This week’s question is… Has Wawa’s food changed too much?
Stephanie Farr, Features Columnist
In my 19 years here I’ve found Wawa has remained a consistent standard in my life, both in terms of quality and in terms of how often I eat it. I don’t think anyone would argue it’s the best food in a very foodie town but it’s never let me down.
Tommy Rowan, Programming Editor
Wawa lost something when they took out the meat slicers and stopped having bread delivered. In the early 2000s, at least to me, the sandwiches tasted fresher. It still had the spirit of a deli. Now it’s just like Subway. Which, hey, fine in a pinch. But I’m not going out of my way to stop anymore.
Jenn Ladd, Deputy Food Editor
As a Montco native, Wawa was a big part of my teenage years. Like most kids in this area, I thought of it as sort of a third space in high school — have many fond memories of sitting in or around my car or a friend’s car in Wawa parking lots in Flourtown, Wynnewood, Ocean City, etc. — and then when I went to college in Baltimore, that tether remained. I’d drive 25 minutes each way from the northern edge of Baltimore City to a Wawa in like Parkville, Maryland or something. I’d get gas, coffee, and a breaded chicken sandwich or the protein snack pack (grapes, cheese, crackers). Often, I’d round up the other Philly-area kids and we’d all go together at like 11 p.m. on a weeknight. It was a ritual.
All of that is to say, I once held deep-seated affection for Wawa.
The Wawa at the corner of 34th and Market Street near Drexel University will be closing in Philadelphia, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026.
But it has lost that spot in the past three or four years.
I used to commence each long-distance road trip with a Wawa breakfast hoagie — the scrambled eggs used to be so rich, you really didn’t need cheese because they were that good and plentiful; the sausage was really flavorful; the portion so abundant, you could drive for hours without feeling the need for a snack. The last time I got a breakfast sandwich from Wawa, I gotta tell you, it was sad.
I was sad.
Stephanie Farr
A road trip still doesn’t start for me until I get a Wawa Sizzli — croissant, egg, turkey sausage, and cheese — and I’ve never been disappointed. That being said, I recently got a breakfast sandwich at the flagship Wawa at 6th and Market and that one came with scrambled eggs and it was a mess! I much prefer the egg mold.
What has gone downhill for you guys?
Workers assemble breakfast Sizzlis during the grand opening Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024 of the very first Wawa in Central Pennsylvania – solid Sheetz territory – in the Dauphin County borough of Middletown.
Jenn Ladd
I’ve noticed the portions have gotten kinda puny for the custom-ordered stuff, which was my jam for years. And now I think you’re better off with the grab-and-go things — the Sizzlis.
I think Wawa putting so much focus on the “Super Wawa” format and then constantly “innovating” with the food menu has really been its downfall. Like, just keep it simple.
Tommy Rowan
I still think about the old Buffalo Blue Breaded Chicken Sandwich. It was a robust and crispy chicken patty. And it was slathered in that bright orange buffalo-blue cheese sauce that brought the heat AND the tang. It was unmistakable and worth the price of admission. And it came on a fresh kaiser roll, to boot.
They have introduced new lines of chicken sandwiches in recent years, but they’re not the same.
Jenn Ladd
God I used to love those chicken sandwiches. They had my heart over a hoagie almost every time.
Sherly D’Alfonso (correct spelling) wraps a Turkey, Provolone, Tomato and Lettuce Hoagie. She and two others are assembling 300 hoagies during their time making hoagies. Wawa Welcome America Hoagie Day on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. Photograph taken at the Wawa at Chestnut St. at 6th in Center City Philadelphia.
Stephanie Farr
I’ve actually never tried one of their chicken sandwiches, but I am mad they took the spicy cherry pepper relish off the menu. That is a GOAT hoagie topping.
Personally, I like Wawa’s soups, particularly the chicken noodle and tomato bisque. I’m sure they come out of a bag, but they taste pretty good and it’s not something you find at similar places, like Sheetz.
Jenn Ladd
[shudder at the thought of bagged soup]
Stephanie Farr
As I assumed you would, foodie. lol. It doesn’t bother me, but my standards are pretty low.
Evan Weiss, Deputy Features Editor
If you all could tell Wawa to change two things back, what would they be?
Stephanie Farr
Just give me back my spicy cherry pepper relish for the love of all that is holy please! Also, they better never get rid of the garlic aioli. Get that on a hoagie and bring it into a public place and everyone will ask you what smells so good (it’s happened to me in the newsroom!).
Tommy Rowan
Bring back the slicers and the fresh bread. It would make a huge difference.
