Good Idea, Bad Idea - Convenience Stores

In a little change of pace for Good Idea, Bad Idea this week, I'm going to start with:

Bad Idea - Eating At 7-Eleven


Between the doughnuts that have been there since January and the rolling hot dog/taquito machine that moves them forward at a speed slightly slower than a turtle covered in BP oil, could it ever be a good idea to eat at a 7-Eleven? I personally enjoy the "Fresh Deli Sandwich" area, containing deli sandwiches made last week wrapped in magical saran wrap that keeps them fresh well past their expiration date.

I used to eat at 7-Eleven often when I was in high school. In fact, its a miracle that my stomach didn't implode on itself in disgustingness. The only good thing about 7-Eleven is their Big Gulp drinks and Slushies. Neither of which are particularly a good idea on the health front.

Good Idea - Eating At Sheetz


Now, for those of you that aren't from the Pennsylvania area, I am about to describe the single most wonderful gas station in existence. In fact, "gas station" is not the correct term for all that is Sheetz. Sure, they sell gas, and they even have many of the same properties as a typical convenience store, but they bring their game to a whole new level.

When you drive up to a Sheetz, you notice that it is busy. Not just a few cars, but many. You may have to wait just to get one of the parking spaces to go inside, and its not because there's a shortage of them.  When you walk inside, you notice that it is clean. The floors are neither sticky nor greasy, the glass is clear and streak free, and the people working their look human, not like mongoloids. The lights are all on and bright, and its an altogether welcoming feeling.

There are two main things that make Sheetz so amazing. One is that they have their own line of products. For example, I wanted a Starbucks Iced Mocha with my breakfast, but I then noticed Sheetz had their own brand of mochas. Starbucks has vanila, mocha, or sugar free. Sheetz has 10 different flavors, including chocolate banana mocha! And it was DELICIOUS. In fact, of the 6 times we had Sheetz for breakfast in the 10 days we were there, I had the chocolate banana 4 (I tried raspberry mocha one of the days, which was also good). I assume that they have their own version of other delicious things too, but I couldn't bring myself to try any other kinds.

The thing that makes Sheetz most amazing though is their MTO (Made To Order) section. There are 3 or 4 touchscreen computers on which you place your orders. Now, some people may say that placing your own order is like doing their work for them. In fact, when they had this at a McDonald's I used to frequent, I rarely used it, and they quickly took it out. At Sheetz though, its really the only plausible way to make this work. When you click start on this machine, you are given multiple options from Macho Burritos (Moe's style burritos), subs (which I was told were the "best subs ever eaten"), breakfast, sides, drinks, and an entire coffee bar (similar to Starbucks) all of which are available 24/7. Now, I am somewhat of a breakfast fanatic so I have to admit that I had breakfast all of the times I was there.

Once you choose your starting point, like breakfast, you are then given all the options in that group. Biscuit sandwiches, English muffins, breakfast burritos, bagel sandwiches (and there's 5 different kinds of bagels) croissants, and even pretzel meltz (their on a pretzel bread and are actually quite delicious). From their, you choose your meat (sausage, bacon, ham, or steak for 29 cents more), on the next screen then your cheese (of which their are 7 different kinds with American being free and all others being 29 cents extra), then egg (which is 39 cents more), then the additionals, which range from mayo, ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, onions (either sliced or diced), hot sauce, chipotle ranch, and even PESTO SAUCE.  How cheap are those up-charges? I mean, if you go to McDonalds, a sausage biscuit is $1. If you add egg and cheese it goes up to $2.99. At Sheetz, its just as good and only $1.68 and you can have onions and peppers on it.

Really the point I'm trying to make is this: Don't write a blog post before you eat breakfast. I'm really hungry right now. Oh, and that Sheetz is awesome and I really wish we had them in Florida. I'm thinking I should just give up on teaching and open my own Sheetz franchise. Their stores are awesome and I've missed them ever since we got back from Pennsylvania.