Random Thoughts That Don't Deserve Their Own Thread Go Here

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

That's cool. I appreciate the education. Seriously. They also should consider not being attached to gas stations because it is not a good look to people like me who wouldn't know any better and would never buy food from a place that looks, from the outside, like a Circle K.

So they should distance themselves from a lucrative revenue stream because people think they are too good to step inside and see what the food is about?

[Ksyrup]

I mean, sorry, but I don't eat at gas stations...? If they were a restaurant, I'd definitely give them a look, yeah.

Maybe it's the fact that we rarely get take out. We either get delivery or we go some place to eat, even if it's fast food/fast casual. We rarely stop some place to pick up food and take it home. So yes, I'm saying that eating WaWa's food - to me - would be the equivalent of eating at a gas station because that's where I would eat it. Not a pleasant atmosphere. I don't care how good the food is.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I mean, sorry, but I don't eat at gas stations...? If they were a restaurant, I'd definitely give them a look, yeah.

Maybe it's the fact that we rarely get take out. We either get delivery or we go some place to eat, even if it's fast food/fast casual. We rarely stop some place to pick up food and take it home. So yes, I'm saying that eating WaWa's food - to me - would be the equivalent of eating at a gas station because that's where I would eat it. Not a pleasant atmosphere. I don't care how good the food is.

So if the French Laundry removed their tables and put in gas pumps you wouldn't eat there?

( I told you I will die on this hill)

[PilotMan]

So according to Disney. If you have a Disney+ sub, you and your estate have forever agreed to binding arbitration for any disagreements that may arise. Even if you died from an allergic reaction in a restaurant in a Disney property and told everyone about your special needs.

Just a moment...

[Suicane75]

It's my experience that WaWa always has, and still does have, the best sandwiches (hot and cold) of any Market type place or fast fooderies. That being said, at least with my local, about 2 years ago they began expanding their menu to include more hot food such as tenders, burgers, fries etc.. And for the most part it's been dogshit.

K Syrup, Syrup, whatever will be will be.

[cuervo72]

I have not tried any of that stuff. Salads and paninis yes, pizza, burgers, no.

And...trying to figure out how one would eat at a WaWa. There is no seating, inside or out. The only option would be to eat in your car. It would be like trying to eat at a Little Caesar's.

FWIW, WaWa does deliver: Wawa Delivery: Get Fresh Food, Coffee & More Delivered | Wawa

I though am the opposite -- I almost never order delivery. If I take out WaWa, it is no different from going to Chipotle (opposite corner), LC's, CFA (well, I guess that IS different in that I don't get out of the car), Cava, my local pizza place. It is another takeout restaurant. It just, you know, happens to have gas pumps in front of it. Which is really no big thing here in Maryland. Let me introduce you to Royal Farms!

Home - Royal Farms

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Lathum

So if the French Laundry removed their tables and put in gas pumps you wouldn't eat there?

( I told you I will die on this hill)

I have no idea what that is, but assume since it's French, it's fancy. I would absolutely not eat there if they became a gas station.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I have not tried any of that stuff. Salads and paninis yes, pizza, burgers, no.

And...trying to figure out how one would eat at a WaWa. There is no seating, inside or out. The only option would be to eat in your car. It would be like trying to eat at a Little Caesar's.

FWIW, WaWa does deliver: Wawa Delivery: Get Fresh Food, Coffee & More Delivered | Wawa

I though am the opposite -- I almost never order delivery. If I take out WaWa, it is no different from going to Chipotle (opposite corner), LC's, CFA (well, I guess that IS different in that I don't get out of the car), Cava, my local pizza place. It is another takeout restaurant. It just, you know, happens to have gas pumps in front of it. Which is really no big thing here in Maryland. Let me introduce you to Royal Farms!

