What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Buc-ees….tell me about it. Worth a stop? Worth a drive to one? Worth a flight to one? (1 Viewer)

Everyone should visit a Buc-ees at least once IMO. It is a pretty cool place to stop if you aren't in a hurry. There will often be a line of cars to get in and to get out. Most of them have 100+ gas pumps (that's not a typo), a fountain drink station with probably 100 or more taps, a deli area with pretty decent deli type food, homemade fudge, BBQ sandwiches and basically any snack you could possibly imagine. Kids love going there.
 
We have one getting built right across the interstate from our restaurant in the next couple years. I think one of the first in the Midwest or at least one of the first in WI? I'm sure that will kill quite a few businesses in our part of town here. It will be interesting to see how this goes.
 
We drove down to Florida earlier in the year. Coworker said to make sure we stopped
Wasn’t convenient on the way down, tried to stop at one on the way back in Kentucky, I saw cars lined up 3 deep and backed up coming in and out as well so I just kept going
 
Worth a stop? Yes. Worth a drive? Perhaps. Worth a flight? Nah.

The BBQ sandwiches are good, not at a Franklin's BBQ snob level, but fresh, plenty of sauce and good size. Everything at Buc-ee's is over the top. Want jerky? Here are 50 different kinds. Want candy, here is a whole wall. My kids love when we stop for gas and clean bathrooms when we drive from Fort Worth to Austin. But I'm prepared to spend 45 minutes min. There is just a lot of everything and my kids can't make a decision quickly.
 
KarmaPolice said:
We have one getting built right across the interstate from our restaurant in the next couple years. I think one of the first in the Midwest or at least one of the first in WI? I'm sure that will kill quite a few businesses in our part of town here. It will be interesting to see how this goes.
Click to expand...
near the border?
 
Bogart said:
Worth a stop? Yes. Worth a drive? Perhaps. Worth a flight? Nah.

The BBQ sandwiches are good, not at a Franklin's BBQ snob level, but fresh, plenty of sauce and good size. Everything at Buc-ee's is over the top. Want jerky? Here are 50 different kinds. Want candy, here is a whole wall. My kids love when we stop for gas and clean bathrooms when we drive from Fort Worth to Austin. But I'm prepared to spend 45 minutes min. There is just a lot of everything and my kids can't make a decision quickly.
Click to expand...
Yep, I meant to mention the bathrooms as well. As crowded as the parking lot is at times when we've stopped, I have never had to wait in the restroom. And they are always clean.
 
Stopped at the one in Alabama on I-10 over the summer on our return trip home from Florida beach. It was complete and utter madhouse. Took 15 minutes from entering the parking lot until I could park - not that there weren't spaces, it's that the parking lot is jam-packed and traffic is crawling. They had numerous employees directing traffic in their parking lot.

Got inside and tried to go to bathroom. Women's restroom had a line snaking through the middle of the place all the way to the entrance door. Guy's line was half that long. Bathroom had upwards of 40 urinals in it with about 15 stalls, immaculately clean which was awesome.

ICEE station with 15-20 different flavors. Ready made brisket sandwiches and a jerky bar. Prepackaged snacks, fountain station with 50 something taps at least, and the entire place was as big as a Walmart and almost shoulder to shoulder jammed with people. Employee told me this was abnormal because summertime, beach traffic, but that it's like this daily for the entire summer basically.
Families were lined up to take photos with the Beaver mascot (guy in a suit) like it was Disney World. I didn't need gas so we just got snacks/lunch and a bag of ice and went to the car. Took me 45 minutes to get out of the parking lot because traffic only flows one direction. By the time I got out of the lot, I had finished my food, finished my drink, and had to pee again.

Brisket was 7/10. Beaver nuggets are their signature snack, and they're very meh (I believe the kids would call them mid). Candied nuts were the best thing we bought, different pecans, cashews, almonds, etc.

Overall it took us an hour and 20 minutes from getting off the interstate until we got back on, all to pee and get snacks, didn't even buy any gas. They had 3 tanker trucks offloading gas to their 100+ pumps, and more lined up so that as one finished and pulled away, another pulled in to unload.

I've seen it once, and absolutely will not ever need to go in another one again in my lifetime.
 
When I'm on the road and stop for gas, my goal is to get in and out as expeditiously as possible. Pull in, fuel up, hit the bathroom, grab a refill of coffee, and get back on the road.

