Convenience-store retailer Wawa extended an invite to Philadelphians from across the region to celebrate Hoagie Day on Wednesday with free hoagies, donations and a hoagie-building competition.
- Wawa is No. 9 on CSP’s 2023 Top 202 ranking of convenience store chains by store count.
Hoagie Day is part of Wawa Welcome America—a Wawa-sponsored 4th of July event with the city of Philadelphia. Through July 4, locals can enjoy Hoagiefest, free concerts, fireworks and more.
“Wawa Welcome America is an incredible series of community events that honor our local heroes as we lead up to our nation’s birthday, and each year, Hoagie Day becomes even more exciting, meaningful and delicious,” said Chris Gheysens, CEO of Wawa. “We look at Hoagie Day as a way to bring the community together, give back, fight hunger and have a little fun and friendly competition in the process! We are so grateful to our heroes and want to wish them and everyone in our communities a very happy July 4!”
Hoagie Day featured 25,000 hoagies made from seven tons of ingredients, said Wawa. Wawa distributed 15,000 free turkey hoagies to the public and donated 10,000 hoagies to Philabundance—the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia—as well as the Veterans Multi-Service Center. In addition, admission to Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center was free all day, courtesy of Wawa.
Philadelphia police officers and firefighters competed in a doubleheader competition, Hoagies for Heroes, where they faced off in a hoagie-building competition to benefit charities of their choice. Members of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Philadelphia also went head-to-head in a competition of their own to benefit the United Service Organizations (USO). Wawa made individual contributions of $3,000 to the charities of all four teams.
In addition to the local celebration in Philadelphia, all 1,000 Wawa stores across its operating area participated in Hoagie Day by making a donation of 30 hoagies to everyday heroes serving their local communities, for a total donation of 30,000 hoagies chainwide.
Based in Wawa, Pennsylvania, Wawa has 1,000 c-stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.
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