Jenn Ladd
I’d have them remember their roots as opposed to coming up with novelties and/or trying to compete with other convenience store chains on selection (see Wawa pizza, a repeated failure). They used to have great sandwiches and snacks. I’ll forever cherish the memory of a boss in Baltimore putting a Wawa pretzel on my desk because she had been in the Philly area earlier in the day. It was like a little love note from home. They’ve gotten too corporate, so I basically just treat it like a gas station now.
Science Leadership Academy eleventh grader Marcos Rufino gets another piece of Wawa cheese pizza at the school in Philadelphia on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
Stephanie Farr
I was talking to someone about Wawa last week, after covering the first Sheetz opening in Montco, and they said while Sheetz may have more food offerings, Wawa will still remain supreme in the Philly region because: “We’re loyal and it has nothing to do with quality.”
Honestly, I think that’s one of the reasons I love Philly so much. Tommy and Jenn, are you bucking that trend, have you forsaken your Wawa loyalty?
Jenn Ladd
I don’t believe in blind allegiance.
But also, I don’t think we should just keep giving money to an entity that doesn’t seem to be minding the quality of what it’s putting out to customers.
Just because we are fond of it.
Stephanie Farr
So I take it you’re not a Phillies or Flyers fan either?
Jenn Ladd
Ahahaha well I’m not giving them any money, that’s true.
Tommy Rowan
Hahaha I will always have a special place in my heart for Wawa. And I hope it comes back around. I’m going to be thinking of that chicken sandwich for the rest of the week now.
Jenn Ladd
I won’t even get into how Wawa has betrayed Philadelphia proper, but that’s another reason I’m loathe to be blindly loyal to them.
I’d love for Wawa to make a quality comeback too, truth be told, but I don’t know that I’d realize that without this conversation.
Have a question of your own? Or an opinion? Email us.
I invited two Inquirer journalists to discuss the submitted question, which ended with some strong judgments.
Have a question of your own? Or an opinion? Email me.
Evan Weiss, Deputy Features Editor
This week’s question is a question and a story…
A friend and I were waiting for Regional Rail for Center City when the announcement came that the train was canceled. It being freezing weather, I asked other passengers what their transit apps were saying, and what their plans were. A man said he was planning to drive to Center City, and his car was parked in the lot. Before I could stop myself, I asked for a ride. His wife did not like the idea, giving a wide-eyed look, but the man agreed after hesitating.
The husband was very nice, as was the car, but the wife was irritated the whole way into the city — she never said hi or introduced herself and when we tried to include her in the conversation, she sat silent.
Was it weird for me to ask for a ride or was it weird for her to treat us like a nuisance?
Beatrice Forman, Food and Dining Reporter
I am having a lot of thoughts and most of them feel unkind so I’m going to let Stephanie take the lead on this one.
Stephanie Farr, Features Columnist
I think it’s highly unusual to ask for a ride from a stranger. From a young age we’re told not to get into cars with strangers or, once we get old enough, not to give strangers a ride. That being said, we all take Uber these days so the rules have changed a bit.
I think asking for a ride may have put the man in an awkward situation where he felt obligated to help you, but I think the bigger issue is you saw he had his wife with him and you did not ask her if it was OK too. You shouldn’t have just assumed the husband speaks for both of them. I would have been a bit offended too if I was her.
Beatrice Forman
Oh, you’re so much nicer than me.
Outside of the absolute stranger danger of it all (whose to say that man and his wife aren’t Bonnie and Clyde 2.0?), I think it’s absolutely bonkers to assume a stranger would give not just you, but a friend — double the imposition — a free ride when, as you pointed out, Ubers exist. The wife was probably stunned into silence by the gall of it all.
I’m all for the generosity of the human spirit and know that a village requires being a good villager, but a good villager knows when to read the room!
Stephanie Farr
Agreed, so our letter writer is the weirdo and the wife was totally in her right to treat them like a nuisance.
Beatrice Forman
Weirdo is such a strong word but yeah, total weirdo.
Stephanie Farr
They asked if it was weird!
A weirdo move, let’s say.
Beatrice Forman
My 2026 resolution was to be less of a hater and I do fear this question has set me back.
I do wonder what motivated the husband to say yes in this situation even though his wife seemed uncomfortable. Do either of you have any ideas?
Stephanie Farr
Some people have a hard time saying no, especially when they’re put on the spot in a moment of stress and see someone else in need.
Evan Weiss
In an ideal world, giving rides to people who need them sounds wonderful. It’s fair to say that safety is likely not something that presses on the husband’s mind as much as the wife’s. He may have just been trying to be kind without being empathetic.
