-10-24T16:00:00.000-04:002008-10-24T16:00:00.000-04:00Yes, the array of burners @ wawa is super gross an...Yes, the array of burners @ wawa is super gross and I almost had to laugh when I heard their latest campaign. I don't get the ever-going burbs argument of wawa vs. D&D for coffee,(unless you want dessert coffee, in which case those cold coollata things kinda rock in 90 degree weather) they both stink most of the time. The question of where to go to get decent but cheap coffee is a vexing one outside of city. Fortunately, in philly with our culture of indy coffee shops we can do this pretty easy - nearly every neighborhood has a decent non-corporate coffee option. As I live in west philly, I often go to Sattelite Cafe next to Dock Street Brewery, or if I'm feeling supercheap I have a cup of la colombe for far less than it costs off rittenhouse at the Restaurant School cafe by 43 & Walnut. Lastly, when working in center city I'll get the tasty fuel at either Metropolitan Bakery or the Last Drop. Again the cup isn't phenomenal at these places, but kicks the crap out of D&D, Wawa, and usually starbucks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-57096305180422774162008-10-24T14:16:00.000-04:002008-10-24T14:16:00.000-04:00Yeah, Sheetz brings good stuff to the middle of no...Yeah, Sheetz brings good stuff to the middle of nowhere in PA, bless their red-roofed little hearts...not to mention their courageous struggle to capture beer-selling profits!Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-32420271162451511822008-10-24T13:48:00.000-04:002008-10-24T13:48:00.000-04:00And as much as I hate to say it, to second the opi...And as much as I hate to say it, to second the opinion (I am a Wawa person at heart), Sheetz has good coffee, in that they have espresso machines at several stores I've seen. There is nothing quite like pulling off 322 in the middle of nowhere and ordering a double shot of fresh brewed espresso. I'm no coffee snob, but to get a nice, strong cup at a gas station in the middle of nowhere is pretty freakin' great.Matthew D Dunnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03632800892744296973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-14209633610819078852008-10-24T11:33:00.000-04:002008-10-24T11:33:00.000-04:00Eric,Thanks for the insight. I wonder how much of ...Eric,<BR/>Thanks for the insight. I wonder how much of it depends on the individual manager? That said, I haven't had a good, fresh cup of Wawa coffee in a long time. Started to suck about three years ago, by which time I was definitely drinking better coffee. Wish we had a local roaster, wish we had a local indie coffeeshop. <BR/><BR/>(Dude, don't throw in a paragraph break after every line, takes up a lot of room in the comments page! Not a big deal, just tidy-obsessive on my part...)Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-15696043519601581932008-10-24T11:24:00.000-04:002008-10-24T11:24:00.000-04:00I worked at the Collegeville, Pa. Wawa in 1998/99 ...I worked at the Collegeville, Pa. Wawa in 1998/99 while I was a student at Ursinus. <BR/><BR/>We didn't marry pots. Coffee was dumped 1/2 hour after it was made.<BR/><BR/>The store manager was very good. The store was always very clean and the deli stuff and coffee was always fresh.<BR/><BR/>However, Wawa uses crap coffee.<BR/><BR/>So even if it is fresh, it isn't very good.<BR/><BR/>I'm surprised at the number of beer connoisseurs who drink crap coffee.<BR/><BR/>In fact, if I had to choose between beer and coffee, I'd give up beer in a second.<BR/><BR/>I get my coffee now from Merlin's, a little independent roaster in Hanover, Pa., just a block and a half from my office.<BR/><BR/>He also has a location in Gettysburg.<BR/><BR/>All varieties $9 a pound. Cheaper than Starbucks and he doesn't burn his beans.<BR/><BR/>Currently drinking Tanzanian Peaberry.<BR/><BR/>BTW, I do not stand to benefit from plugging Merlin's...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-67115568069173291992008-10-24T09:14:00.000-04:002008-10-24T09:14:00.000-04:00Rich,I can't begin to tell you how much Turkey Hil...Rich,<BR/>I can't begin to tell you how much Turkey Hill Iced Tea I've had in my life, though I don't drink it any more. I'd get a half gallon carton just for driving around, used to drink out 1/4 of the carton and refill it with vodka, back in my young, wild days. <BR/><BR/>And yeah, I've had good coffee at Sheetz; I've had a lot of good stuff at Sheetz, including good cheap fuel.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-40745936242606251652008-10-24T09:04:00.000-04:002008-10-24T09:04:00.000-04:00Not sure if you have them in your area but if you ...Not sure if you have them in your area but if you do...Turkey Hill has good coffee...if not stop by one next time you are in Lancaster. I also think that Sheetz holds their own in the coffee department.Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06900534233446433658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-11157381603517993552008-10-24T08:23:00.000-04:002008-10-24T08:23:00.000-04:00Bryce,It is Wawa, supposedly a native American nam...Bryce,<BR/>It <I>is</I> Wawa, supposedly a native American name for the Canada goose, thought to be onomatopoetic, from the goose's call. They have geese in their corporate 'imagery.'Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-84628267727847690932008-10-24T07:54:00.000-04:002008-10-24T07:54:00.000-04:00Amen, Brother! I've never been to a Wawa. (They ...Amen, Brother! I've never been to a Wawa. (They really call themselves Wawa? Really?!?) But we have a similar chain in our area that gets everything right - even occasionally has a few beers beyond Bud - but their coffee is always full of burnt acid.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-30822878602691127162008-10-24T07:07:00.000-04:002008-10-24T07:07:00.000-04:00Jeff, I have to admit that I like Wawa partly cuz ...Jeff, I have to admit that I like Wawa partly cuz <I>it's from here.</I> I'd rather support the Philly-area company than 7-11. I haven't noticed the heat-lamp stuff, I guess: not what I'm looking for in Wawa, so I don't see it?<BR/><BR/>And Sandy, ditto on the "latte and mocha" thing. Yuk. I don't even see it. I want coffee, with half-and-half, period. But...that's me.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-8338718664406812092008-10-23T23:42:00.000-04:002008-10-23T23:42:00.000-04:00Wawa is deluded to think it's top tier in coffee. ...Wawa is deluded to think it's top tier in coffee. Can't say I've had caffeine gravy at mine, they dump the pots at half full quite regularly. <BR/><BR/>I grind my own beans fresh (or as fresh as I can with that same Cuisinart) each morning, and only turn to Wawa for flavored coffee now and again. <BR/><BR/>The real thing Wawa needs to be slapped for is for morphing from a decent convenient store into a giant fast-food restaurant with heat-lamped fried food as health-ruinous as Burger King's and gas pumps out front. <BR/><BR/>Oh well, at least Wawa doesn't have a creepy, Howard Eskin-looking king character starring in its commercials.Jeff Linkoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09262928843229439788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-27186854859135269632008-10-23T23:16:00.000-04:002008-10-23T23:16:00.000-04:00But..... but..... what about the latte/frappuchi...But..... but..... what about the latte/frappuchino dispensers? <:-D<BR/><BR/>Seriously, my wife and I were fueled throughout our latest jaunt through South Joisey by large lattes and mochas, at a much nicer price than a comparable product from Starbucks or Caribou. Sorry, but I learned to drink coffee in the UK where it's apparently on par with their chocolate--in other words, loaded with cream and sugar.<BR/><BR/>Now tea, on the other hand..... it pains me that the greasiest fish-and-chip shop in the UK makes far better tea than even high-end restaurants in the States. I've resorted to packing up to a half-gallon of hot or cold whole-leaf tea on any road trip or for lunch.Alexander D. Mitchell IVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16063927891723178579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-19138515568877110162008-10-23T21:02:00.000-04:002008-10-23T21:02:00.000-04:00OMG, Yum-Yum has the best frickin' donuts!!!Crap, ...OMG, Yum-Yum has the best frickin' donuts!!!<BR/><BR/>Crap, I forgot about them...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-54568594489354012912008-10-23T17:19:00.000-04:002008-10-23T17:19:00.000-04:00That IS what I do, Herr Donnerstag, better believe...That IS what I do, Herr Donnerstag, better believe it. Life's good since we got our Cuisinart burr mill and thermal carafe drip maker.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-62274234333823931022008-10-23T17:18:00.000-04:002008-10-23T17:18:00.000-04:00David, you're just taunting us that you can get AN...David, you're just taunting us that you can get ANY beer at your Wawa, you lucky booger!Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-2490160298405459302008-10-23T17:17:00.000-04:002008-10-23T17:17:00.000-04:00Really, L@MT, I've had plenty of bad Wawa coffee. ...Really, L@MT, I've had plenty of bad Wawa coffee. If you like, well, more power to ya.Lew Brysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084380741402026573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315262155858800734.post-59868672496670626982008-10-23T17:10:00.000-04:002008-10-23T17:10:00.000-04:00Worked at a Wawa the summer after freshman year of...Worked at a Wawa the summer after freshman year of college. At the time, I believe a pot of coffee yielded Wawa 8 12oz cups, which sold for something like 99 cents. That's $7.92 cents for you kids counting at home. The individual pot of coffee costs less than 50 cents to make. Which means that every drop of nasty, black-burnt acidic gleet is, more or less, straight profit.<BR/><BR/>Wawa sells a shit-ton of coffee. Till their consumer base gets some sense, they have no reason, whatsoever, to buy expensive carafes to drive down their profit margins.<BR/><BR/>The only thing you can do, I suspect, is what I do: hope there are a couple of good local coffee shops in your area, and make sure you've always got some good beans on the shelf.TChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09206833333366507894noreply@blogger.com