A CITY’S first drive-thru Wawa location has officially closed down after opening last February.
As the convenience store shuttered the second to last of its standalone drive-thru locations, shoppers are casting the blame on a key decision.
Wawa’s first drive-thru location in a city has officially closed down[/caption]
Wawa customers had mixed feelings on the closure of the drive-thru store[/caption]
Wawa has officially ceased operations at its first and only drive-thru store in Allentown, Pennsylvania – 50 miles north of Philadelphia.
Located in Lehigh Valley, it closed on Sunday, January 5, according to a local outlet.
Customers were alerted of the news with a sign outside the store, encouraging them to visit other nearby Wawa locations.
Shoppers had mixed feelings about the closure.
One shopper was disappointed by the news, writing “Sad times” in response to a Facebook post about the closure.
Another Wawa customer, however, was not shocked by the abrupt shuttering of the drive-thru location.
“I drove by this when I stayed the night nearby last summer. Apparently, they didn’t accept mobile/online ordering,” wrote the shopper.
“The concept for Wawa isn’t great to begin with, but the decision not to allow that in a post-COVID world was an incredibly dumb decision.”
COMFORT FOOD
Opened on February 8, 2024, the Allentown store was the first drive-thru Wawa location in the city.
“Wawa continues to test new store concepts with this latest drive-thru format, providing an opportunity for our customers to experience and enjoy their favorite Wawa products while remaining inside their car,” said Dave Simonetti, senior director of store operations, in the 2024 release announcing its opening.
“Wawa is committed to increasing convenience and testing new formats and designs to continue to evolve to meet customer’s needs.”
The 2,200-square-foot store focused on providing “fresh food in a drive-thru experience.”
It was open daily from 5 am to midnight, able to quickly serve 12 cars at a time during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The drive-thru store was fully equipped with a fresh food kitchen, serving up built-to-order staples such as Wawa’s hot breakfast sandwich, a line of specialty beverages, and signature hoagies.
Wawa Locations By State
Wawa has over 1,000 convenience stores and gas stations spread across at least 10 states and will soon expand several others by 2025.
- Alabama
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Maryland
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
- Washington, DC
Employing around 25 people, the Allentown drive-thru store was the second of its kind in Pennsylvania.
Opened in 2021, Wawa’s first-ever standalone drive-thru was located in Morrisville, Pennsylvania – 27 miles northeast of Philadelphia.
That location, however, was shut down in October 2024.
The last remaining standalone drive-thru Wawa location is in Largo, Florida – 20 miles from Tampa – according to the retailer’s website.
Florida’s first drive-thru Wawa, the Largo location opened in June 2024.
Other store closures are sweeping across the US.
Big Lots has confirmed another location to close as shoppers were alerted with banners and liquidation sales of up to 30%.
Plus, GameStop is set to shut down two popular mall locations following nearly 300 closures – and shoppers have days left.