Beatrice Forman
That’s fair! He seems like a nice guy and very generous. I guess he deserves, like, 10 “good person” points for the gesture. He does lose two though for not considering his wife in the moment.
Evan Weiss
More than 2!
Beatrice Forman
How many points are you docking, Evan?
Evan Weiss
I honestly can’t imagine not considering how my wife would feel in the moment. Or, worse, knowing how she felt and going through with it anyway (which is how it sounds like it went down). Minus 8?
It’s a good deed, but you’re not the only person doing it.
In this scenario, I actually think it’s the husband who’s most at fault.
Beatrice Forman
Ooooof you run a tight program, Evan.
Stephanie Farr
Nobody thought about the wife in this situation and that may be what ticks me off most of all.
Everybody is at fault but the wife.
Beatrice Forman
Mayhaps this man is the true weirdo, not our question asker.
I really do feel for the wife, and I don’t like that she comes off as rude and entitled in the scenario when in reality, everyone else was entitled. I also don’t think the couple owed the question asker more than the hospitality of the ride itself, if that makes sense? The wife didn’t say yes to this, so why is she required to make polite chit chat?
Stephanie Farr
Agreed — but I don’t think the couple owed the question asker anything, not even the hospitality itself.
One thing is for sure, this person and their friend better have offered the couple a few bucks at the very least for the ride.
Evan Weiss
The core of the question is an interesting one: When, if ever, is it OK to ask for a ride?
Stephanie Farr
When you know the person. Dead stop.
But even then there are rules.
Beatrice Forman
Only in an absolute and total emergency situation, like the apocalypse.
Stephanie Farr
Or right after an Eagles Super Bowl win in Center City, when if you don’t get out, you’re gonna stay in till the next morning.
Beatrice Forman
That constitutes an apocalypse-adjacent situation. We do sometimes light things on fire when we’re happy here.
Stephanie Farr
Very true. It’s part of our charm.
Evan Weiss
Any last words?
Beatrice Forman
Always, always think about your partner.
Stephanie Farr
And if someone has a partner, consider them a team when you ask something.
Also, don’t ask for rides from strangers. In Philly, if someone wants to give you a ride out of the kindness of their heart they’ll ask if you want one with an annoyed sigh.
The Super Bowl is Sunday, so I’ve asked two reporters — one vegetarian, one not — to help solve this dilemma.
Evan Weiss, Deputy Features Editor
The question is…
My friend assigned me to bring wings for our Super Bowl potluck, but I’m a vegetarian. Can I bring tofu wings?
Zoe Greenberg, Life & Culture Reporter
I want to start by saying I’m also a vegetarian, and the idea of tofu wings disturbs me deeply.
Abigail Covington, Life & Culture Reporter
Who asked the vegetarian to make the wings? Vegetarians should make nachos or dips.
Evan Weiss
Yeah, I think this is on the friend who asked. Why would you ask your vegetarian friend to make wings???
Zoe Greenberg
The problem with tofu for this is that the texture and the flavor (nothing) is completely wrong.
But I do love buffalo cauliflower wings. Personally I would say that’s OK to bring.
Abigail Covington
However, if you regularly eat chicken wings, you will be disappointed by cauliflower wings. So, if you can stand to make a batch of both, maybe consider it. The meat-eaters will be very grateful. Not that you owe them anything.
Zoe Greenberg
Ah, true. You don’t have to make the chicken wings from scratch do you?!
That’s a horrifying prospect, too.
Abigail Covington
Just buy them! But is that still asking too much of a vegetarian?
Evan Weiss
Yes!
I’m not a vegetarian, but I can’t imagine asking a vegetarian friend to bring meat! I would never ask a nondrinking friend to bring wine.
Zoe Greenberg
Maybe they truly meant, “Wings, as interpreted by a vegetarian.”
Abigail Covington
I think the vegetarian has every right to assume that’s what they meant. But please, like Zoe said, not tofu.
I invited two other Inquirer fathers to discuss this submitted question, which is haunting the slight slopes of our region as the snow sticks around.
Have a question of your own? Or an opinion? Email me.
Evan Weiss, Deputy Features Editor
OK, the question is…
Every time we go sledding, my kids somehow inevitably lose a sled. And every time, there seem to be extra, unclaimed sleds lying around. Is taking one of those stealing (from a child!), or just part of the karmic redistribution of sleds?
Mike Newall, Life & Culture Reporter
Nark is a woodsman. He probably whittles sleds while eating tins of premade forest food.
Jason Nark, Life & Culture Reporter
Ha. When I think of sledding, as a child, it was rough business. No parents around. There were fights. Blood. Nothing worse than an older kid asking to “borrow” your sled.
