It's Wawa Hoagie Day! Here's where and when you can get a free sandwich
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- For hoagie lovers, it's the most wonderful time of the year!
Thursday, June 27 is Wawa's annual Hoagie Day, which means free sandwiches are up for grabs at Philadelphia's Independence Mall.
Throughout the morning, Wawa team members made 25,000 "Shorti" hoagies, or six-inch sandwiches, at the National Constitution Center.
Thousands of hoagies went to Philabundance to help fight hunger in our region and to kids who attend the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia centers.
"It's a safe place for the kids to go after school, be off the streets, and engage with the officers," Lt. Denise Duccilli said about the PAL centers.
One thousand sandwiches were also donated to the Veterans Multi-Service Center.
"We need those thousand because we feed on average a thousand veterans a day here in Philadelphia County," Joe Brooks with VMC said.
The rest of the 15,000 hoagies were up for grabs to anyone willing to wait in a large line.
One of the first people in line this year was Jarrett Johnson from West Philadelphia who just happened to be celebrating his 39th birthday.
"It's pretty much a present for me," Johnson said.
He woke up at 7:30 a.m. Thursday to get his hands on one of the coveted red Wawa bags filled with a free lunch.
After nearly five hours of waiting, he connected with others around him.
"A person from South Philly can get connected to someone from West Philly," Johnson said. "A person from Northeast Philly can get connected to someone from Delaware County. It's bringing people together."
Where is Wawa's free Hoagie Day happening?
Wawa Hoagie Day will take place at the National Constitution Center, located at 525 Arch Street on Independence Mall.
The fan-favorite free hoagie giveaway is one of many events on the Wawa Welcome America calendar, which culminates in the largest July 4th celebration in America along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
What time can I get a free hoagie?
Hoagie building starts at 5 a.m., and by 6:15 a.m. the team expects to donate its 80,000th hoagie to Philabundance.
After several thousand hoagies are given away to local police officers and veterans from 10-11 a.m. at "Heroes Lane" on the side of the Constitution Center, the public can pick up a free hoagie starting at noon on Arch Street between 5th and 6th streets.
How many free hoagies is Wawa giving away?
In total, more than 150 Wawa workers will build seven tons of hoagies, aka 25,000 Shortis.
The first 7,500 hoagies will be donated to Philabundance and another 2,500 will be distributed to the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia and the Veterans Multi-Service Center.
According to Wawa, Hoagie Day is "focused on saluting and honoring our local and national heroes, including fire, police, and the great men and women of the U.S. armed forces who keep us safe, as well as celebrating Wawa's partnership with the USO."
The remaining 15,000 hoagies will be given out to the public.
How many ingredients does it take to make 25,000 hoagies?
It takes more than a few boxes of meat, cheese and bread to build tens of thousands of sandwiches.
Wawa says it'll take 2,858 pounds of Shorti rolls, 1,720 pounds of provolone cheese, 5,966 pounds of turkey, 1,524 pounds of lettuce and 1,836 pounds of tomatoes to make the heap of hoagies.
