Buc-ee’s and Wawa are cropping up in Kentucky, but how are they different? See their menus

If this week’s news is any indication, Kentucky’s convenience store landscape is in for a major shake-up over the next few years.

Wawa announced plans to build at least 40 stores across the Bluegrass State over the next decade or so, with the first location expected to launch in 2025. The popular Pennsylvania-based convenience store and gas station chain is the latest to expand into Kentucky following Texas-based Buc-ee’s, which launched in Richmond in 2022.

Both chains have devoted fan bases and plenty to offer, but which is right for you? Here’s what you need to know.

Hoagies and coffee fuel Wawa’s menu

Wawa has served as the Philadelphia area’s premier convenience store for decades. The company’s empire has slowly stretched throughout the mid-Atlantic and East Coast with new stores in Florida, Kentucky and beyond.

The chain is primarily known for one thing: hoagies. Not subs, and not grinders. Hoagies. For more than 20 years, Wawa has left its hoagie orders up to its customers through touch-screen kiosks that offer full customization.

Wawa hoagies are available in three different sizes: Junior (4 inches), Shorti (6 inches) and Classic (10 inches). Served hot or cold, these sandwiches can feature lunch meats like turkey, ham and salami or more unique fixings like chicken tenders, tuna salad, roasted vegetables and shredded beef.

Additionally, Wawa offers fresh hot and cold coffee all day long. Staple flavors include Colombian and Cuban roasts, while other seasonal varieties, including this fall’s pumpkin spice, join the menu throughout the year. Those who don’t need an energy jolt might opt for a fruit smoothie, milkshake or parfait.

More recently, Wawa has expanded its menu to offer quesadillas, burritos, paninis, club sandwiches, soups, create-your-own bowls, ciabatta sandwiches, burgers and french fries, among other options. Even pizza is on the menu now starting at 4 p.m.

Of course, no mention of Wawa’s menu could be complete without Sizzlis, the beloved breakfast option. These grab-and-go sandwiches are generally available with scrambled eggs, cheese and your choice of bacon or sausage served on a bagel, croissant, biscuit or even pancakes. Sizzli breakfast burritos are also available, as are donuts, muffins and made-to-order breakfast hoagies that offer a larger portion.

Most Wawa stores offer catering services and sell gasoline, too. Wawa’s mobile app offers rewards, including in-store discounts and gasoline savings that build up over time. Signing up for the program is free.

According to the company’s website, Wawa’s name comes from a Native American word for the Canadian geese that once roamed southeastern Pennsylvania, now represented as Wally Goose, the company’s mascot. The company’s original dairy farm sat on land that was once called Wawa, which later inspired the chain’s identity.

The first Wawa Food Market opened in 1964 to create a larger outlet for its dairy products. Today, the company operates at least 950 locations up and down the East Coast.

Buc-ee’s is known for abundance

Beaver-loving Kentuckians showed up in droves when Buc-ee’s first opened in Richmond, and it’s easy to understand why.

This chain is often known for its world-famous clean restrooms, unique menu and wall-to-wall shelves filled with snack foods. Some of the most popular options include barbecue dishes and beef jerky, some of which Richmond City Manager Robert Minerich said was the best he’d ever had.

Texas-style barbecue offerings include brisket, pulled pork, sausage and turkey. Perhaps the most known snack of all is Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets, which are sweet and crunchy corn puffs that come in several flavors, including caramel, cinnamon and jalepeño.

You can wash down your Buc-ee’s food with a full lineup of coffee and tea, including hot and cold drinks with seasonal flavors and customizable options.

Other snacks include beef jerky, which comes in several flavors, including exotic varieties like alligator and kangaroo. Those with a particularly large sweet tooth might opt for Buc-ee’s fresh fudge.

Buc-ee’s serves as more of a one-stop-shop than Wawa in some ways thanks to its shelves stocked with beaver-themed merchandise and essentials, including T-shirts, magnets, home goods and even camping supplies.

Outside, Buc-ee’s customers can fuel up their rides at one of several gas pumps — sometimes nearing 100 stalls at some of the chain’s largest locations. According to its website, the company holds world records for the longest car wash (255 feet long in Katy, Texas) and the largest convenience store (74,707 square feet in Sevierville, Tenn.).

Founded in 1982, Buc-ee’s has quickly grown from its Texas roots with recent expansions into Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and South Carolina. The brand is widely recognizable thanks to its colorful beaver mascot, and there are at least 46 U.S. locations.

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