It doesn't sound like this particular establishment is designed for people like me. Anything that involves having to queue up for a pump is off the table for me. I'll still with Shell or Cenex.
 
wlwiles said:
Stopped at the one in Alabama on I-10 over the summer on our return trip home from Florida beach. It was complete and utter madhouse. Took 15 minutes from entering the parking lot until I could park - not that there weren't spaces, it's that the parking lot is jam-packed and traffic is crawling. They had numerous employees directing traffic in their parking lot.

Got inside and tried to go to bathroom. Women's restroom had a line snaking through the middle of the place all the way to the entrance door. Guy's line was half that long. Bathroom had upwards of 40 urinals in it with about 15 stalls, immaculately clean which was awesome.

ICEE station with 15-20 different flavors. Ready made brisket sandwiches and a jerky bar. Prepackaged snacks, fountain station with 50 something taps at least, and the entire place was as big as a Walmart and almost shoulder to shoulder jammed with people. Employee told me this was abnormal because summertime, beach traffic, but that it's like this daily for the entire summer basically.
Families were lined up to take photos with the Beaver mascot (guy in a suit) like it was Disney World. I didn't need gas so we just got snacks/lunch and a bag of ice and went to the car. Took me 45 minutes to get out of the parking lot because traffic only flows one direction. By the time I got out of the lot, I had finished my food, finished my drink, and had to pee again.

Brisket was 7/10. Beaver nuggets are their signature snack, and they're very meh (I believe the kids would call them mid). Candied nuts were the best thing we bought, different pecans, cashews, almonds, etc.

Overall it took us an hour and 20 minutes from getting off the interstate until we got back on, all to pee and get snacks, didn't even buy any gas. They had 3 tanker trucks offloading gas to their 100+ pumps, and more lined up so that as one finished and pulled away, another pulled in to unload.

I've seen it once, and absolutely will not ever need to go in another one again in my lifetime.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've seen what I would call "local" Bucees off interstates in the metro area in DFW, and they aren't nearly as problematic in terms of entry and exit. You can stop there and be in and out in 10 minutes if you want, with all the same choices for food and drink and stuff as mentioned above, and immaculate restrooms with no waiting.

I've also seen what I would call "remote" Bucees on a stretch of highway in the middle of nowhere, where there basically aren't a ton of other gas station options in the vicinity. Those have been horrendous, with long lines of cars just to get to the pumps or the parking spots, and that take WAY too long to get into and out of to consider them rest stops on a long trip. I'll stay away from those next time. The only upside is that the gas station alternative is sometimes a disgusting pit of a stop, and that includes the bathroom.
 
I have been a buc-ees fan for many years, however the ones located in south houston area are the size of a normal gas station and have a normal amount of people in them. The draw of them is the clean bathrooms. Plus the buc-ee's i visit the most has a fishing tackle store inside of it with a good selection of fishing gear/bait.

They are generally not cheap, and the food is average at best, with the exception of their premade deli food is awful. My favorite food they serve is the pizza sticks, but i do not think the mega buc-ees even carries pizza sticks.

In general the food quality took a sharp dropoff around 5-10 years ago once they started expanding like crazy.

On road trips we always skip buc-ee's. The giant one's as you are leaving a major city are the worst. Too many cars and they have an entire section of the store dedicated to cheap crap like toys and clothing. They often have line's in the bathrooms and sometimes at the pumps if it is a busy travel holiday.
 
Last edited:
IvanKaramazov said:
When I'm on the road and stop for gas, my goal is to get in and out as expeditiously as possible. Pull in, fuel up, hit the bathroom, grab a refill of coffee, and get back on the road.

It doesn't sound like this particular establishment is designed for people like me. Anything that involves having to queue up for a pump is off the table for me. I'll still with Shell or Cenex.
Click to expand...
This. My rule is if we are stopping to pee/snacks/whatever the place has to visible from the road. None of this getting off the exit and seeing a sign saying: food 2.5 miles ->
 
They are an event if you've never been.

Whatever drink you would want and large clean bathrooms are a huge draw for the Mrs.

I actually usually get some caramel corn or kettle corn. I've had their brisket sandwiches and potato chips. They are meh, but better than your average gas station.

Never bought any beef jerky as I abhor paying $10+ for a small snack I can finish in 5 minutes.
 
