C-stores Serving Up Specials for Those Who Serve
NATIONAL REPORT — Convenience store retailers are saluting active military members and veterans with specials in honor of Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
Pilot Flying J
Knoxville, Tenn.-based Pilot Flying J is offering active duty and retired military veterans free breakfast in honor of Veterans Day. The free breakfast offer includes a Pilot Coffee of any size with a choice of a PJ Fresh breakfast sandwich, packaged pastry item or a Cinnabon Center of the Roll. The special, which is available through the myPilot app, runs from Nov. 10-12 at participating locations.
Sheetz
Sheetz is thanking veterans and active duty military personnel on Veterans Day by offering a free meal and a free carwash.
On Nov. 11, veterans and active duty military personnel can enjoy a free 6-inch turkey sub and a regular size fountain drink at any of Altoona, Pa.-based Sheetz' convenience stores. Locations offering carwashes will also provide a free carwash to veterans and active duty military. Military ID or proof of service must be presented to qualify.
Stewart's Shops
In honor of veterans and those who continue to serve the country, Stewart's Shop is offering single scoop ice cream cones for 50 cents. The deal is open to everyone on Nov. 11. The Saratoga Springs, N.Y.-based retailer offers more than 50 ice cream flavors, including several limited-edition flavors like Pumpkin Pie and Crazy Coconut.
Wawa
Veterans, active military members and their families will receive any size coffee for free at Wawa convenience stores on Nov. 11. No military ID is required. The Pennsylvania-based retailer expects to five away more than 250,000 cups of coffee throughout the day.
"At Wawa supporting our military is part of our DNA and each year, Veterans Day gives us a chance to thank our troops, and, in our own small way, give something back to the dedicated men and women who protect the independence we all celebrate," said President and CEO Chris Gheysens.
"Once again, we plan to honor our military and their families with free coffee on Veterans Day, and also through a massive care package assembly at our Wawa headquarters the Thursday before Veterans Day," he added. "Since 2002, we've been providing troops abroad with a taste of home through our coffee care packages, and we are passionate about continuing this tradition for years to come."
In addition, on Nov. 8 Wawa associates teamed up with the USO and Army National Guard to assemble more than 5,000 care packages to be sent to our troops abroad.
Operation Taste of Home care packages are an annual tradition organized by Wawa Associates and supported by the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey (Liberty USO).
The Wawa Foundation will also present a check to the USO for more than $850,000, all raised through in-store coin and scan campaigns held at every Wawa store during the summer.
Yesway
Des Moines-based Yesway is joining forces with Operation Homefront to recognize the service of military members and their families. To mark the day, Operation Homefront Chief Operating Officer Robert D. Thomas, Brig Gen., USAF (Ret.), joined the retailer at a Veterans Day ceremony at the Yesway store located in Grimes, Iowa on Nov. 6 to receive a $50,000 donation from the retail chain.
"At Yesway, we feel it is important to make meaningful contributions to the communities we serve," said Thomas N. Trkla, Yesway's chairman and CEO. "Not only are we donating $50,000 in support of all that Operation Homefront does for the brave Americans serving in our armed forces, but we invite Yesway customers to join us in supporting America's military and their families who serve on the homefront as well.
"To that end, not only do we offer free coffee or fountain beverages to active and retired members of the military and first responders on Fridays in our stores, we are also donating 5 cents from the sale of every bottle of Yesway-branded spring and purified water sold, up to an additional $25,000, to this wonderful organization," Trkla added.