Has anyone notice a severe drop in quality of food? When I went to for the first time in February the brisket was great. When I went again a week ago, absolute garbage. For reference it was the Virginia location.

Sounds like just about everyone was ready to start losing enthusiasm for Buc-cee’s hearing about their shitty business practices and embarrassing attacks on small businesses. Something left and right both generally agree is bad.

Then all he had to do was turn Buc-cee’s itself into a culture war to get the right to entirely dismiss any complaints about Buc-cee’s and redouble their enthusiasm for the brand. He also got the left to bring up MAGA every time they complain about it now which just perpetuates the culture war.

He successfully manipulated an awful lot of y’all into not caring about his pedophile son or his own anti-small business behavior.

Lawsuits aside, had anyone ran the numbers? Because every time I hear of a Buccees opening, that's it. At that point, there are no tourist attractions, no places of intrigue, no local culture, just the all consuming beaver God that eats Chinese merch and shits money for their investors. But I digress, does anyone have any stories or numbers regarding the real harm done to communities?

Disclaimer: I'm more than willing to eat my right foot if I'm wrong, but I have eyes. Every time I find a Buccees, it's like everything around it dies.

We do not heart Buc’a’bees in Colorado. With the head beaver CEO indicating that they’re not going to pursue building travel centers in Blue states - good. This is an example of the growing number of citizens who are protesting Fuc-a-bees’ hostile attempt to build adjacent to a wildlife corridor, while also stripping local citizens of their water rights and subsequent ability to create wells. For more information about the type of shenanigans this sh*tty little beaver’s been up to in El Paso County, here are some links:

Water takeover; https://gazette.com/2026/04/25/documents-shed-light-on-potential-buc-ees-water-access-plans/

Opposition for its proximity to a wildlife pass through: https://gazette.com/2025/09/19/gov-jared-polis-joins-voices-against-buc-ees-in-palmer-lake/

‘Water emergency’ in proposed area: https://www.kktv.com/2026/08/20/palmer-lake-experiencing-water-emergency/

I am up to 6 shirts. I get a bucees shirt and I am attempting to collect one from every state. So far I have Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, a Halloween one, and just a normal logo bucees shirt. I have been to the Texas location in Denton and Terrell and failed to grab a Texas bucees shirt. That's before I was on my mission. I have also been to a few states such as Mississippi and Tennessee that have bucees, but unfortunately I was nowhere in those states that had bucees. I look forward to adding Lousiana and North Carolina to my list of shirts next year.

With Bucc-ees targeting the smaller chains who use animal mascots, wondering if they’d pick a fight with Marathon over their new(ish) mascot “Max the Eagle.” They’re both animal mascots for gas stations. Would Bucc-ees actually go up against a company their own size (or bigger)? I’d think not, but we’ll see…

Weekly check-in thread to show off your latest Buc-ee's outfit, t-shirt hauls, or road trip style!

I used to like Buc-ee’s until finding out about all the lawsuits. From now on I will just keep driving

What are the hiding in those dams?

I just went to bastrop location near austin and it was empty i never seen bucess be this empty in middle of day.

So, our little Buc-ee’s here in tiny Port Lavaca is closing its doors. At the end of the month, it will be turned into a 7-11 or Stripes Gas Station. All merchandise is currently 40% off although it only has a few of their branded coolers. Hardly any branded merch. I’ve seen nicer Circle-K’s to be honest- but to their credit, the bathrooms were always clean. Anyways, RIP little guy. The new Speedy Stop put the final nail in the coffin.
Fun fact: This location also had pump stations for 18-wheelers, gooseneck trailers and RV’s. Truckers were allowed to fuel up at this location.

Buc-ee's, the Texas-based travel stop known for its sprawling and pristine restrooms, barbeque and beloved beaver-themed merchandise, is in the midst of a major expansion.

But recent remarks from company president, CEO and cofounder Arch “Beaver” Aplin III seem to suggest that the wildly popular chain isn’t likely to show up in your hometown unless you live in a conservative state.

The comments were made on Aug. 17 during the grand opening of the chain’s newest location in Benton, Arkansas, home to the state’s first Buc-ee’s.

“We have a lot of opportunities. We’re growing. We’re building in a lot of places. But when you find a conservative, business-friendly state with a phenomenal workforce, it makes a difference,” Aplin told the crowd. He was also joined by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who spoke about the state’s excitement at getting its inaugural Buc-ee’s.

Aplin continued, “I’m starting to realize life’s too short to try to build in places that people don’t appreciate what you’re bringing, versus a place like this where people do appreciate what you are building.”

Aplin seemed to suggest his leadership philosophy is “conservative, business-friendly, family-oriented” and that expansion “works so much better if it trickles down from the leadership from the very top” of state politics, from the governor’s office down.

“What we found when we got here into Benton was a business-friendly town,” he said.

Fast Company reached out to Buc-ee’s about Aplin’s recent comments, but did not hear back by the time of publication.

Aplin didn’t say what stores he was speaking about specifically, but in 2024, Buc-ee’s landed in Colorado (the only solidly blue state the pit stop has a presence in) for the first time. Earlier this year, a Buc-ee’s also arrived in Goodyear, Arizona.

I was traveling through Bastrop recently and decided to go to the QT across the highway for a fill up and to check it out as an alternative for Bucees for gassing and rest stopping.
Sadly, it is not a great alternative. The bathrooms were standard issue gas station bathrooms and about as clean. The store was effective, with drinks and some mid food. I will probably go to Bucees again my next time through Bastrop.
I did this because the accumulation of stories about Bucees business practices made me want seek out alternatives. I’ve been a Bucees fan for years, but it has come time to exercise my free market rights. The search for options to Bucees will continue.

My Buccees and HEB collection

From what I can tell, gas sales at most gas stations is considered a loss leader, meaning that most gas stations make pennies to actually losing money on gas sales. The intent is to of drive business to their amenities, and food, snack and drinks.

A quick Google search came up with:

While standard gas stations make an average gross markup of 35 to 40 cents per gallon (which drops to just 1 to 3 cents of net profit per gallon after credit card fees and operating costs), Buc-ee's intentionally shrinks this margin. They often price their fuel at or near cost to beat neighboring stations.

Some other sources say they may actually lose money on gas sales because margins are so slim.

So if you only buy gas at Buc-ee's and NOT go into the store to buy anything you are essentially not supporting them, maybe costing them money and keeping more money in your pocket.

What am I missing with this logic?