Unwritten Rules Drivers Should Know When Making A Pit Stop At Sheetz

The owner of Sheetz gas stations has been working hard to create a new experience for customers. While the concept of combining a convenience store with self-serve gas is nothing new, an innovation pioneered by John Roscoe in 1964 per CBSnews.com, Sheetz has distinguished itself with enhanced food service options. While you can buy prepacked snacks at other fueling stations, Sheetz offers made-to-order meals and seating for customers. This move appears to be working, considering the chain has around 829 locations and an estimated revenue in the neighborhood of $14 billion in 2024, per Matrixbcg.com. You can even charge your EV at Sheetz, though pricing will vary based on the charging level and whether you’re using a subscription plan like EVgo.

However, there are a few things to remember when making a pit stop at Sheetz. Due to its popularity, the chain has fervent fans who can quickly grow weary of those unfamiliar with how it works. For instance, when gassing up, don’t step into the store to order food while your vehicle sits at the pump. Unlike a traditional station with mostly prepackaged items, made-to-order food takes a bit longer. This is especially true if you don’t follow the correct ordering process. 

And speaking of food, some Sheetz locations have drive-throughs, which are extra convenient for late-night meals. However, you need to understand that it works differently than your average fast-food experience, and you may be better off ordering ahead of time using the Sheetz app.

While Sheetz admits that it heavily focuses on food service in addition to providing travelers with fuel, drivers are still counting on filling their tanks in short order. According to a 2021 GasBuddy study reported by AM1420wbec.com, most U.S. states experience a rush between 4 and 5 PM for those fueling up. And these are the best days to buy gas in 2026, if you want to get the lowest prices per gallon.

While it may be common to leave your car at the pump to run inside for snacks at other stations, if you order food at Sheetz, you risk blocking others from that gas pump for several minutes. One poster on Reddit.com, Bloodb0red, stated, “Special shout out goes to that guy at Sheetz who not only parked at a pump, but did it in such a way that he also blocked a second pump.”

Those unfamiliar with the ordering process at Sheetz can also exacerbate the issue. There are three steps: ordering your food, paying for it, and then picking it up. Sounds simple enough, but some newcomers fail to render payment after selecting their meal. Instead, they jump right to the pickup counter. The problem is, the Sheetz staff won’t supply you with food unless you’ve paid, leaving you hanging around while everyone else gets their meal.

For those working late or who are just night owls in general, the fact that most Sheetz locations are open 24 hours and some of them include drive-throughs (Sheetz calls them a drive-thru) is great news. However, it’s important to temper expectations regarding quick service. This can be especially true during the late-night rush, which runs from 12 to 2 AM.

Some online sources have estimated that you could be waiting up to 15 minutes, in some cases, when using the “drive-thru.” According to poster Important_Setting665 on Reddit.com, “[T]he [S]heetz drive-thru isn’t staffed like a normal drive-thru. [S]omeone is usually pulled from another position to do drive-thru as well. [E]specially with having to do food/drinks/convenience/tobacco/alcohol it can easily get backed up.”

One of the ways to mitigate the delay is to opt for ordering using the Sheetz app on your smartphone ahead of time. The app will provide an estimate of when the order will be finished. This helps ensure your meal is ready to go when you arrive, eliminating the wait while it’s being prepared. However, do expect extra prep time if you add several customizations.