Our First visit to Buc-ees

[Boomer]

Well, I want to thank all the BITOGers who talked about how great Buc-ees is. We were travelling a week ago going south in VA on I-81 and saw billboards for the store. I told my wife how great folks on BITOG rated this retailer and off the road we went at the appropriate exit.

Wow! More gas pumps than I ever saw at one store. Folks on both sides of the pumps and some had lines of 2-3 cars. Then into the store itself. Since I had ben driving for some hours, I located and went into the men's room. I thought I had died and awakened in urinal heaven! Clean, well maintained and PLENTIFUL. Then out to the food area. Excellent sandwiches, wraps, etc. We stopped again today on the way home from georgia and did some Christmas shopping. Unique items, fun items and lots of dog items.

If you have never been, GO!

 

[JunkdrawerDog]

What kind of oil did they have?

 

[CleanSump]

What kind of oil did they have?

You go there for Jerky, Beaver Nuggets, and an ole' country store refresh if you're local Cracker Barrel went woke.

 

[JonesZ]

The number of pumps doesn't make up for the number of people who leave their car parked at the pump and proceed to go shopping and soil the cleanest bathrooms on the planet. Total lack of self awareness. The same people congregate around the sample ladies at Costco.

 

[Geekhead]

Well, I want to thank all the BITOGers who talked about how great Buc-ees is. We were travelling a week ago going south in VA on I-81 and saw billboards for the store. I told my wife how great folks on BITOG rated this retailer and off the road we went at the appropriate exit.

Wow! More gas pumps than I ever saw at one store. Folks on both sides of the pumps and some had lines of 2-3 cars. Then into the store itself. Since I had ben driving for some hours, I located and went into the men's room. I thought I had died and awakened in urinal heaven! Clean, well maintained and PLENTIFUL. Then out to the food area. Excellent sandwiches, wraps, etc. We stopped again today on the way home from georgia and did some Christmas shopping. Unique items, fun items and lots of dog items.

If you have never been, GO!

I found the ones along the I-75 corridor back in Jan 2024 to be very crowded and too much of a mob scene for me.The food was OK but now that I have been I think I will pass and just goto smaller Mom and Pop local restaurants and convenient gas pumps when stops are needed.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I visited I think 3 buc-ees in my travels. I likely won't be back. Just too crowded and takes too long to get in and out.

I didn't find the food so great either. Maybe I set too high expectations based on the hype. QT has the best gas station grub IMHO - but I haven't had the chance to try WaWa yet.

I like that they pay their staff well, so if others are willing to take the time to shop there it works for me.

 

[SOUNDMAN5000]

I am fascinated with the entire business idea ( plan ) of Buc-ees, its like how a Casino in Vegas using busy carpet or the rumors of pumping O2 in the place all designed to somehow take your money but I like Buc-ees but its designed to get you in and get you out quick all wile taking WAY more of your money than a normal stop!

Did you notice on the entire grounds not ONE place besides your car can you sit and eat that Brisket you just purchased? Its designed to take your money, get you back in your car and out of the way for the next person!

That said, its a fantastic business plan as most people will drive out of the way to stop at a place that has clean bathrooms! Buc-ees could do everything wrong but people will still stop because of that spotless john...

I dig the Brisket, the Beaver Nuggets and yes those bathrooms, My daughter even has Buc-ees Pajamas!

 

[dvblanch]

Use the Daytona Fl Buc-ees a lot 90 octane EO boat gas at a reasonable price. While there cant pass up a cup of the dark roast coffee black and a sausage egg& cheese biscuit.

 

[Hall]

I found the ones along the I-75 corridor

If it's the one halfway through Kentucky, that one is relatively brand new and yes, it's crazy busy. I think there's another one in the metro Atlanta area (south of the city) but we haven't seen that or know how old it is. They're building one within ~30 minutes of us but I won't go to it for at least a year or longer, unless it's a weekday or later in the evening. It's sorta on the way to our daughter's place but we typically go a different route anyway.

 

[wavinwayne]

I love the crazy carnival atmosphere that is Buc-ees! I like their hot sauces and beef jerky, and my everyday coffee mug is a Buc-ees Yeti clone.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Clearly there trying to capture leisure interstate travel - seems to fit their store and model.

Are they a more traditional gas station in Texas, or is that their overall model there also?

 

[daves87rs]

Need to hit one some day….

Granted, I have not hit our new Sheetz yet either…..

 

[BHopkins]

I'm with @Geekhead and @SC Maintenance. I've been once, and have little desire to go again.

Way too crowded. And while the food was ok, the hype had me expecting better. And the rest of the store was just filled with stuff, most of which can't be bought elsewhere, without having to put up with thousands of other people bumping into you.

Buc-ee's has announced a new location here in Utah, South of Provo. It will probably be at least three years before completion.

 

[clinebarger]

Clearly there trying to capture leisure interstate travel - seems to fit their store and model.

Are they a more traditional gas station in Texas, or is that their overall model there also?

Never been to one...But they look like a Zoo from the freeway.

 

[Chris142]

I'm in southern California and unfortunately the closest buc ees is in tx.

 

[4wd]

I love the crazy carnival atmosphere that is Buc-ees! I like their hot sauces and beef jerky, and my everyday coffee mug is a Buc-ees Yeti clone.

There was a guy near who who had his business torn down for freeway construction - fortunately had built another place making jerky for buc’s - and they sell plenty - great on the road snack …

 

[RedSpider]

I'm in southern California and unfortunately the closest buc ees is in tx.

I've been to the one in Texas, you arent missing anything. My last trip to Houston, we got done at the plant four hours earlier than we planned, so instead of three hours to get from the plant to IAH for the flight home, I found myself having seven hours to fill. There was a Buc-ees right down the street from my hotel so I figured I could at least kill an hour in there. Nope. I think I was in there seven minutes maybe...? Nice bathrooms, plenty of t-shirts and nick knacks and what have you's, nothing terribly interesting. I walked around a bit, all the while thinking "This is what people get so excited about?" I bought a pack of M&M's and a Coke Zero, and headed out, a bit confused and dumbfounded as to what all the hype is about. Now I had six hours and 53 minutes to burn. Drove down to Galveston and took a nice one hour stroll on the most visually unappealing beach this side of Somalia, and said screw it, knocked the sand off my shoes and headed to the airport. The 747 that roared 150 feet over my head while I was getting gas by the airport was way more interesting than the overhyped gas station I was at a few hours earlier.

 

[rijndael]

That Bucee's on 81 is going to crush the other local gas stations; they're now mostly empty. If you just need gas, and nothing else, you're better off stopping before or after.

 

[nickaluch]

Since when does a place like this spark interest that you need to go? I'm happy on a road trip with a place just to piss, coffee and full the tank n back on the road in 9 minutes

 

[rijndael]

Well, if I'm with my kids, I do prefer super clean bathrooms. Everything else is typical of a 40 year old rural gas station, with doors that don't really lock and couldn't be cleaned enough to make it acceptable.