by Once we hit The South, we had been repeatedly told “Omigosh, you HAVE to go to Buc-ee’s for the brisket!”
So even though Buc-ee’s was founded in Texas, which is where we would normally go to check it out, we figured we’d better stop in as soon as we saw one.
We started seeing signs for an “upcoming” Buc-ee’s well over 100 miles in advance, and I started to wonder what we were in for, exactly.
Unfortunately for Doug (who can actually eat brisket, unlike me), we had many stops in the way before reaching it. Anticipation will just make it sweeter, right?
As we approached, I saw the longest line of gas pumps I’ve ever seen (all their travel centers have 80 to 120 pumps).
Then I saw how enormous the building was, and I slowly started repeating “what the…” as we pulled in to the traffic-jam that is its parking lot.
Wikipedia calls Buc-ee’s a convenience store, and boy, that’s a real stretch. It’s more like a compressed version of a mall, with lots of things to eat that are bad for you and lots of things to buy that you don’t need. Doug calls this a variety of happiness.
The store was absolutely packed with people. I mean, packed. It was like attending a concert or sporting event, where you get jostled just trying to walk from point A to point B. Except unlike other events with thousands of people in attendance, everyone at Buc-ee’s looked cheerful (according to Doug).
But when I finally got to the check out, I said “I feel like I’ve been in a washing machine.”
Buc-ee’s was founded in 1982 in Clute, Tex., but didn’t begin expanding in Texas until 2003. It didn’t start expanding outside of Texas until 2018. They have 58 locations in the Southern United States, 34 of which are in Texas. I expect they will continue their takeover of the interstate highway system.
The Sevierville, Tennessee, store, at more than 74,000 square feet, is the world’s largest convenience store. (74,000 square feet!)
Its other claim to fame (besides the food, of course) is the cleanliness of their bathrooms. Its New Braunfels, Tex., store was named the 2012 “Best Restroom in America” by Cintas.
Most Buc-ee’s include a bakery, brisket bar, beef jerky bar, fudge bar, endless snacks, and the biggest drinks station you’ve ever seen. There were tons of hot and cold food items to choose from, as well as many Buc-ee’s branded items. Souvenirs, clothing, travel necessities, artwork, and general merchandise are also for sale, as well. Depending on location, you might find hunting gear or outdoor grills. Really, how is this a convenience store?
Doug said his brisket was delicious, and he was duly impressed by the beef jerky.
The bakery purchases we made for breakfast the next day were also better than most chains, we thought. The snacks and chips were average, but the overall experience was priceless.