Don’t fly to visit a Buccees, you can buy your snacks from this guy.

thehustle.co

How one man created a multimillion-dollar resale market for Buc-ee’s snacks

A legendary Texas convenience store chain didn’t have an online store for its popular treats. One entrepreneur decided to change that.
thehustle.co thehustle.co

Pasted about half the article

On a busy stretch of I-35 in Denton, Texas, the local Buc-ee’s is hard to miss.

The gas station announces its presence on a giant billboard featuring a beaver mascot, and a green highway sign beckons drivers to exit at “Buc-ee’s Blvd.” Just off the road, there it is: a 50k-square-foot convenience store outfitted with a 250-foot car wash, enough gas pumps to cover the length of a football field, and a human-size beaver statue.

Founded in 1982, the Texas-based chain lives up to the state’s “everything is bigger here” mantra. The Denton store is not even its largest. The company’s 66k-square-foot location in New Braunfels has:

  • 1k parking spots
  • 120 fuel pumps
  • 83 toilets
  • 80 soda dispensers
  • 64 ice freezers
  • 31 cash registers
Buc-ee’s — which has 46 locations, mostly in Texas — is renowned for its massive sales (an estimated eight figures annually, per store) and sparkling-clean restrooms. Loyal customers are willing to travel an average of 21 minutes just to go to one.

But none of this is as impressive as the mammoth array of Buc-ee’s-branded snacks and merchandise inside of its stores.

Buc-ee’s signature lemon crisps, beef jerky, BBQ sauce, and “Beaver Nuggets” have earned the chain a cult following. There are dozens of groups on Facebook — some with tens of thousands of members — that are entirelydevoted to Buc-ee’s snacks.

There’s just one problem: If you’re a fan of these treats, getting them isn’t always easy. Buc-ee’s stores are typically in remote locations, and the chain doesn’t have an online store.

So, one Buc-ee’s fan decided to take matters into his own hands.

“I’m maniacally curious”​

Chris Koerner is the kind of guy who needs a spreadsheet to keep track of all the businesses he’s created.

He first got bit by the entrepreneur bug at the age of eight.
 
KarmaPolice said:
We have one getting built right across the interstate from our restaurant in the next couple years. I think one of the first in the Midwest or at least one of the first in WI? I'm sure that will kill quite a few businesses in our part of town here. It will be interesting to see how this goes.
Click to expand...
There’s one opening near Detroit, not sure if that will be before Wisconsin or after.
 
belljr said:
eoMMan said:
What’s it like?

Favorite thing they sell?

How’s the brisket sandwich they talk about?
Click to expand...
If you don't mind turning a 15 minute stop into 30-45 then its worth it
Click to expand...
Really? Even with crowds we get in and out in 15 minutes often. Including bathroom break.
Although I guess your first time can take longer as you’re not sure what you’re doing and it can get exciting.
 
IMO, the craziest thing about Buc-ee's, is what they pay their employees, at least here in Texas. You will see a sign out front always with the following data:

  • Cashier, Gift, Maintenance, Warehouse and Grocery Stocker - $16/hr
  • Food Service and Car Wash - $19/hr
  • Team Lead - $18-$21/hr
  • Department Manager - $23-$31/hr
  • Assistant General Manager - $100K+
  • Car Wash Manager - $125K+
  • Food Service Manager - $125K - $175K
  • General Manager - $150K - $225K
6% match on 401K, 3 weeks PTO, $2/hr more for overnights

They are clearly doing something right. I think I would be a hell of a Car Wash Manager or General Manager for that salary. Not sure I have ever seen the car wash at Buc-ee's.
 
Even with spending 6 years living in Texas and mixing in plenty of trips east to Louisiana I don't think we ever stopped at one. I almost stopped when I was in the NW Houston 'burbs a year or so back (it looked giant) but opted to keep going. Didn't need gas nor did I have to poop. I do know they are famous for super clean bathrooms.
 
I've been to a couple of them. They're cool. Nothing life changing.

There's a ton of gas pumps, so you're not stuck waiting.
Bathrooms are large and clean.

They have above average food for a gas station. Definitely better quality than what you're getting at 7/11 or Circle K.
The beef Jerky is cool. I love Jerky. I'll usually try a couple types. I've never bought it from there.
 
