Nation’s #1 convenience store chain — Did Wawa beat Buc-ee’s?

A new seven-month-long survey ranking the nation's best convenience store chains is out and the results might surprise you.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index's first-ever convenience store study took a deep dive into where people like to get gas (for their cars) and snacks. Some 5,700 people graded things like included store hours, how good the coffee is, overall food quality, and checkout speed.

Of course, these days, convenience stores are more than just bags of chips and regular unleaded fuel. Prepared foods, hoagies, breakfast sandwiches, soups, gourmet coffees, and more are all available within seconds of walking through the front door of a mini-mart. Gone are the days of 18-hour-old hot dogs spinning around on a warmer and plastic-wrapped stale sandwiches.

So which convenience store chain is tops in the nation?

Fan-favorite Wawa seems to always be in the running for some type of award. Those in and around Philly and New Jersey practically can't seem to survive without Wawa coffee and hoagies on an almost daily basis.

Meanwhile, Buc-ee's, which has developed its own cult following over the past few years, is known for having facilities with over 100 gas pumps, record-breaking large stores with every possible type of food you can think of, and award-winning bathrooms.

And it is interesting to watch how Wawa is rapidly expanding into southern states while Buc-ee's is slowly making its way north.

Top convenience store chain in America?

So, which convenience store chain is #1?

According to this survey, it's Wawa. Yes, Wawa beat Buc-ee's.

Here's a selection of the top 10:

1. Wawa
3. Buc-ee's
6. Sheetz
9. Cumberland Farms

Regional chains in other parts of the country, like QuikTrip, Murphy USA, Casey's General Stores, and Speedway also ranked in the top ten.

• READ MORE: 15 ways Wawa stores can be better

People love loyalty programs

Turns out, people really love loyalty rewards programs, and earning points for free stuff gets more and more people to come back time and time again.

CNBC quotes the report as saying stores that offer memberships have customers who are "more satisfied, perceive higher value, visit more frequently, and are more likely recommend the store to others compared to nonmembers."

• READ MORE: Here's your chance to buy an old Wawa store

And the food is good, too

While Wawa is known for its hoagies, its menu has greatly expanded over the years and people have responded.

Milkshakes, all kinds of coffee drinks, meatball subs, wraps, breakfast sandwiches, chicken strips, stuffed soft pretzels, and more are all readily available at just about any time of the day.

And that convenience has built Wawa into the beast that we all know today.