Critics and consumers have harshly judged the retailer’s pies since they debuted this summer. If sales are also poor, it may need to pull pizza from its menus, one expert says.

Few events grabbed the attention of both the c-store industry and consumers this year more than when Wawa threw its hat into the pizza ring.

The Pennsylvania-based retailer, known more for its hoagie sandwiches and cheesesteaks than its fuel rewards or beverage offerings, added pizza to its dinner menu in June after “years” spent working on the recipe, the company said at the time. It comes in several varieties, including plain, pepperoni, sausage, mushroom and veggie.

If Wawa had worked on its recipe for a week, I’d expect the pizza to be subpar. But “years” means it should be at least half decent, right?

Wrong, according to several media outlets.

Over the past few months, publications like The Washington Post, Eater and Bon Appetit have scorched Wawa’s pizza with horrifying reviews.

“Wawa’s new pizza is edible, but an utter disappointment — a sloppily assembled pie with bland toppings and a dry basic crust,” Ernest Owens, editor for Eater Philly, wrote in his review of the pie.

Owens noted that the “uninspiring” pizza at 7-Eleven — which pizza maven and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy rated a 3.8/10 in 2021 — “outshines” Wawa’s pies.

Even local media in New Jersey, where Wawa operates nearly 300 stores, is burning Wawa’s pizza to a crisp.

“Wawa, I love you, but your new pizza is trash,” Jeremy Schneider, food and culture reporter for NJ.com, wrote in his scathing review.

A particularly harsh review written by Danny Palumbo in The Takeout compared Wawa’s pies to those of Casey’s General Stores, which has become the c-store most synonymous with pizza through the years.

“It’s missing the thoughtfulness and superb flavor of a Casey’s pizza,” Palumbo wrote. “In fact, it tastes like something Wawa rushed out just to stay ahead of the curve.”

Even consumers are bashing Wawa’s pizza. When The Philadelphia Inquirer conducted a taste test with five 11th graders in the Philadelphia area, near Wawa’s home base, none were huge fans to say the least. Multiple students noted how the pizza was burnt, had too much cheese and tasted like a “cheap pizza.”

Not everyone hates Wawa’s pizza. Jason Sheehan of Philadelphia Magazine defended Wawa’s pies, noting that consumers need to keep their expectations in check and not compare this pizza to that of established restaurants.

“What did you think you were going to get?” Sheehan wrote. “Because before you go getting all high and mighty about it, let’s not forget: You’re eating pizza from a gas station.”

I disagree. Wawa has stated in the past that it views itself as more of a restaurant than a convenience store. Its CEO, Chris Gheysens, even referred to its brand as a “restaurant-to-go.”

If the company views itself as a restaurant, its food better be restaurant quality.

These harsh reviews have left me wondering: What the heck is going on? Is Wawa’s new pizza actually terrible, or is it just not as otherworldly as its hoagie sandwiches? Is Casey’s paying off The Washington Post and Eater to publicly assault Wawa’s pies?

More importantly, can Wawa — and its pizzas — bounce back from this negative press? And what can other c-store retailers learn from this experience?

Should Wawa pull its pizza from the menu?
One reason Wawa is in this situation to begin with is because pizza is “a really hard category” to get into, Liza Salaria, senior principal consultant and category management and foodservice practice lead for c-store consultancy Impact 21, said in an interview.

Source: CStoreDive.com