Wawa’s beloved mascot Wally Goose is keeping busy this holiday season as the gas-and-convenience chain is on track to launch more than five dozen stores this year across the Northeast.

After attending back-to-back grand openings earlier this month in New Jersey for new locations in Sewell and Mountain Lakes, Wally will be on hand welcoming customers Dec. 8 in Middletown (1230 Route 35) and Dec. 14 in Wayne (1512 Route 23), according to Wawa.

To celebrate its 61st and 62nd openings of 2023, Wawa will offer free any-size coffee all day, as well as a limited-edition “Wawa Coffee, Hoagies & Kindness” T-shirt giveaway to the first 100 customers.

Festivities will also include a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Wally, along with a hoagie-building competition between local first responders to benefit charity.

In a statement, Wawa President and CEO Chris Gheysens said, “At Wawa, our core purpose is fulfilling lives every day, and since our first store opened, we’ve believed that we all have a role in making this world a better place.”

He added, “Our associates deliver experiences and often create emotional connections with customers that go beyond what traditionally happens in a retail environment, and we look forward to welcoming old friends and making new ones in this wonderful community.”

According to Wawa, the new locations each have built-to-order fresh food kitchens featuring the brand’s signature hoagies and latest food innovations, as well as coffee, baked goods and specialty beverages available via mobile ordering, curbside pickup and delivery. Additionally, the two stores will offer packaged goods, fuel services and catering.

With a goal to add 1,800 stores nationwide by 2030, the Pennsylvania-based chain says it will end 2023 with 66 new stores across its operating area of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.

Although the company initially sought to open 76 locations this year, it recently changed the goal. A media representative for Wawa did not immediately respond to a request for comment as to what prompted the revision.

While Wawa has about 10 future locations listed in Florida, grand openings have not yet been set for those stores. It does, however, have dates scheduled for the launch of a half-dozen outposts in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware and Maryland.

Within New Jersey, Wawa has steadily grown its 260-plus store footprint in recent months, with grand openings in towns including Ramsey, East Hanover, Clementon, Lakehurst, Neptune and Hamilton.