Excitement is in the air in the small town of Daleville, Indiana, a community of about 1,500 people roughly 50 miles northeast of downtown Indianapolis.
For years, the only spots where people could fill up on gas and grab a snack were two Pilot travel centers, a 7-Eleven-owned Speedway and a Shell-branded c-store. During a late May visit to Daleville, multiple residents told C-Store Dive they were never crazy about these locations, but these were the only options they had.
That drastically changed during a 27-day span this spring when two of the most popular regional convenience retailers in the U.S. — Wawa and QuikTrip — planted their flags in Daleville, marking their first locations in the Hoosier State.
So far, the community is loving the stores.
“They’re both pretty amazing,” said Jacob Moore, a Daleville resident who works late-night hours supervising Dominoes stores around Indianapolis.
Due to his wonky schedule, Moore said he often doesn’t eat until late at night, and the fact that both stores have their kitchens open during those times has been “really beneficial.”
“It’s definitely something different that I’m not used to,” he said. “Speedway has pizza and stuff like that, but usually they don’t have all the options. The [Wawa and QuikTrip] stores are pretty clean and organized and friendly.”
But beneath the community’s joy lurks a newfound sense of competition between Wawa and QuikTrip, whose first c-stores in Indiana are located less than a mile apart on the same street. How that competition resonates internally and among customers will be a sign of things to come, as both retailers’ expansion plans increasingly bring them face-to-face with each other.
Setting the stage in Indiana
Until recently, Pennsylvania-based Wawa and Oklahoma-based QuikTrip operated in separate regions of the country. But their ambitious growth plans are quickly bringing them into some of the same markets, notably Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.
Not only are Wawa and QuikTrip entering similar regions, but their sizes and business models are nearly identical. Both chains have about 1,100 stores in their networks and offer in-store kitchens featuring made-to-order pizza, burgers and sandwiches. That confidence in foodservice has also led both companies to dabble in fuel-less c-stores in the past.
With their first stores in Indiana essentially a stone’s throw away from each other, the national competitors have quickly become local rivals. Wawa has already opened three stores in Indiana as part of plans to reach 60 in the state by the early 2030s, while QuikTrip is expecting to open its second store there in early winter 2026 and is actively looking for more sites, a spokesperson said in a statement to C-Store Dive.
And both companies are well aware of the major competitor down the street.
“They keep us sharp, we keep them sharp,” Joe Collins, director of operations for Wawa, said in an interview with C-Store Dive during another store opening event in Noblesville, Indiana.
A rivalry is born
Although both chains have only been in Indiana for a few weeks, Daleville residents are already noticing their differences — and picking favorites.
Daleville natives Dawn Peckinpugh and Mark Kim said after visiting both stores, they like QuikTrip more because of its more spacious interior and larger assortment of products. QuikTrip’s Daleville site follows the chain’s remote travel center model, spanning about 8,200 square feet, while Wawa’s store in the area is about 5,900 square feet.
"They keep us sharp, we keep them sharp."
Joe Collins
Director of operations, Wawa
Moore, the Dominoes supervisor who works late nights, also said he prefers QuikTrip’s larger store and parking lot. While he has visited Wawa more often, he said the store and forecourt have been so “jam packed” the past few weeks that he still has to go to QuikTrip, Pilot or Speedway to fill up on gas.
Still, Moore said he favors Daleville’s first Wawa. He said he enjoys Wawa’s salads, sandwiches and milkshakes — his go-to options at 2 or 3 a.m. on his drive home from work. Moore added that since it opened, he’s visited the new Wawa just about every day.
More acknowledged that both c-store chains are miles ahead of the competition in Daleville.
“Both of them are killing it,” he said.
Internally, Wawa and QuikTrip seem to be embracing their showdown.
QuikTrip’s spokesperson said the company “welcomes healthy competition as it drives us to continually improve and innovate.” They emphasized that QuikTrip’s made-to-order food and drink items in addition to its spacious layout “will provide a distinct experience for our customers.”
Meanwhile, Collins said he’s confident that Wawa’s food, fuel and convenience offerings will resonate throughout the state.
He added that the new competition with QuikTrip helps make the Pennsylvania retailer better — and vice versa.
“We think we probably make them better as well.”
