I went to the beloved gas-station chain Wawa for the first time, and I'd go out of my way to stop there again

The author went to Wawa for the first time and appreciated the customizable variety of food and drinks.Joey Hadden/Insider

• Wawa is a beloved East Coast gas station and convenience store chain known for its fresh sandwiches.
• I visited Wawa for the first time during a trip to Florida and saw first-hand why it has loyal fans.

East Coasters love Wawa, a fast-growing gas station and convenience store chain with a devoted fan base. Insider reporters have dubbed it America's best convenience store over the years, despite only operating in six states.

A Wawa is seen in South Florida.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Wawa, Insider, Insider

The chain's hoagies have a particularly loyal following: Wawa was voted the best overall sandwich shop in the US in 2018 and currently serves the best convenience store sandwiches in the nation, according to Market Force consumer surveys.

The author savors every bite of her Wawa hoagie.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Insider, MarketForce

I went to Wawa for the first time during a recent trip to Miami, and I saw first-hand how much better the chain was compared to the average gas station. I thought it would be well worth traveling out of the way for.

The author sips on orange juice outside of Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

I've taken several long road trips before, and most gas stations I've encountered have been slow and lacked snack and drink variety, tasty fresh food, and clean bathrooms.

A photo and a map showing the destinations the author has stopped at on road trips in the past.      Google Maps, Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Insider

But the Wawa I stopped at had eight stations to get gas, which is more than I typically see on the road. Drivers didn't have to wait long to pump their gas.

A Wawa gas station in South Florida.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Inside Wawa's convenience store, I was surprised to find various energy bars and drinks. I'm not used to seeing this many options in gas stations, and I think these offerings are crucial for a successful road trip.

Red Bull and energy bars inside a Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

One corner of the store offered plenty of drink options including soda, slushies, and iced coffee.

The drink station at Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

As someone who loves variety, I was particularly impressed by the touchscreen, "freestyle" soda fountain, which offers more than 100 Coca-Cola drink options.

Wawa's Coco-Cola Freestyle machine.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Coca-Cola

And I thought the massive hot coffee station, with several roasts to choose from, was a dream come true for coffee lovers.

A variety of coffee blends available at Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Past the roasts, there were a variety of sugars, milk, and other additions to customize your coffee.

A close-up of the coffee station at Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Typically, when I hit up a gas station convenience store on a road trip, there are so few options that I end up getting sick of the snacks on offer. But Wawa had a delightfully robust snack and candy variety.

Snack aisles at Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

I noticed that Skittles were two for $4, and they had flavor packs I hadn't seen before.

Three Skittles flavor packs are seen at Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

The bread and baked goods sections looked ideal for early mornings on the road.

Two aisles of bread and baked goods are seen at Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

I've sometimes seen a case of fresh-baked donuts and muffins inside gas stations, but they've never been as tempting to me as Wawa's iced and sprinkled donuts.

A case of donuts and muffins.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Next to a long row of refrigerated drink cases, I found a small auto section, which I thought might come in handy during long road trips.

The refrigerated drinks and auto sections.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Another perk for road-trippers, Wawa has the cleanest restrooms in every state it operates, according to a 2019 analysis by GasBuddy, NBC reported.

The inside of a stall in a Wawa in Maryland.      Shadow K./Yelp

Source: GasBuddy, NBC

After exploring the store's products, I headed over to a touchscreen kiosk to order one of Wawa's famous sandwiches.

A customer orders food at a touchscreen kiosk.      Joey Hadden/Insider

I ordered Wawa's most popular item, a hoagie, which is the regional name for a submarine sandwich in southeastern Pennsylvania, where Wawa originates.

The author's hoagie from Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Insider

I thought the ordering process was really simple, and I appreciated that I could customize my order to my liking.

The author orders a hoagie at Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

I ordered my roast beef hoagie with lettuce, tomato, pickles, garlic aioli, and everything seasoning, which was similar to everything bagel seasoning, and I added a fresh orange juice to wash it down.

The author's meal from Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

I snagged a table outside, and when I bit into the sandwich, I was blown away by the flavors. The garlic aioli and everything seasoning were excellent additions, in my opinion.

The author takes a bite into her hoagie from Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider

It was so much better than the food I typically get on road trips, and I thought it tasted delicious and fresh. I can see now why Wawa is so beloved, and I'll definitely be back.

The author enjoys her hoagie from Wawa.      Joey Hadden/Insider