I sled at the same place for years, so I never would have thought of taking a sled.
Mike Newall
Same. I’m pretty sure the old wooden sled in my house growing up first appeared in It’s a Wonderful Life. Ancient. Wooden. Rusted. We did the garbage can lid thing too. We sled in an enclosed grassy area adjacent to a belt parkway off-ramp. No parents. Chaos.
Jason Nark
Later I moved to a golf-course community (I didn’t want to) that was also one of South Jersey’s biggest sledding destinations. There were lots of sleds left behind after a few days but most were broken.
I don’t think I would have ever considered taking one, unless it was very nice… then I’d probably post it in a Facebook group to try to find the owner.
Mike Newall
I’m a city parent myself now. Every big storm, I inevitably wake up in a panic and think, “Oh no, we don’t have a sled. Where and how shall my boy sled?” So I run to five stores, buy the only sled available, rush him to some grassy lot with an incline, and push him down. Boom. My boy sleds. If the sled makes it home, it’s a bonus.
Those sleds were left for a reason. Either the kid was crying and hated it. Or the parents left it. Either way, look at it like one of those free library stands, except for sleds.
Evan Weiss
But I can’t imagine taking one home. What if, as you’re walking away, a little kid yells, “Hey, that’s my sled!”
Mike Newall
I just mean, if there are a few clearly discarded sleds, then use away. Like if there’s an old ball at the playground. Use it!
We live in a tiny rowhouse. Who wants a $14 plastic sled eating up valuable basement space? I’m not naturally wasteful. But no problem group-sharing sleds. Just use it and leave it.
Evan Weiss
So leave it? Don’t take it?
Jason Nark
I think so, yeah.
Mike Newall
Yeah, that would be plain-old sled-stealing.
Evan Weiss
Borrow for the hill, not for the home.
Mike Newall
(Unless, it’s a really nice sled that you just have to have. Kidding. Maybe.)
I have invited two Inquirer journalists who I knew could answer this week’s question — Sam Ruland, who has gone to Clearwater for Phillies spring training and frequents the Shore, and Amy S. Rosenberg, a Shore resident and The Inquirer’s Shore correspondent.
Have a question of your own? Or an opinion? Email me.
Evan Weiss, Deputy Features Editor
This week’s question is:
What’s a better vacation: a week at the Jersey Shore or spring training in Clearwater?
Amy S. Rosenberg, Life & Culture Reporter
I’d say if you’re talking about February or March, definitely opt for spring training. We’ve got almost nothing for you down here.
I‘m always really envious of people who go to spring training. Do people envy me for living at the Shore? Maybe. Maybe not.
So maybe it’s easier for me to say definitely take that spring training trip! Then in the summer take day trips to free beaches (Atlantic City, Strathmere, Wildwood) and sit there with the games on audio. That’s just a lovely day at the beach.
Sam Ruland, Features Planning and Coverage Editor
I went to Phillies spring training in Clearwater in 2023, splitting a house Airbnb with friends, doing the full baseball-all-day, casual-night-out routine.
Clearwater felt special because it was a treat: a few days of baseball optimism, warm weather when Philly is still miserable, and no expectations beyond watching baseball and drinking beer.
I think both of these experiences are so different though! Spring training wouldn’t fill the void of missing a week down the Shore in the summer. Spring training is spring break!
Amy S. Rosenberg
Which is more expensive?
Sam Ruland
Depending on when you book flights, it can be cheap. But if you don’t plan far enough out, you can easily end up dropping close to $1,000 on airfare … to Florida. Which feels wrong.
Amy S. Rosenberg
I would have guessed the Shore would be the more expensive. I really miss the old minor league Atlantic City Surf that played on Albany Avenue at the Surf Stadium, a lot of times with fireworks, and their own mascot, Splash. You didn’t need to leave the Shore to have the full experience, especially for little ones. Mitch Williams was the coach one year.
I typically spend about $38 each way to get to Florida from Atlantic City, just saying.
Sam Ruland
WOW!
Amy S. Rosenberg
(Don’t tell anyone about ACY, the world’s greatest airport.)
Sam Ruland
We spent about $200 on roundtrip flights. But when we considered going last year the prices were wayyyy higher.
Amy S. Rosenberg
As someone who’s a Philly sports fan, though transplanted, I sometimes find it hard to get into the teams in the early season, so for me, going to spring training would be a great way to guarantee a full season immersion, which sounds heavenly.
But if you’re stuck up north, and into basketball, Atlantic City hosts the MAAC 10 tournament, which is a great lead-up to March Madness. A lot of times, the teams that win are sleeper upsets in the main tournament, like St. Peter’s Peacocks. Atlantic City people had a head start on that.
