Construction Underway in Falls Twp. On Wawa’s First-Ever Drive-Thru

Wawa has begun construction on its first-ever contactless, drive-thru location.

The Delaware County-based company made a show Tuesday of the groundbreaking for the 1,840-square-foot drive-thru only location that is being built next to the recently-opened Wawa store with a gas station and the new Rite Aid at the corner of West Trenton Avenue and Pine Grove Road in the Morrisville section of Falls Township. 

While the concept has long been discussed among Wawa executives, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed plans forward and allowed the company to get an idea of how to best design a contactless store, company officials said.

The announcement of the plan in late July gained national attention, including coverage nationally by Fox News and CNN.

The drive-thru location is a first for Wawa, but the company is testing out adding a drive-thru window to a more traditional store under construction in Burlington County.

“We took the lessons from COVID and put them into effect,” said Brian Schaller, Wawa’s chief real estate officer. 

Schaller and other executives noted the first-ever drive-thru location is designed to be a testbed for the company.

“We’re going to have to figure some things out,” Schaller said.

The location will feature value meals, burgers and fries, kids’ meals, and combination options along with traditional offerings, according to a menu unveiled to reporters.

Terri Micklin, the director of construction for Wawa, said the store is much smaller than those the company operates and won’t allow customers to enter. She noted the entire production area and kitchen layout is made to be moved around and changed as the company finetunes the drive-thru operation.

The company said “state-of-the-art” technology will be used to power the new Wawa.

With the site already zoned for drive-thru use, Wawa was able to quickly go from concept to construction with plans to open sometime in December.

“We appreciate the opportunity to partner with Falls Township officials, who are providing us with the approvals and support of this newly designed store that will be of benefit to the community,” Micklin said.

The company plans to employ four full-time workers at the location and 25 part-time positions.

Jason Read, Wawa’s director of store operations, said at the groundbreaking that the company is proud to serve the community, including during the coronavirus outbreak. He thanked emergency responders, provided lunches to workers from Jefferson Bucks Hospital, and handed $1,000 checks to two local food banks.

Wawa is planning to build a convenience store with gas station not far away along Lincoln Highway in the township.

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