We visited a regional convenience chain that customers are obsessed with — here’s why they’re wrong

When it comes to convenience stores, many believe Sheetz has no equal.

The chain has been locked in fierce rivalry with Wawa for decades, with no signs of letting up as the two premium gas station brands bring out all the stops to win customers over.

Looking for answers, we decided to visit Sheetz country and came to a vastly different conclusion than its most fervent defenders.

Here’s how Sheetz fails to live up to its lofty reputation:

We arrived at a Sheetz location in Easton, Pennsylvania, intrigued by the reputation that precedes it, yet skeptical nonetheless.

Walking inside, we were immediately impressed by the cleanly glitz and glamour. Sheetz is bright, colorful, organized, and supersized.

Suddenly we're seeing why this chain with more than 500 locations in six states is seen as a worthy adversary to Wawa. The store is expansive and has an indoor dining area, something most Wawas don't have.

But much like its convenience contender, the basics are there. There are slushie and milkshake machines galore, including a rare sighting of a Crystal Pepsi slushie flavor.

The prepackaged selection is similar in scope but lacks the same zest for gourmand options. To be frank, we were more tempted by the made-to-order options instead.

But nobody can argue with the sheer power and grandiosity of the Soda Cave.

This somewhat inexplicable yet altogether impressive chilled chamber of carbonation is packed with enough soda to fuel an army of middle schoolers fresh out of soccer practice. Coke and Pepsi products come together as comrades in the grand Soda Cave — it's enough to persuade any soda lover to wipe Wawa away.

We snapped out of our soda stupor to order at an automated food kiosk to sample Sheetz's wares. We were struck by the many order modifications available, including myriad sauce choices — among them the mysterious and alluring "Boom Boom Sauce."

We choose: a custom burger, a popcorn-chicken sandwich topped with "fryz" (another odd yet tempting customization), Mac 'n' Cheetos, and yet another dirt parfait cup - for comparison, of course.

When we saw the infamous Mac 'n' Cheetos on the menu for $3.49, we knew we had to order them. These are unsurprisingly identical to Burger King's buzzy limited-time offering; however, their mere presence positions Sheetz's menu among the fast-food chains in a way that Wawa avoids.

Sadly, the burger falls short of even the lowliest chain's iteration. It is flavorless, gray, and ultimately a melancholy betrayal of the grand tradition of hamburgers. Even adding tangy red onions and dipping it in Boom Boom Sauce could not save this sandwich. Every bite, we question: Is it nobler in the mind to suffer this burger, or to take arms and toss it?

The fries, part of the $5 burger combo, are forgettable. The Boom Boom Sauce, however, elevated all it touched — save the blighted burger.

There is no reason for Sheetz to encourage, via the ordering kiosk, the addition of fries as a sandwich topping — and yet, they persevere. What is essentially a popcorn-chicken hoagie has no structure or reason to it. Seeing no purpose to housing the perfectly good chicken in a bun, we ate the chicken in a more orthodox manner: with our hands.

Yet there was a final test: We must get the dirt on the dirt. And this $2.99 treat has dug itself a hole it can't escape. Our dirt-cup correspondent, Kate Taylor, is still despondent over the damp and crunchless crumble, and the entire treat is overly sweet. Sugar for sugar's sake does not a dirt cup make — especially when the worm population is severely depleted.

When we walked in, Sheetz charmed us with its bright and colorful ways, and many readers remain under the convenience chain's spell — and for that, we applaud their loyalty. However, as journalists, we must report what we see, what we taste, and what we believe. And what we believe is this: When it comes to food, Sheetz is no better than the average fast-food chain — and far beneath Wawa's culinary prowess.