Sam Ruland
I think the Shore is probably more money for a full week — no question. But for some reason, it also feels like you get more out of it. And I say that as someone who loves the Phillies deeply and does not enjoy admitting this.
Amy S. Rosenberg
When you’re down in Clearwater, do you get any beach time? Is there even a beach in Clearwater?
(I’m not really a west coast Florida person.)
Sam Ruland
Yes, there are beaches, but for us the days revolved around games and schedules. The beach was there in theory; spring training energy very much took over in practice.
Amy S. Rosenberg
I feel like spring training vacation is something you should do but not every year maybe.
Evan Weiss
Yeah, I think if it’s something you’ve always wanted to do … go for it. Then go down the Shore next year.
Sam Ruland
Agreed! Spring training is a great trip — but the people who go every year usually don’t have to choose. For friends or couples, Clearwater is perfect. For families, the Shore just makes more sense, even if it costs more.
Amy S. Rosenberg
I think it would be an awfully long summer without that trip down the Shore.
Sam Ruland
I mean Jersey Shore in March vs. Clearwater in March, I think yes, Clearwater. You’re not going to Shore that early!
Amy S. Rosenberg
Yeah, March is kind of bleak. Lots of contractors building very expensive homes on land where cute bungalows used to be. I am surprised to see my summer neighbors showing up on long winter weekends though.
Evan Weiss
So if it’s spring training vs. peak summer down the Shore, do you both side with the Shore?
Sam Ruland
Peak summer Jersey Shore, 1,000%. No hesitation. Hoagies on the beach, Shore showers, no shower happy hours, ice cream every night, boardwalk walks for no reason. That’s unbeatable. But in March, being in Clearwater with the Fightins just feels right.
(But one over the other, I think I have to choose Shore.)
Amy S. Rosenberg
I think it’s OK to take a summer off and go to spring training, especially if people in the traveling group are into it. You won’t be banned from the Shore. There are weekends and free beaches and ways to do it without breaking the bank. And if the Phillies go deep in the post-season you can join the locals on the beach with the twilight games on, order a pizza, and you’ll feel like the beach is a South Philly street where everybody’s on their steps listening.
(Just bring a sweatshirt.)
This conversation has been edited andcondensed for length and clarity.
You don’t necessarily need to root for another team … but it’s perfectly acceptable to root for certain teams to lose more than others. Post-Eagles playoff fandom is less about loyalty and more about spite management.
You’re no longer picking a champion; you’re ranking villains.
Dugan Arnett, Life & Culture Reporter
I believe that Philadelphians should be free to root for any of the NFL’s remaining playoff teams. Except the Patriots, obviously. No one should ever root for the Patriots.
Tommy Rowan, Programming Editor
At this point, you’re rooting for fan bases. So I’m rooting for Bills fans. As a fan base, they’ve been through it. Despite an unprecedented four straight Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s, they have zero championship wins to show for it.
And there are some similarities between Buffalo fans and Philly fans. Our friends from up north routinely throw each other through card tables at game day tailgates like WWE wrestlers. The two fan bases could honestly be cousins. Real long-suffering Northeast football fans recognize real. So, Go Bills. … Until the playoffs are over.
Amy Rosenberg, Life & Culture Reporter
This is when being a transplant has its advantages. Buried ancestral loyalties can now resurface. My dad loved the Bills dating back to the Marv Levy era. I’ve always loved the Rams? Feels OK to go with the Bills. (Getting some Bills consensus here.) Anything remotely Boston, New England, or Dallas is obviously off-limits. Chicago could be a late pivot to root for. Birds, Bills, Bears.
Matt Mullin, Senior Sports Editor for Digital Strategy
Unsurprisingly, I have a lot of thoughts on this. Sorry! Like Biggie said, there are rules to this game, so I wrote you a manual. And these can be applied to almost any season — or any sport.
You absolutely cannot root for the team that eliminated you, so the 49ers are out. But! If they win it all, you’re allowed to say the Eagles basically finished second.
You can’t root for any NFC East teams — luckily that’s not a concern this year — or any teams that beat you during the regular season. Goodbye, Denver and Chicago.
In fact, you shouldn’t really root for any NFC team, since you’ve likely beefed with them all at one point. But if you must, pick one of the teams you beat. At least that way you’ll be able to convince yourself the Eagles were actually the better team. Would the Rams, who the Eagles beat in the regular season and last postseason and don’t really have a fan base to rub it in, making the Super Bowl be the worst? Probably not. But that doesn’t mean you have to support them.
