Wawa has added self-checkouts to dozens of stores, and customers are taking notice

Wawa is adding self-checkout kiosks to its convenience stores that let customers buy coffee and hoagies without the help of a cashier.

The company has installed the machines in 61 stores — including in the Philadelphia region — and continues to roll them out in more locations, Wawa spokesperson Lori Bruce said. All new stores will open with self-checkout as an option, she said.

Wawa piloted self-checkout in a few dozen locations and found that the kiosks moved customers through stores faster. It also allowed Wawa to offer a more socially distanced checkout option during the pandemic, Bruce said.

“It is always our goal to adapt to changing customer demands, market trends, and because of that, we test new programs often to further improve our offering,” Bruce said. “We have seen positive customer reaction to the self-checkout test, and we are now in the process of reviewing and refining our processes and plan to continue to add it as an option to more stores.”

Customers have noticed the kiosks and talked about them on social media. Some were excited about avoiding lines for the cash register, while others suggested that self-checkout could make it easier for people to steal items.

Self-checkout is one of several new initiatives the company has rolled out recently, Including delivery, curbside pickup, and online ordering through a mobile app. Wawa has also opened a drive-through store in Westampton, Burlington County. Wawa, based in Wawa, Delaware County, has more than 850 stores in six states and the District of Columbia, including in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Wawa employs more than 35,000 people, according to its website.