A winner has been crowned between Wawa and Sheetz for convenience store superiority

New York (CNN) — The battle between Wawa and Sheetz for convenience store superiority in the United States finally has an official winner — at least on one metric.

Wawa, the Philadelphia-based convenience store chain that has earned a loyal following for its hoagies, received the highest marks for customer satisfaction among all US chains, according to a survey released Tuesday by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI).

Meanwhile, Wawa’s cross-state rival Sheetz landed in fourth place. The gulf between the two was only three points, with Wawa earning 82 out of 100 and Sheetz getting a score of 79.

“Wawa and Sheetz have one of the biggest competitions in the convenience store industry, as both have strong, passionate followings,” Forrest Morgeson, director of research emeritus at ACSI, told CNN. “Wawa’s results reinforce its broad market appeal and, for Sheetz, these findings point to opportunities to build on its existing strengths and close the gap.”

Wawa scored higher marks from low-income customers, which is “consistent with the brand’s strong quality and value ratings,” he said, adding that the chain also came out slightly ahead of Sheetz in overall customer satisfaction in the US Northeast, where it’s dominant.

QuikTrip, an Oklahoma-based chain with more than 1,100 locations, placed second (81) and Buc-ee’s, a Texas company that has a loyal following for its kolaches and clean restrooms, placed third along with Murphy USA. Both tied with 80.

The chains that earned higher marks than the average score of 76 points all have “prioritized serving up a robust set of food options,” ASCI said, pointing to Wawa’s hoagies, Sheetz’s made-to-order sandwiches and QuickTrip’s kitchens that whip up a wide array of food from milkshakes to pizzas and tacos.

“Convenience stores are no longer just a quick stop for gas and snacks. They are becoming serious competitors in the food service industry,” Morgeson, who is also an associate professor of marketing at Michigan State University, said in a press release.

“By focusing on the in-store dining experience, while maintaining the speedy service that customers have grown accustomed to, convenience stores may have found the perfect recipe for success,” he added.

In recent years, quality food has become a defining factor for convenience store chains striving to attract road warriors, especially as the razor-thin profit margins on fuel sales slowly evaporate because of the rise of electric vehicles.

Besides food, the top chains earned their high marks because of factors that include opening hours, locations and their apps’ capabilities such as mobile ordering and loyalty programs.

The industry average score was dragged down by low marks for 7-Eleven and Shell. Both chains, which account for a “sizable portion of the industry,” landed in the last spot.

The scores are based on nearly 6,000 surveys completed by customers over email. ASCI often releases satisfaction scores for airlines, household electronics and fast-food chains, but this marks the first time that it’s measured convenience stores.

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