You should also try to avoid rooting for the top seeds, since Philly loves an underdog. We’ve already eliminated the Broncos, but so long, Seattle.
That leaves three AFC teams. Again, any team that beat you this year is automatically out. So are the Patriots. You never root for the Patriots.
In five simple steps, we’ve now boiled it down to just two acceptable teams: the Bills and Texans. We’ll give the Bills the nod here since their fan base and Eagles fans seem to have a lot in common — even though their coach tried to kill the Tush Push over safety but still uses it regularly.
Sam Ruland
I think my ideal Super Bowl here would be Bills vs. Bears. Because the Bills have a good fan base, fun, loyal (all the things we said). And I have no negative thoughts on the Bears fan base either. Also, never forget Jason Kelce tailgating with the Bills Mafia. That’s gotta count for something.
Is it worth it to risk part of your community for love? I invited two Inquirer staffers — one runner, and a running hater who likes drama —to help answer the question.
Have a question of your own? Or an opinion? Email me.
Evan Weiss, Deputy Features Editor
This week’s question is…
I’m in a run club, which I love because it’s chill. But, there’s another runner I want to date. Do I risk my stress-free run club for a relationship that might not work out?
Bedatri D. Choudhury, Arts & Entertainment Editor (hobby runner)
I am a hobby runner but was in a run club once, let’s go!
Beatrice Forman, Food and Dining Reporter (running hater)
Did you ever hit on anyone in your run club, Bedatri? Or get hit on?
Bedatri D. Choudhury
I joined a run club because I was new to the country and read somewhere that it’s a great place to socialize. That or Equinox. I couldn’t afford Equinox.
It’s a group of fit people sweating together. I don’t think it graduated to hitting on, but there was definitely some scoping out.
Beatrice Forman
I actually went to one of those run clubs for singles last year for a story that never saw the light of day and got hit on twice! And even then, it felt a little out of place to me given that it’s hard to banter while jogging.
Bedatri D. Choudhury
Take it outside the club. Get their number, text, etc.
Should someone do it? I’d lean toward yes, go ahead and date.
Beatrice Forman
That makes sense, though I guess I wonder what happens after.
If you make a move and it doesn’t work out, or you date and it also doesn’t work out, do you keep showing up? Who gets custody of the run club?
Bedatri D. Choudhury
A run club is low stakes. I know a couple that are not breaking up formally because they share a couples-only rate for a Life Time gym membership.
Beatrice Forman
I would tolerate so much for a discounted Life Time membership.
I did have a friend who hooked up with too many people in her run club that she was asked to leave, actually. And another who broke up with a fellow runner and then left because she had to watch them flirt with other runners.
So your mileage literally does vary.
Bedatri D. Choudhury
I just think it’s about not dragging others into your drama. If it’s not working out makes you incapable of seeing this person again, just opt out of the run club. Better still, start one of your own.
But hey, if it works out then it’s a whole world of possibilities.
Beatrice Forman
I’m definitely in the shoot-your-shot camp, but she needs to be mindful of how she makes her move.
I know a lot of people are turned off by the idea of mixing running and romance (source: I read an article about this), so I would hate for her to put herself out there — which is good — and then get shunned because she didn’t respect the vibes of the club.
Bedatri D. Choudhury
I am totally in the shoot-your-shot tent too, but if this club is very important to her, she should also be mindful if the date doesn’t go well.
Beatrice Forman
Yes! I personally would never risk having to give up a space or hobby that matters to me over a partnership gone south. There’s more to life than literally running toward a relationship, so it’s really up to her if she likes the person enough to see it through.
Bedatri D. Choudhury
Yeah my parents met at work and kept working together for 40-something years. Go get an acai bowl and talk about your favorite color. Like a wise man once said, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your [running] shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”
Beatrice Forman
Is that wise man Dr. Seuss?
Bedatri D. Choudhury
Yes.
Beatrice Forman
I vote that she discreetly asks for their number while they do quad stretches or whatever it is that you’re supposed to do to warm up.
Bedatri D. Choudhury
Then if the club throws you out, you can run together.
I opened this question up to a wider team because I knew there would be many different takes. What do you think? Email me.
Ariane Datil, Social Video Host
Pick a new resolution, sir.
Ellen Dunkel, Programming Editor
It might not be possible, but it helps not to care. Or to be a fair-weather fan. I am completely disinterested, except in a journalism way (and wanting my friends to be happy). But I enjoy when they win the big game. If they don’t, I move on immediately. It’s very relaxing to not care.
Caryn Shaffer, Senior SEO Editor
The most helpful piece of advice about loss I’ve received this year is to focus on what you DO have. Sure, the Eagles lost a game, and it sucks not to have that win. But do you have friends you watched the game with, and can commiserate with? A partner and family who love you? Your health, a roof over your head, and food on the table?
