Buc-ee's
Convenience store · Melissa
1550 Central Expy, Melissa, TX 75454
Highlights
Snacks, drinks, themed apparel, and clean restrooms abound
Snacks, drinks, themed apparel, and clean restrooms abound
"This mega convenience store and travel center feels more like an attraction than a typical gas station: enormous, bustling, and outfitted for comfort with impeccably clean, frequently attended restrooms and between 80 and 120 fuel pumps. A human-size beaver mascot and steady crowds set the kitschy, Southern-themed tone; inside, the air is scented with hot, sugary roasted nuts and piped-in country music. Half the space is devoted to souvenir T‑shirts and tongue-in-cheek knickknacks, while the other half houses extensive packaged snacks, deli counters, hot-food lines (serving breakfast tacos and barbecue sandwiches), and a soda fountain for giant iced-tea cups. Standout food items include brisket chopped to order, regional smoked “protein cups” of cheddar and sliced summer sausage, refrigerated parfait-style banana pudding and key lime pie, and a signature caramel-coated corn-puff snack, alongside aisles of taffy, roasted Texas pecans, over 20 types of beef jerky, fudge, and other treats—making it easy to leave with unexpected, delicious finds." - Merlyn Miller
"A cult-favorite Southern gas station and travel center with over 100 gas pumps, it feels more like a culinary destination than a simple pit stop: inside you'll find kitschy decor, whole rows of packaged snacks, a hot counter with fresh barbecue sandwiches, refrigerated ready-to-eat goods, a bakery display, pounds of fudge behind a glass wall, and a large selection of house-made beef jerky. Standout items to try include Beaver Nuggets (light, airy corn puffs—the original has a caramelized, maple-like exterior), a warm smoked brisket sandwich served on a soft bun (opt for the chopped brisket and add sliced pickles for ease and extra flavor), and kolaches—soft, yeasted Texas-Czech pastries available in savory sausage varieties and sweeter options like pecan pie. The snack selection also features dozens of jerky flavors sold by the pound, a wide assortment of pecans from hot sugar-roasted cones to chewy pralines or shelf-stable seasoned bags, and a banana pudding praised for its balanced pudding–banana–Nilla wafer–whipped cream ratio. For souvenirs and entertaining, a jar of red pepper jelly is a popular choice—try it spooned over cream cheese or goat cheese with crackers. With about 54 locations across Texas and the South, the chain offers an overwhelming variety of drinks and snacks, though not every item is a standout, so these essentials are the ones locals recommend." - Merlyn Miller
"Stuff the Christmas stockings with gift cards to Buc-ee’s, which can go a long way. Texas’s favorite convenience store, pitstop, and gas station is brimming with fun gifts and swag donning the Bucky the Beaver mascot, plus seemingly endless amounts of snacks, drinks, and fuel for travelers making a pitstop. These gift cards, which are essentially Buc-ee’s cash, are especially handy for avid road-trippers, as well as friends and family who are hitting the road to visit you this holiday season. Score Buc-ee’s latest special deal while you can: Those who purchase a $100 gift card will get a $20 gift card for free." - Brittany Britto Garley
"Failed attempts to pronounce gas station wonderland and Texas favorite Buc-ee’s are creating a stir on TikTok recently. The gas station-on-steroids is known for selling everything from t-shirts to beef jerky to kitschy gifts like magnets and statuettes. It’s a frequent pit-stop for road-tripping Texans thanks to its ultra-clean bathrooms. And for the uninitiated, the name is pronounced like “Bucky’s”." - Adele Chapin
"A quintessential Texas road‑trip convenience‑store destination whose mesquite beef jerky delivers a satisfying medium chew from thick, silver‑dollar‑sized slabs of beef that exude a musk of fire‑torched cumin, cleanly aged bovine notes, and hardwood smoke. The jerky channels the smokey fare of Hill Country barbecue and Southwest steakhouses, and the reviewer found it a welcome, animal-forward relief after sampling many mediocre mass‑market products." - Ryan Sutton
