Sheetz beat out by Wawa in convenience store customer satisfaction survey

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Sheetz lost to rival Wawa in a national convenience store customer satisfaction survey.

Wawa took first place in the American Customer Satisfaction Index's inaugural convenience store study . Wawa snagged an industry-leading score of 82 while Sheetz scored 79. QuikTrip and Buc-ee's also beat Sheetz while Casey's General Stores tied.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index measures and analyzes customer satisfaction with about 400 companies based on data from interviews with about 200,000 people a year.

Despite Wawa beating Sheetz, the American Customer Satisfaction Index says the Altoona-based gas station/convenience store chain is above the industry average score of 76. Sheetz is also among the convenience stores that meet or exceed fast food chains when it comes to cooked food quality.

The Sheetz-Wawa rivalry divides Pennsylvania, with the western half usually siding with Sheetz and the eastern half backing Wawa.

Wawa has been creeping into Sheetz's territory lately, expanding into central Pennsylvania and West Virginia . Middletown's new Wawa store opened right next to an existing Sheetz.

The battle between the two Pennsylvania convenience stores flared up on social media in April when President Biden stopped by Sheetz during his visit to Pittsburgh, but he played it neutral and visited Wawa in Philadelphia the next day. Even celebrities have weighed in on the debate. During Post Malone's concert at Star Lake last summer, he sported a Wawa shirt , prompting a little Photoshop job from Sheetz to add their logo instead.