Royal Farms continues push into region
NORRISTOWN» Convenience store giant Royal Farms launched its first store in Baltimore five years before the first Wawa ever opened its doors in Pennsylvania.
But only now is the convenience chain famous for its fried chicken poised to rival the iconic round-theclock stop for hot coffee, hoagies and fuel around here.
“We are not looking to take on Wawa ... They are a great company and provide a great service,” noted Brittany Eldredge, Royal Farms public relations director. “We are also a great company and we provide a great service, and we’re different than Wawa. I think both companies can live happily and peacefully while providing customers with the services that they need.”
The Maryland-based gas station-convenience store-fried chicken emporium was recently given the green light to make its grand debut at Norristown Centre on Markley Street, a healthy distance from the nearest Wawas in East Norriton, West Norriton and Bridgeport.
The privately owned Royal Farms chain, founded in 1959, operates nearly 170 stores in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. Like Wawa, most of those stores operate around the clock, according to the company’s website.
Royal Farms’ Pennsylvania locations include stores in Glenolden, York, Hanover, Wrightsville, Littlestown, Aston, Dover, Stewartstown and Ridley Park.
“We are very excited to be coming to the Norristown area and continuing to expand our presence in Pennsylvania,” Eldredge said, adding that construction on the Norristown site should begin in March.
The new kid on the block should be ready to dish out fried chicken, hand-cut fries and other specialties sometime in September.
Decidedly different than Wawa, Royal Farms offers a dine-in option for customers, who can choose from a menu that includes burgers and chicken-egg-cheese breakfast sandwiches, in addition to the pressure-cooked “World Famous Fried Chicken” — all non-Wawa-ish type selections.
“Our fried chicken is fabulous, hand-breaded and never frozen,” Eldredge said. “It’s part of the wide variety of choices we offer.”
Royal Farms touts its vision to be the “Quick & Friendly” restaurant of choice by offering quality, freshly prepared foods, convenience products, and value priced fuel, guaranteeing a culture that “promotes employee growth and retention in clean and innovative stores that result in exceeding customer expectations.”