Home - Royal Farms

The only reason I've ever used Uber Eats or DoorDash is because I get free monthly credits from a couple of credit cards that allow me to save money. But I don't order from any place that's more than a 10 minute drive from the house because Covid taught me that driving 20-30 minutes with restaurant food and expecting it to be anything near worth eating at home is useless. But in terms of me going out to get food to bring home to eat, the only places I can say I've ever done that are Subway/Jimmy Johns-type places, or pizza. Oh, and there is one local Chinese place we do that for as well maninly because the restaurant portion of the place appears to be just for show (never seen anyone actually sit down to eat there). Otherwise, I've never gotten takeout from a typical place. Not even other types of fast food. We're either eating it in the place, or grabbing it on the way somewhere and eating it.

The closest WaWa will be 20-30 minutes from me. The only way I'd eat it is if we decided to get dinner to eat with my in-laws, who live right down the street from where one of the WaWa's is being built. They are from NJ, too! I've never heard them talk about WaWa's at all. But I am going to ask.

[Passacaglia]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I mean, sorry, but I don't eat at gas stations...? If they were a restaurant, I'd definitely give them a look, yeah.

Maybe it's the fact that we rarely get take out. We either get delivery or we go some place to eat, even if it's fast food/fast casual. We rarely stop some place to pick up food and take it home. So yes, I'm saying that eating WaWa's food - to me - would be the equivalent of eating at a gas station because that's where I would eat it. Not a pleasant atmosphere. I don't care how good the food is.

You were the guy talking about Bates Burgers, right?

[Passacaglia]

Anyway, this feels like it encapsulates Midwest vs. East Coast culture more than anything. I'm with ksyrup that choosing to get food from a place with a gas station feels weird. I don't know anything about Wawa, but I'm imagining if it looks like a gas station, I wouldn't choose to eat there. And if the gas stations are kind of offset from the main area, I'd think it was a grocery store, and I still wouldn't choose to eat there. I believe you all that it's different or better and if one came to my area I might try it based on thst, but it would be really hard to shake the feeling that I'm buying food from a gas station and not like my experience.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

But in terms of me going out to get food to bring home to eat, the only places I can say I've ever done that are Subway/Jimmy Johns-type places, or pizza.

WaWas subs are light years better than either of those. Not even close.

[stevew]

There’s an Oreo flavored Coke Zero coming out soon.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

Anyway, this feels like it encapsulates Midwest vs. East Coast culture more than anything. I'm with ksyrup that choosing to get food from a place with a gas station feels weird. I don't know anything about Wawa, but I'm imagining if it looks like a gas station, I wouldn't choose to eat there. And if the gas stations are kind of offset from the main area, I'd think it was a grocery store, and I still wouldn't choose to eat there. I believe you all that it's different or better and if one came to my area I might try it based on thst, but it would be really hard to shake the feeling that I'm buying food from a gas station and not like my experience.

I suppose I can buy that. Thinking about the gas stations in the Lafayette area, I wouldn't go there for food either. But like Lathum says, it's not a gas station, it's not a supermarket...it's a market. When I grew up I lived around the corner from the "Village Pantry" - a place which was essentially a deli, but had some canned or otherwise packaged items, some candy (and baseball cards!), some drinks. Wawa is essentially like the Village Pantry, except it's bigger and you can't buy rolls or deli meat to bring home, but they'll make hoagies for you. And it has coffee.

It's still there, actually:
Village Pantry

To compare, here's the outside of the Wawa I go to:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wuiz8AgvTVkpBZen6

[flere-imsaho]

At last count, we have 4 local places making subs in my town of 40,000 people.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

You were the guy talking about Bates Burgers, right?

Yes! I live 6 hours from Bates and eat there roughly once every 5 years. I will gladly sit in my car and eat Bates once every 5 years. For me, that's no different than grabbing fast food to go while travelling.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Lathum

WaWas subs are light years better than either of those. Not even close.

Then they should diversify their selling locations and the money should pour in even faster.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I suppose I can buy that. Thinking about the gas stations in the Lafayette area, I wouldn't go there for food either. But like Lathum says, it's not a gas station, it's not a supermarket...it's a market. When I grew up I lived around the corner from the "Village Pantry" - a place which was essentially a deli, but had some canned or otherwise packaged items, some candy (and baseball cards!), some drinks. Wawa is essentially like the Village Pantry, except it's bigger and you can't buy rolls or deli meat to bring home, but they'll make hoagies for you. And it has coffee.