When you’re feeling sad about a loss, reach out to someone you care about, go for a walk outside, get a little treat to cheer you up, or do another activity you enjoy.
Zoe Greenberg, Features Reporter
Be like me and be a fan who only jumps on the bandwagon when the team is winning. Then your day is never ruined, only made.
Hira Qureshi, Food and Dining Reporter
Like Zoe, I only become a fan when they are winning, lol.
Matt Mullin, Senior Editor for Digital Strategy and Audience Development for Sports
When teams are winning, the expectation is that it’ll stay that way forever, so the losses, especially season-ending ones, are unexpected and crushing. That’s the biggest problem with jumping on the bandwagon — it’s when the losses hurt the most.
My advice is a combination of exposure therapy and resetting expectations.
First, if you hide from defeat, of course it’s going to sting that much more when it finally arrives. All those losses, they become a part of you, they callus over, and the next time they don’t hurt as bad.
Second — and all the losses should help with this — the lower you’re able to set your expectations, the less likely you are to be disappointed after a defeat and the more jubilant you’ll be after a win.
When it comes to Philly sports, as is the case with most things in life, expectations can dictate your level of happiness, or in this case sadness, so set them low. Is that a miserable existence? Perhaps, but it’s the life of a Philly sports fan — and might explain why we party so hard after wins.
Abigail Covington, Life & Culture Reporter
Just remember it could be worse: You could be a Carolina Panthers fan.
I make it my mission to always be eating something delicious when I’m watching a stressful sports game. So if they lose … at least I had a good meal.
Kate Dailey, Managing Editor, Features
I have decided that I’m only a regular-season baseball fan, because I love how slow, meditative, and calming baseball is. Baseball on the radio while you wash the dishes? Beats a spa weekend.
I realized this year that the pressure of the playoffs ruined what I liked best about baseball, so I just decided to tune out. Figure out what you like best about the sport and double down on that, at the expense of the parts you don’t. Unless what you like best is victory. In that case, I can’t help you.
Dan DeLuca, Arts and Entertainment Reporter
You’re not a true Philly sports fan until you’ve suffered. You have to give yourself over to the suffering. That’s what makes the good times good. I personally suffer more when the Phillies and Sixers lose than I do when the Eagles do. That might be my way of rebelling against the dominant culture.
Also the advice I often give myself (but don’t always follow) is it’s better to go to the show than go to the game. Because the show will reward you probably 90% of the time, and your batting average at the game will be much lower.
You may have received some gifts recently that you do not love. It happens! I invited two Inquirer staffers to help figure out what to do when it does.
Have your own thoughts or other questions? Fill in the box at the end!
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Evan Weiss
Deputy Features Editor
The question is… My mother-in-law gifted me an ugly Eagles table runner. Do I have to keep it?
Zoe Greenberg
Life & Culture Reporter
My immediate response is …. absolutely not.
Astrid Rodrigues
Senior Video Editor and Producer
I'd say be polite and say "thank you." And then do what you'd like with it.
Zoe Greenberg
I did ask my little sister, who is perhaps more polite than me, and she said put it out once and then never again.
Zoe Greenberg
Which, to me, seems like a burden.
Astrid Rodrigues
I don't think I'd put it out necessarily. I'd probably keep it stored away in a closet though.
Astrid Rodrigues
You never know when you might need an Eagles table runner?
Astrid Rodrigues
Maybe your kid one day will want an Eagles-themed birthday party.
Zoe Greenberg
To be honest, I would put it on the street immediately.
Evan Weiss
You're not afraid the mother-in-law would come over some Sunday and ask where it is?
Zoe Greenberg
I don't like bad gifts. I like to just give them away. But it probably would bite me in the butt.
Zoe Greenberg
Thankfully my mother-in-law has much better aesthetics than me and would never do this (shout out to Kera).
Evan Weiss
Astrid, would you also like to put in a disclosure about your mother-in-law?
Astrid Rodrigues
My MIL has good taste and she actually loves to give gifts for any occasion.
Zoe Greenberg
We can't be getting in trouble with our mother-in-laws here.
Astrid Rodrigues
My MIL is thankfully not the type of person to ask where something is though.
Astrid Rodrigues
That’s a bridge too far!
Zoe Greenberg
That would be insane.
Evan Weiss
Okay, if the question asker takes Zoe's advice and puts it on the street… what should they say if asked about it at a later date?
Astrid Rodrigues
Lie.
Zoe Greenberg
"It must be around here somewhere!"
