This got me thinking deeply. Knowing that all 3 exist so close to eachother, I had to go visit all 3 in one day. Afterall, it would make for a good antics page, would it not?
Over the years I have had cooking ideas. Some are strange, some are normal, and some are impossible. My misadventures with strange food will have another chapter to share, and I will be referring to as the Gas Station Trifecta.
Part One: The Concept Phase
April 14th, 2026
I have been a fan of Gas Station food since I discovered the art of eastern gas stations. I first went to Sheetz in high school, and it would become a regular hangout spot for my friends and I during the winter months. When I would go to BG for school, Audrey, Aidan, Baylee and I would go to the Sheetz in Maumee regularly since it was open late, and the drive was fun to do.
I discovered Wawa on a trip to New Jersey in 2017, when I went with my Grandma. I would make a return during IAAPA 2024, and I would learn to appreciate the fine cooking Wawa does. While Wawa has the better food options overall, I do like how Sheetz has seating options at their locations.
Buc-ee's is a different breed of Gas Station compared to Sheetz and WaWa. If Wawa and Sheetz are about average size for modern gas stations, Buc-ee's is about 14x larger than both of them. I would first visit in 2022, but my fascination would pick up when I would visit 3 in 2024, 5 in 2025, and currently 3 in 2026.
During a discussion about stopping at 2 different Buc-ee's during an upcoming July trip with Luke in our group chat, Nate added how they had never been to a Buc-ee's, nor a Sheetz and Wawa. Luke looked into it, and discovered that all three exist in close proximity.
A bright idea would strike me. What if I make a meal combining all 3 places. It would be obvious what I would get from Buc-ee's, its famous brisket. I had just driven 3 hours to the Hubor Heights Buc-ee's last week just for the brisket. Now I needed sides from Wawa and Sheetz.
I would tweet out my evil idea, and some ideas came in. Taylor would suggest to get Buffalo Mac and Cheese from Wawa, and while the buffalo would clash with Texas brisket, regular Mac and Cheese doesn't. While Taylor helped figure out the side from Wawa, I was still stumped about a side from Sheetz
Then, a stroke of genius would come from an unforseen person. The official Sheetz twitter would respond to my tweet unprompted, suggesting I get the curly fries and a shake. This idea would sit perfectly in my mind, to make the Gas Station Trifecta Meal.
After finalizing the menu, I would sit back and look in awe at this hypothetical meal. While it will be 3 months before I get to try this, the saga is not over. The world does not yet realize how far I will go to make a strange meal, nor does it yet know if the Trifecta Meal is even worth trying.
Part Two: Making the Meal
July 12th, 2026
The time finally came to make the meal on July 12th, 2026. Ronan, Caroline, and I needed to kill the time between us getting to Dayton, and when Luke got off work before leaving for St. Louis.
The plan was simple, Wawa, Sheetz, and wrapping it up with Buc-ee's. The Wawa we went to had only opened that week, and was quick with the Mac and Cheese. Sheetz was only 15 minutes away from Wawa, was quick with the fries. The Sheetz we went to also only happened to be 10 minutes from the Buc-ee's. Lastly, the Buc-ee's brisket sandwich. We Pulled into Buc-ee's and went in among its crowds to pick up a Brisket Sandwich, and a Sarsaparilla drink.
The combined meal made me feel so American. The full meal was very good, and filling. Sheetz had a good idea for the fries, and the Mac and Cheese complimented both the brisket and fries. The brisket, of course, was absolutely amazing.
Combining the food from 3 different gas stations was truly one of the strangest things I have ever done, and twitter agreed. Many asked why on earth I would do such a thing, and to be honest I did it to say I did it.
The offical Sheetz twitter responded, with bewilderment. I don't blame them, the whole picture is just odd. Buc-ee's brisket, Wawa Mac and Cheese, Sheetz fries, all together on the hood of a car with Buc-ee's in the background.
Overall, the meal, and journey to get there, was one of the most fun things I have ever done. Ronan and Caroline also got items at all 3 places, with Ronan making a similar meal to me. We spent the most time at Buc-ee's, shopping for snacks after our dinner, and running into my friend Matthew on his way home. Would I do it again? Maybe. I would need to have the time to make the meal, since it takes about an hour to do so. But I would recommend trying it once.