It's still there, actually:
Village Pantry

To compare, here's the outside of the Wawa I go to:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wuiz8AgvTVkpBZen6

I can't think of a place like that in any of the cities I've lived. Although in small enough towns where they don't even have proper grocery stores and are too small for chain restaurants, I've certainly driven past a "catch-all" store attached to a gas station in one or two stoplight towns. And I bet there's decent food at some of them, since it's locally run and you probably have a grandma or her kids manning the kitchen. But I drive right past because I'm not going to be the guinea pig in a place I don't know.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by stevew

There’s an Oreo flavored Coke Zero coming out soon.

Just saw this. And interestingly, it's going both ways - Oreo-flavored Coke and Coke-flavored Oreos.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I can't think of a place like that in any of the cities I've lived. Although in small enough towns where they don't even have proper grocery stores and are too small for chain restaurants, I've certainly driven past a "catch-all" store attached to a gas station in one or two stoplight towns. And I bet there's decent food at some of them, since it's locally run and you probably have a grandma or her kids manning the kitchen. But I drive right past because I'm not going to be the guinea pig in a place I don't know.

Timely: x.com

Little markets like that were pretty common growing up, I'd say. Some were delis, some were dairy stores (Cumberland Farms). Some were chains (Wawa notably). Some sold gas, most didn't. On the whole, they were smaller than they are now. Even in college, we had a "Wawa" near campus, in the first floor of a row house, basically (the frat which lived behind them came to be called Wawa). A couple years after I got there the university-owned building across the street was renovated, and a brand new Royal Farms occupied the first floor. Chicken, sandwiches, etc. No gas (no room). The Wawa I guess figured it didn't pay to keep the franchise designation and became the "University Mini Mart" (the frat did not, sadly, become the "Minis").

Now with room for development these have all become larger, "major corner" type locations, at least in Frederick. All sell gas. Wawa, Sheetz, Royal Farms, and even a Rutter's on the east side of town. Turkey Hill, QuickChek are a couple others (the first I'd forgotten about but is another example of the "dairy" background, the latter I just learned about today). It's a whole model. Being mostly newly-built, they are all cleaner and more pleasantly designed than gas stations/rest stops. Unlike stations/rest stops, they generally don't have displays like salt bags, propane tanks, snow shovels, antifreeze/wiper fluid, wood, etc. featured outside (there might be a bit of shelf space for oil, tucked away). Ice, yes. They don't usually prominently display toys and trinkets (sunglasses, etc) inside.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Then they should diversify their selling locations and the money should pour in even faster.

You should stop in one some time. They print money.

[Ksyrup]

So does Bucc-ee's - so much so that they cause major issues on interstates with the number of cars piling up onto the freeway from the off-ramp - but I'm not going there for take out any time soon, and won't go to WaWa's even when they open around here. Fortunately, my days of being constantly on the run and having to grab food on the way to one of the kids' events are in my rearview mirror. We either go out to eat or we make food at home these days.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Just saw this. And interestingly, it's going both ways - Oreo-flavored Coke and Coke-flavored Oreos.

My wife loves the oreoes with popping candy. She'll probably like these.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

Timely: x.com

Little markets like that were pretty common growing up, I'd say. Some were delis, some were dairy stores (Cumberland Farms). Some were chains (Wawa notably). Some sold gas, most didn't. On the whole, they were smaller than they are now. Even in college, we had a "Wawa" near campus, in the first floor of a row house, basically (the frat which lived behind them came to be called Wawa). A couple years after I got there the university-owned building across the street was renovated, and a brand new Royal Farms occupied the first floor. Chicken, sandwiches, etc. No gas (no room). The Wawa I guess figured it didn't pay to keep the franchise designation and became the "University Mini Mart" (the frat did not, sadly, become the "Minis").