Zoe Greenberg
And then make the gestures of searching.
Astrid Rodrigues
I'm half-kidding. Honestly, it depends on your relationship with your mother-in-law.
Astrid Rodrigues
I've told mine that I didn't really need the gift or have one already.
Zoe Greenberg
Oh. I would not do that.
Zoe Greenberg
But I feel like in this city someone might love to find an ugly Eagles table runner on the street, so it's like a beautiful gift you're passing along.
Evan Weiss
Your advice went from "I hate it, give it away" to "I'm being generous to my fair city."
Astrid Rodrigues
Both can be true.
Zoe Greenberg
You can get rid of the trash and feel virtuous simultaneously.
Zoe Greenberg
I mean, I'm not saying sell it at a markup on Facebook or something!
Evan Weiss
Fair!
Evan Weiss
Any last advice for the question asker?
Astrid Rodrigues
Whether you keep it or not, just say "thank you" and hope it doesn't come up again.
Zoe Greenberg
I wonder if there's a way to redirect the gift giver for future gifts, without having to say anything.
Astrid Rodrigues
Maybe say, "Oh I'm a Cowboys fan now!"
This conversation has been edited for length. Illustration by Steve Madden.
What other Very Philly Questions should we address?
Tomorrow is the first day of winter, but the snow has already started. I invited two Inquirer staffers who have to shovel their sidewalks to answer the seasonal issue.
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Evan Weiss
Deputy Features Editor
The question is…
I usually shovel beyond my own sidewalk, but my younger neighbor only does his patch. Am I expecting too much from him?
Tommy Rowan
Programming Editor
It depends on the type of youngin' we're talking about. If they have a Doordash order on their stoop after it already snowed 4 inches and it's still coming down, then yes, you're expecting too much.
Sam Ruland
Features Planning and Coverage Editor
Yeah, that’s exactly it. I still feel like a jerk if I only shovel my own sidewalk, that’s just how I was raised. But I also know that’s not the default anymore. Some people are strictly “my patch is clear, my work here is done,” and apparently that’s acceptable now.
Sam Ruland
I just can’t stop at the property line without feeling weird about it… especially when I live on a block where neighbors will bring your trash cans back to your house if they get to them first.
Tommy Rowan
Yeah and if there are elderly people on your block, that should just be automatic. You know, we're trying to live in a society!
Sam Ruland
Once elderly neighbors are involved, pretending you didn’t notice becomes embarrassing.
Evan Weiss
Maybe your neighbor was in a rush one time or their back hurt, but if you know they're physically capable and they always stop at the border… that's being a bad neighbor.
Sam Ruland
Totally. One time, fine. Life happens. But if you’re physically capable and it’s every storm, people notice. And once it becomes a habit, I’m gonna feel a lot less bad about moving your cone and parking in your spot when the snow melts.
Tommy Rowan
I was one of those kids who would grab their plastic shovels during snowstorms and go around with a few buddies to knock on doors and offer our shoveling services for a few dollars. Then we'd get pizza and a few cool, refreshing glasses of Mountain Dew.
Tommy Rowan
I may sound old, but I don't see those kids around anymore.
Sam Ruland
What REALLY gets me is watching the single mom on my block out there shoveling by herself while her three sons are completely MIA. I don’t know about you, but that would not have stood in my house. And Philly notices stuff like that.
Tommy Rowan
Yeah, that ain't right.
Sam Ruland
My dad had three daughters, and if he was home, he took the lead on shoveling. And if he was at work? There was no way my mom (with her forever aching back) was going to be out there alone.
Tommy Rowan
Yeah and if a neighbor saw your mom or you doing it alone they would have yelled at you for not asking for help!
Sam Ruland
That public scolding was mortifying and honestly enough to shape my entire personality. Which is basically how I operate now. I don’t want to shovel. I hate it. But I’d rather suffer for 20 minutes than be silently judged by my neighbors all winter. I don’t shovel because I love it. I shovel because I fear the block.
Evan Weiss
Okay, if a few kids knock on your door asking for money to shovel, how much do you give them?
Tommy Rowan
Depends on the size of the property.
Sam Ruland
I want to say $5.
Evan Weiss
Yeah, $5 seems fair for a rowhouse.
Tommy Rowan
And $10 for a rowhouse if they also dig out the car. If we're talking a Northeast house, with a full driveway, sidewalk, and steps, that's at least $20. And possibly a hot chocolate Mountain Dew break.
Evan Weiss
Any final advice?
Sam Ruland
Snow melts. Reputation doesn’t. Help your neighbors.
This conversation has been edited for length.
What other Very Philly Questions should we address?
