You don't have to stop there
Our First visit to Buc-ees
- Thread starter Boomer
- Start date
^^
That is my wife and I too.
However, it's an experience to experience. Forever we drove by the place when getting off i95 to head to the coast. Because all the talk, we checked the place out and was shocked. It's really a destination. Also this is typically when we have around 1+ hours left of a 4 hour trip from my son's house. By that time it's time to stop, not just for Buc-ee's but to walk our dog as we never know once off the interstate what the more local traffic will be like.
Granted now that we tasted the brisket sandwiches. It's a reason my wife wants to stop and if you really want to you can be in and out really fast but you will want to check the place out more. The place is packed with people many times by at least the one by us which is a "newer" one... the process is so efficient that you dont have to spend a lot of time inside.
With the one here, the physical construction takes at least 18 months, which seems like a really long time. As I recall, the three years includes the official (EPA) involvement and other regulatory agencies, in some cases things like highway planning, etc before they will break ground too.
I think this is a major factor for my wife and daughters, though they don't say it. Well, they do say it in other ways as in they will NOT use the restrooms at (almost) any other gas station. Some truck stops are actually okay, they say, and on the men's side, I've seen the same, that they keep them pretty clean. Nothing compared to Buc'ee's though.
Its as if Disney opened a line of rest stops! I only say that because on a road trip to Disney, my wife and I hit every one on the way. I think they are pretty unique, I love the fact that they invest in their employees, and the bathrooms are worth the marketing. Did we come back to NH with more stuff from Buc-ees than Disney paraphernalia? By a wide margin. My wife wants to do it again.
A true authentic truck-stop that we also fell in love with: Kensly 95 in NC. That place was my Disneyworld!
A true authentic truck-stop that we also fell in love with: Kensly 95 in NC. That place was my Disneyworld!
Like so many other businesses, the more they spread across the national landscape the less special they become. Buc-ees used to be something of a rare treat as you traversed Texas, but they've seemingly been sprouting up everywhere and the novelty has long worn off for many.
I strongly prefer The Texan...which is only in Texas. It's very similar, but the stores are about half the size and they actually have a seating area for patrons to enjoy their food. Much more manageable than Buc-ees. We're getting a new store at the entrance to the Corpus Christi airport, which will be a welcome addition.
https://thetexanstores.com/
There is a similar store called Wally's in Pontiac, IL (on I-55) and another in Fenton, MO (on I-44). It's OK, I guess, but is obviously a midwestern copy of Buc-ees.
https://www.wallys.com/
I strongly prefer The Texan...which is only in Texas. It's very similar, but the stores are about half the size and they actually have a seating area for patrons to enjoy their food. Much more manageable than Buc-ees. We're getting a new store at the entrance to the Corpus Christi airport, which will be a welcome addition.
https://thetexanstores.com/
There is a similar store called Wally's in Pontiac, IL (on I-55) and another in Fenton, MO (on I-44). It's OK, I guess, but is obviously a midwestern copy of Buc-ees.
https://www.wallys.com/
If I ever see a Bucee's Beaverlec 5W-30, advertised as the "best dam oil" with advanced TMBR technology, I will cancel the rest of the road trip and personally deliver it straight to Polaris labs myself.
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Probably true and if you look at their growth (# of stores), I suspect it has spiked in the past 10-ish years. I vaguely remember reading about these "massive" gas stations - they emphasized they were NOT truck stops - that were travel destinations for some people. There were also TikToks (or Vine, at that time) about them. They were only in TX and maybe OK and AL at the time though.
With the one being built near us, some "fans" have a Facebook page following the progress of it, the construction with weekly photos and even drone footage for a YouTube page !! All fan-based !! For a gas station !!
My goal is not to but if the wife gets wind of this place I have no choice but toYou don't have to stop there
How is Buc-ees pronounced?
Never seen one, let alone been in one
Never seen one, let alone been in one
With the one being built near us, some "fans" have a Facebook page following the progress of it, the construction with weekly photos and even drone footage for a YouTube page !! All fan-based !! For a gas station !!
Amazing! The 90s expression "get a life!" is probably appropriate in this case.
That's pretty much how I roll. I barely shut the car off.
Buck-eez
No different than "Bucky's" pronunciation.
I can't get myself to order brisket at a fancy gas station I'm spoiled with great food by me
You are rather fortunate, my friend. FWIW the guy who made this video nailed it:
His other videos are similarly good IMO.
Joke is, it's "bew-sies", kinda like Target is called "tar-jey".
I get it but if you ever ate fast food in your life. This is hands and feet above fast food which my wife and I detest. Actually above most diners and what some people consider deli's. You would have to actually walk in the place to understand.
We are spoiled too but for those rare times you might need something on the road like you say you would be spoiled by this place .... this is quality stuff and why they are so successful.
Here you go, great short video... (notice the Tesla Chargers
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They started in 1982 and it was almost 20 years (2019) before they opened a store outside of Texas. They appear to have 36 in Texas alone though ! I can't imagine they're all these huge ones like the new ones being opened. Some are 'small' by comparison or just like normal convenience stores:
They have between 55-60 stores today.
They have between 55-60 stores today.
Indeed. The location in nearby Port Lavaca, TX is no bigger than your average 7-11. My wife was ticked off the first time we stopped there....there was hardly anything to waste money on!