Now with room for development these have all become larger, "major corner" type locations, at least in Frederick. All sell gas. Wawa, Sheetz, Royal Farms, and even a Rutter's on the east side of town. Turkey Hill, QuickChek are a couple others (the first I'd forgotten about but is another example of the "dairy" background, the latter I just learned about today). It's a whole model. Being mostly newly-built, they are all cleaner and more pleasantly designed than gas stations/rest stops. Unlike stations/rest stops, they generally don't have displays like salt bags, propane tanks, snow shovels, antifreeze/wiper fluid, wood, etc. featured outside (there might be a bit of shelf space for oil, tucked away). Ice, yes. They don't usually prominently display toys and trinkets (sunglasses, etc) inside.

I miss Sheetz and Bucc-ees. I don't think we have anything of that nature here in Washington.

[thesloppy]

It's nice that Amazon offers such quick delivery, but the 4am-8am delivery times are ridiculous, especially for someone in an apartment building. "We could not deliver your package at 4:28am". No shit.

[Ksyrup]

I do not have that problem. I rarely order things eligible for next day delivery (much less before sunrise). Not sure if that's a function of what I order or where I live. But we have an Amazon center in Lexington.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I do not have that problem. I rarely order things eligible for next day delivery (much less before sunrise). Not sure if that's a function of what I order or where I live. But we have an Amazon center in Lexington.

Huh. I would say guess about half of my orders offer one-day shipping. Though I just checked and I live less than 15 miles from 12 different Amazon warehouses or distribution centers.

[Edward64]

Not an active FB user nowadays. Checked my account and there are more ads than friends posts. Easily 2-1 if not more.

Is this just me because I’ve been inactive some? If not, I don’t see how FB will stay relevant (even to Boomers) in the future.

[Ghost Econ]

It's normal. I generally have 1 person I know at the top, then probably 10-20 ads or "featured" posts before I see someone else I know.

Granted, I unfriended everyone but family and only use it for marketplace, but the odd times I scroll it's almost all ads.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

I suppose I can buy that. Thinking about the gas stations in the Lafayette area, I wouldn't go there for food either. But like Lathum says, it's not a gas station, it's not a supermarket...it's a market. When I grew up I lived around the corner from the "Village Pantry" - a place which was essentially a deli, but had some canned or otherwise packaged items, some candy (and baseball cards!), some drinks. Wawa is essentially like the Village Pantry, except it's bigger and you can't buy rolls or deli meat to bring home, but they'll make hoagies for you. And it has coffee.

It's still there, actually:
Village Pantry

To compare, here's the outside of the Wawa I go to:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wuiz8AgvTVkpBZen6

Around here, it is not uncommon to find some really good food at gas stations. Especially in the sticks, you can find some of the best biscuits and breakfast foods at small rural gas stations. At one time, the best burger restaurant in the state was in a gas station (Covid killed it). Heck, I bet Jon has been to Larry's Four Way. It was my favorite thing about going hunting or fishing with my dad that we would always stop by and get a steak biscuit there. Just fantastic. It is now a big place with a Subways inside, and the biscuits are not as good as they used to be. It is still my fishing breakfast choice.
There is also Krispy Krunchy Chicken, which is generally in any the top ten list for fried chicken restaurants in the country that are usually found in gas stations. They are quite good.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Not an active FB user nowadays. Checked my account and there are more ads than friends posts. Easily 2-1 if not more.

Is this just me because I’ve been inactive some? If not, I don’t see how FB will stay relevant (even to Boomers) in the future.

I'm coming up on 3 years since I logged into FB. The only things I miss are some of the music and fitness groups I was a member of. My wife's still on and constantly complains about the ads or some HS friends posting about how great Trump is. I don't really get why she stays on it other than it's her only online social media connection.

[Ghost Econ]

Anyone else get nostalgic for those old Time Life CD compilation infomercials? I could queue those up on YouTube and watch them for hours. I get to hear just enough of songs I don't really care about and then it moves on.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I'm coming up on 3 years since I logged into FB. The only things I miss are some of the music and fitness groups I was a member of. My wife's still on and constantly complains about the ads or some HS friends posting about how great Trump is. I don't really get why she stays on it other than it's her only online social media connection.

Just came back from Europe, and the 3 people I wanted to connect with didn’t really use FB, more instagram. I’ll have to research more on this.

