What to Know
- Wawa stores are continuing to serve food and pump gas during the coronavirus pandemic, but the convenience store chain is making changes in hopes of keeping people safe while delivering the essential services.
- Wawa has stopped self-service coffee, Icees, bakery products and more.
- Wawa is also calling for all of its stores to close between 2 to 3 a.m. for “cleaning, sanitation and stocking.”
Wawa stores can remain open as the coronavirus pandemic spreads through the Philadelphia region, and the convenience store chain is making changes to ensure customers stay safe as they get needed food and gas.
A big change in the attempt to reduce the number of surfaces customers touch went into effect at 5 a.m. Friday: A Wawa worker is now serving coffee, rather than customers serving themselves.
Wawa employees will also be bagging bakery items for customers.
Other changes include suspending self-service for fountain drinks, Icees, iced coffees and cappuccinos as well, Wawa said in a news release.
In a video posted to Wawa’s COVID-19 webpage earlier this week, CEO Chris Gheysens explained how the chain is committed to safely delivering critical food and fuel service.
Wawa is also calling for all of its stores – most are normally open 24 hours a day – to close between 2 to 3 a.m. for “cleaning, sanitation and stocking.”
“In order to remain open safely, Wawa has enhanced our already strict cleaning and quality standards by increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting all touch points and surfaces,” the company said.
Wawa, which is headquartered outside Philadelphia, has more than 850 stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, and Washington, D.C.
