Sheetz coffee hits the sweet spot
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Everyone should be certified Sheetz Freakz because of coffee. I mean, coffeez.
Why it matters: Coffee prices are soaring, but Pennsylvania's top convenience store (sorry, Wawa) may surprise many for just how fresh and delicious its coffee is, and it costs under $3.
Context: Since 2020, the Altoona-based Sheetz has been using Franke A800 commercial coffee machines, which grind the beans and brew a cup on demand, compared to brewing a large thermos batch like most gas station coffee.
☕️ Dig in: The coffee is nutty, not too strong and not too weak, and is naturally sweet thanks to the brewing technique.
- The java is brewed quickly and made to order, which is the company's mantra.
The other side: Several Reddit posts decry the quality of Sheetz coffee.
- One user claiming to be a Sheetz employee said in January they "have [to] tell customers at least three times a day that the froth that comes out of the machine isn't milk and I see half the people that get the coffee scrape the froth off anyway."
- "I don't understand how this is better than the decanters they once had … this stuff is gross," a user wrote last November.
💭 Ryan's thought bubble: I worked in coffee shops for years before becoming a journalist. Some of the most critical Reddit users somehow give the exact opposite advice on how to enjoy the beverage.
- They rant about the crema — the golden-brown foam that forms on top of a freshly brewed cup — which gives the drink a sweet nuttiness that is rare to find at any coffee shop, let alone at a gas station. It's the main reason Sheetz coffee stands out.
The bottom line: As a hiker and a birder, I have been to every county in Western Pennsylvania, and Sheetz coffee is, for my money, the best cup of joe you can find in rural parts of the region.