Sheetz ties with Wawa as upper Midwest chain takes over top customer satisfaction spot

An upper Midwest convenience store chain has edged out Wawa in a customer satisfaction study.

Rival Sheetz also moved up in the rankings to gain a  second place tie with Wawa. Wawa was in first place in the 2024 study.

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Convenience Store Study 2025, Kwik Trip led  the industry after gaining  8% with a score of 84.The Wisconsin-based company was  credited with building a positive customer service culture. 

Overall customer satisfaction with convenience stores remained the same.

Sheetz, which improved 4% year over year, moved  from sixth place in 2024 into the  second place tie with Wawa.

Wawa, based in Delaware County, PA, has been moving into Sheetz's stronghold in central Pennsylvania. Sheetz has been doing the same and now has a location in Elkton, MD, a short distance from the Delaware state line.

Wawa has strongholds in the Mid-Atlantic and Florida. Lately, it has been moving into the Midwest and South, but is not near  Kwik Trip's territory, which includes Wisconsin, Minnesota  and Iowa. Wawa has about four dozen  stores in Delaware.

Circle K, which operates a few stores in the region, ranked 13th, with 7-11 coming in at 16th.  Not listed in the study were smaller chains like Royal Farms.

Bucc-ee's, which has been making a splash with big box  stores, barbecue  and dozens of gas pumps, had a 79 score. Bucc-ee's is rumored to be looking at a location in New Jersey and recently opened a location in Virginia.

According to the survey, the  11-point gap between the highest and lowest ratings reveals a wide range of customer experiences.

“This striking gap in satisfaction should serve as a wake-up call for brands to rethink what truly drives loyalty today,” said Forrest Morgeson, asociate professor of marketing at Michigan State University and Director of Research Emeritus at the ACSI. “The brands rising to the top are doing more than just selling coffee and snacks. They’re building communities inside their stores. As in-store sales outpace fuel and digital tools become table stakes, the brands that will win are those that double down on quality, innovation, and authentic connection.”

Study authors said mobile apps and loyalty programs like the ones offered by Wawa are a significant factor in high customer satisfaction scores.