[Ksyrup]

I'm not a picture or video person so Instagram is useless to me. It's like an extension of Snapchat which my kids used to use and I couldn't understand the point of it.

[GrantDawg]

I haven't used Facebook regularly for a couple of years. Can't say i haven't logged in, because it is still the primary way my sisters message me and I have a group of friends that use it to schedule an occasional get together. I only check it when prompted now, though.

[Ksyrup]

I do use Messenger to keep connected with a couple people plus it's the least expensive way to "text" family while at sea on a cruise. But I just use the Messenger app, not FB itself. I deleted that app.

[Ksyrup]

Speaking of apps the "kids" use these days, someone whose daily newsletter I subscribe to posted this under the heading "I don’t know what jobs are anymore," and I agree!

Cucumber salad TikTok recipes are going viral as a fresh and easy way to eat an entire cucumber, thanks largely to cucumber salad influencer and TikTok creator Logan Moffitt

And to think I've sent both of my kids to college when their path to a lucrative career was as easy as downloading an app and messing around with cucumbers.

Wait, I'm talking about TikTok not OnlyFans. Don't get the wrong idea...

[cuervo72]

1. Peel cucumber
2. Slice cucumber
3. Put Italian dressing on cucumber


I don't see how this is so hard.

[Lathum]

I was at Wawa yesterday, yes the greatest deli of all time, and there was someone buying a pack of Marlboro reds. I have never smoked and never purchased cigarettes so I was shocked when I saw they were $12/pack. That is insane.

If someone is 2 pack a day thats almost $700 a month!

I would love a Venn diagram of people who smoke 2 packs a day that also complain about the economy and food prices.

[thesloppy]

Yeah, I have no idea how/why the smokers afford it. Back when I smoked it was ten bucks for a carton of 10 packs of Marlboro reds. Don't miss any of that.

[GrantDawg]

When I stop it was at around $5-6 bucks a pack. You can definitely feel the financial difference.

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I was at Wawa yesterday, yes the greatest deli of all time, and there was someone buying a pack of Marlboro reds. I have never smoked and never purchased cigarettes so I was shocked when I saw they were $12/pack. That is insane.

If someone is 2 pack a day thats almost $700 a month!

I would love a Venn diagram of people who smoke 2 packs a day that also complain about the economy and food prices.

Mm-hmm!

Probably the first to make fun of Starbucks and avocado toast, too.

[thesloppy]

Semi-related, I saw a homeless dude sleeping on the street next to his pouch of roll-your-own clove cigarettes. That's the life. I had forgotten about cloves entirely.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

Semi-related, I saw a homeless dude sleeping on the street next to his pouch of roll-your-own clove cigarettes. That's the life. I had forgotten about cloves entirely.

I think that is a PNW thing, I remember seeing a lot of that up there.

[thesloppy]

Interesting. I guess we've got that going for us.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I was at Wawa yesterday, yes the greatest deli of all time, and there was someone buying a pack of Marlboro reds. I have never smoked and never purchased cigarettes so I was shocked when I saw they were $12/pack. That is insane.

If someone is 2 pack a day thats almost $700 a month!

I would love a Venn diagram of people who smoke 2 packs a day that also complain about the economy and food prices.

I would just like to point out that you can't - and shouldn't be allowed to - buy cigarettes at Firehouse Subs.

[Ghost Econ]

I just realized when I'm on an unexpected call I tend to put on a hat, especially if it's mildly stressful. I just got a call for an initial interview and like halfway through I came across a hat and put it on. Now looking back I noticed I do that when I'm taking a work call where I'm having to convince people of something.

That, and my dog starts trying to hump my leg.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

That, and my dog starts trying to hump my leg.

When you're on an unexpected call or when you have a hat on?

[Ghost Econ]

Originally Posted by Atocep

When you're on an unexpected call or when you have a hat on?

Yes.

[stevew]

How is there so much Rob Schneider in this news cycle ffs

[JPhillips]

I went down a Mike Tyson rabbit hole and I was shocked to see he fought 19 times in his first year as a professional.