Dive Brief:
- Wawa has launched its annual Hoagiefest, a promotion that lets customers purchase the c-store chain’s popular sandwiches for $6 or less this summer, according to a Monday announcement.
- Beginning Monday and running through Aug. 11, customers can purchase Wawa’s Shorti and Classic hoagies — also known as 6- and 10-inch sandwiches — for $5 and $6, respectively. The promotion applies to Wawa’s hoagies sold in its convenience stores and through its mobile app.
- While this isn’t Wawa’s first Hoagiefest, the discount is part of a wave of c-store foodservice promotions this year amid the industry’s ongoing effort to compete with restaurants.
Dive Insight:
Americans haven’t been shy this year regarding their opinions on the cost of fast food. According to a LendingTree study of 2,000 U.S. adults completed in April, 62% of U.S. consumers are eating fast food less frequently due to rising prices, while 78% said eating fast food is a luxury.
Although convenience stores have been providing value meal deals and other specials and discounts for years, the industry’s increase in these types of promos in recent months signals that operators hear consumers’ price concerns.
Besides Wawa, some of those chains include Arko Corp. — parent of GPM Investments — which debuted frozen pizzas at 1,000 of its stores at a price of $4.99 in January, and EG America, which revealed last week that it will soon roll out a limited-time $5 meal package across its network.
Restaurants are fighting to win back price-sensitive diners. Burger King and McDonald’s are adding $5 value options in the near future to help boost traffic, while Jack in the Box launched a $4 menu last month. On the casual dining side, Buffalo Wild Wings has seen a traffic spike from its recent $19.99 all-you-can-eat chicken wings deal.
Wawa has partnered with former Philadelphia Eagles’ Center Jason Kelce and Delaware County native Kylie Kelce for its latest Hoagiefest. Customers can order the “Jason,” an Italian sandwich with mayo, provolone, tomato and banana peppers on a white roll; or the “Kylie,” a honey turkey sandwich with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and banana peppers on a wheat roll.
Wawa, which is in the midst of a major expansion, currently operates over 1,050 convenience stores across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama and Washington, D.C.
