This Wawa Secret Menu Item Is Around $5 – And Perfect For Rainy Days

Wawa is a chain of convenience stores that started in Pennsylvania in 1902, primarily selling high-quality dairy products before expanding to food markets in the 1960s, made-to-order foods in the 1980s, and gas stations in the 1990s. The gas station and convenience store chain is now available in many states, and offers many affordable meals and snacks, but its employees know how to really take advantage of the customizable options to get the best deals. On Reddit, some Wawa employees shared their hacks for making the most of the associate menu for shift meals with off-the-menu items, including an affordable comfort food that's perfect for a rainy day.

According to one user, you can make something that resembles chicken and dumplings by ordering a "small [Chicken Corn Chowder soup] from the $1 menu and a buttered biscuit. Ask them to put the biscuit in a bowl and then pour the soup on top." 

The deal looked too good to pass up, so I tried ordering online from my neighborhood Wawa, only to run into a few issues. There was no $1 menu available online, and the only soup available was chicken noodle. I added it to my cart anyway, along with a biscuit, and it came out to just over $5 before taxes. Still — it's a good value for a quick, convenient meal that you'd be hard-pressed to find at any other gas station or convenience store.

The same Redditor — who actually identified themselves as working at Wawa — offered some other secret menu items they came up with. For example, you can order four meatballs, add melted provolone, and a "shorti roll with butter, oregano, parm[,] and garlic aioli and toast it." Online, you can order a small bowl of meatballs and a buttered, toasted shorti roll for under $6. You can also customize a meatball sandwich with all these elements for just over $6 online. But you can't arrive at the self-identified employee's rigged meatball-and-garlic-bread meal. For that, you'll have to go to a physical location.

The in-store ordering kiosks all feature a "special order" button. This feature prompts an employee to either call or approach you for the details of your order. But there are rules. Another self-identified Wawa employee on Reddit advised customers: "Do NOT walk away from the deli without explaining what your special order is." Just don't go overboard, because excessive modifications can read as poor etiquette.

You can also follow one Redditor's employee hack and try making a walking taco by ordering a cheesesteak sandwich without the roll, adding your favorite toppings, requesting that the cheese be chopped, and dumping it into a bag of Doritos. But this may only be a deal for employees, because the cost for customers is over $9. However, Wawa does offer a taco with ground beef, cheese, salsa, and shredded lettuce. With a side of Doritos, your walking taco hack comes out to $5 and some change.