Capella said:
Most overrated thing in America. Food is just not great. Maybe I’d call it ok, but the hype it gets is just wild.
Click to expand...
More overrated that Raising Canes?


(To be clear, Raising Canes is totally fine/really good chicken fingers, but it's just chicken fingers and not worth blocking traffic for 30 minutes for).
 
The bathrooms are clean and tops amongst gas station/convenience stores. That's the only reason I'd stop but convenience stores the size of Walmart don't move me. I'm also from Texas so big stores selling a bunch of junk are par for the course.
 
Major said:
The bathrooms are clean and tops amongst gas station/convenience stores. That's the only reason I'd stop but convenience stores the size of Walmart don't move me. I'm also from Texas so big stores selling a bunch of junk are par for the course.
Click to expand...
And the best thing about the one we stopped at was the stalls were completely enclosed. You could set up an apartment in there it was so private.
 
Like others have said, the more local stores are palatable. When they first started and I was taking a lot of day trips between Houston/Dallas/Austin they were a godsend. Well, their bathrooms were.

Once they expanded to the mega-store concept they became caricatures of themselves. I avoid those like the plague. No need for convenience stores with shopping carts. The guy that started them, Beaver Aplin, is also quite the interesting character.
 
We are getting one next year just South of Ft Collins. It is going to be crazy, so we will not be going anywhere near that area for some time. That I-25 corridor between the Hwy 34 exit and Ft Collins is just a mess as it is, I swear it has been under construction for 10 years.
 
Bogart said:
IMO, the craziest thing about Buc-ee's, is what they pay their employees, at least here in Texas. You will see a sign out front always with the following data:

  • Cashier, Gift, Maintenance, Warehouse and Grocery Stocker - $16/hr
  • Food Service and Car Wash - $19/hr
  • Team Lead - $18-$21/hr
  • Department Manager - $23-$31/hr
  • Assistant General Manager - $100K+
  • Car Wash Manager - $125K+
  • Food Service Manager - $125K - $175K
  • General Manager - $150K - $225K
6% match on 401K, 3 weeks PTO, $2/hr more for overnights

They are clearly doing something right. I think I would be a hell of a Car Wash Manager or General Manager for that salary. Not sure I have ever seen the car wash at Buc-ee's.
Click to expand...
Our car wash was supposed to open in November. Then May, now October 🤷
 
Bogart said:
Worth a stop? Yes. Worth a drive? Perhaps. Worth a flight? Nah.

The BBQ sandwiches are good, not at a Franklin's BBQ snob level, but fresh, plenty of sauce and good size. Everything at Buc-ee's is over the top. Want jerky? Here are 50 different kinds. Want candy, here is a whole wall. My kids love when we stop for gas and clean bathrooms when we drive from Fort Worth to Austin. But I'm prepared to spend 45 minutes min. There is just a lot of everything and my kids can't make a decision quickly.
Click to expand...

Agree with everything in this post - except you failed the Texas BBQ snob test.
 
By the way, not all Buc-ees are created equal. Some are a third the size of the big major locations. For example, the one near my house is small and doesn’t have the beef jerky deli bar, which is one of my favorite things about the giant epic locations.
 
bigbottom said:
Bogart said:
Worth a stop? Yes. Worth a drive? Perhaps. Worth a flight? Nah.

The BBQ sandwiches are good, not at a Franklin's BBQ snob level, but fresh, plenty of sauce and good size. Everything at Buc-ee's is over the top. Want jerky? Here are 50 different kinds. Want candy, here is a whole wall. My kids love when we stop for gas and clean bathrooms when we drive from Fort Worth to Austin. But I'm prepared to spend 45 minutes min. There is just a lot of everything and my kids can't make a decision quickly.
Click to expand...

Agree with everything in this post - except you failed the Texas BBQ snob test.
Click to expand...
That's fair. As much as I want to be a BBQ snob and only follow the Texas Monthly Top 50, sometimes I just want a sloppy chopped brisket from Angelo's or even Riscky's, God forbid.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Ministry of Pain
Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese - "Burning Heart" in the Desert
4 5 6
Replies
281
Views
7K
JohnnyU
JohnnyU
E
Whole house repiping. Worth it? Cost? Tips/suggestions?
Replies
38
Views
1K
BassNBrew
BassNBrew
the moops
Norway - tell me something about it
Replies
20
Views
321
Gally
G

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top