These Are All The Foods You Have To Try At Buc-Ee's

The success of the Buc-ee's chain of convenience stores began, not with snacks, but with bathrooms. The owners of the Southern chain, Arch Aplin III and Don Wasek, set out to attract travelers — and only travelers, because commercial trucks aren't allowed at their pumps — with clean bathrooms (via Forbes). Once customers used the facilities, then they could take advantage of the store's wide range of snacks. Since the first Buc-ee's opened in the 1980's, the chain has grown to more than 40 locations (via Buc-ee's), each with oversized stores that are typically around 3,000 square feet, immaculate restrooms, and a cult following.

Like the bathrooms, the food at Buc-ee's is unlike anything you'll find in another gas station. While you'll find plenty of road food staples like bags of chips, candy bars, and fountain sodas, Buc-ee's also offers a variety of unique snack foods and meal options to choose from.

Whether you've already had a chance to visit the home of the famous beaver mascot or not, keep reading to learn all the foods you have to try at Buc-ee's.

The most iconic grab-n-go snack to come from the famous gas station chain are Buc-ee's Beaver Nuggets. While these look a little like caramel popcorn, they're actually puffed corn nuggets. They have a crunchy yet light texture and are coated in brown sugar caramel (via Texas Snax). This makes them a sweet, yet slightly salty snack with just the right amount of crunch.

While classic Buc-ee's Beaver Nuggets are caramel-flavored, there are also other flavors to choose from, including chocolate-coated nuggets, sea salt caramel, and more. These puffed snacks are so ingrained in the culture of cult followers of Buc-ee's that they've even made their way into the recipes of a Texas baker by the name of Angelique Hinkle, who uses them in place of graham crackers to make the crust for key lime pie bars (via Southern Living).

These tasty snacks are popular for more than just their flavor; they're also convenient for eating in the car. After all, isn't that exactly what you're looking for in a rest stop snack?

Nuggets are basically the perfect road food, but if you prefer something more savory than a caramel- or chocolate-coated treat, Buc-ee's Nug-ees are the perfect answer. Nug-ees are the savory alternative to the classic Nuggets. Like Nuggets, they're a baked corn-based snack, but instead of sugary toppings, these feature mainly cheesy flavorings. This is a cheese coating similar to what you'd find on a Cheeto or cheese puff — so expect some powder-coated fingers when you're done.

There are a few flavors of Buc-ee's Nug-ees to choose from. If you want a kick, try the Buc-ee's Nug-ees with Bold N Spicy coating. White cheddar is another popular flavor.

Can't decide between a sweet or savory snack? We recommend purchasing a bag of classic Buc-ee's Nuggets and one bag of classic Buc-ee's Nug-ees. Throw them in a container together to create your own take on Chicago-style popcorn (via The Kitchn).

If you're looking for a healthier alternative to Buc-ee's Nuggets and Nug-ees, this next option might be for you. Along with its endless rows of other bagged snacks, candies, and other treats, Buc-ee's also offers a wide variety of dried fruits and vegetables. You can choose from favorites like pineapple and mango, or unique Southern snacks like dried okra or green beans (via Eater).

While some of these bagged fruits and veggies are a healthier alternative to corn nuggets coated in caramel or powdered cheese flavoring, they should still probably be eaten in moderation. Dried fruit is calorie-dense, which is great if you're going on a long hike, but not necessarily if you're sitting in the car for hours. It can still be a healthy choice, but moderation is key.

The snacks do make a great choice for vegans, vegetarians, and other plant-based eaters who struggle to find snacks at regular gas stations and truck stops. 

If your favorite road trip snack is anything packed with sugar to help you stay alert on long drives, you're in luck. Buc-ee's has a wide selection of gummy candies.

You'll find these bags of candies hanging on a rack. While the bags are labeled with Buc-ee's logos and generic names, you'll find all of your favorite classic gummy candies, like gummy bears, gummy worms, peach rings, and more. Many come in sour varieties, too, if that's more your style. Buc-ee's also sells every other kind of candy you could possibly want, from chocolates to peanut brittle to old-fashioned pecan logs. You won't have any trouble satisfying your sugar rush here.

If you've got kids along on your road trip, you may want to steer clear of this aisle, or prepare for the inevitable sugar rush — these brightly colored bags are tough to miss, and will no doubt have your little ones begging for a treat.

While those gummy candies might give you a quick sugar rush, if you're looking for a little more lasting energy, or prefer a bit more variety to your road trip snacks, make sure to visit the trail mix aisle while at your favorite Buc-ee's. Much like the gummy candies, these bags of premixed trail mix also feature the Buc-ee's logo. And many feature a mix of other snacks that you'll find on this list, like nuts and chocolates.

Like everything Buc-ee's does, it's gone above and beyond with flavors, so you'll probably find a combo that suits your taste buds. Their Classic Trail Mix features nuts, chocolate candies, and dried cranberries and raisins. For a spicier mix, opt for the Southwest Trail Mix, which features spicy peanuts, jalapeno cheddar sesame sticks, corn nuggets, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. For those with a sweet tooth, the Peanut Butter Blast Trail Mix features peanuts, honey roasted peanuts, peanut butter chips, peanut butter candies, mini peanut butter cups, and peanut butter coated pretzel balls.

Much like with the bags of dried fruit and veggies, trail mix isn't always healthy. Many feature unhealthy ingredients that can raise the sugar content and calorie count of the bag.

Beef jerky is a snack you'll find at just about every gas station in the country. But Buc-ee's take on this popular snack is something you won't find anywhere else. While the gas station/convenience store does offer pre-bagged beef jerky selections, it's also home to the famous jerky counter.

Step up the counter, and choose from row after row of jerky variety. Traditional peppered turkey or beef jerky are among the most popular options, but there are also spicy varieties and different kinds of meats to choose from — the Bohemian Garlic flavor is a take on jerky you've likely not tried elsewhere.

Alongside the jerky, you can also order summer sausage, snack sticks, and smoked cheese to go along with your favorite dried meat. As if that wasn't awesome enough, the jerky counters at Buc-ee's locations are open 24/7, alongside the bakeries, fudge counters, and Dippin' Dots counters (via Buc-ee's).

If endless varieties of beef jerky aren't your thing, or you need something sweet to go along with it, step up to this counter next. Every Buc-ee's location has a 24/7 fudge counter where you can mix and match blocks of decadent, homemade fudge.

Some of the flavors you'll find at the counter come and go with the changing seasons. For instance, you'll no doubt find pumpkin there in the fall. And there are always at least a couple of festive flavors around the holidays. But on any given day, you'll find a dizzying number of varieties of fudge to choose from. Classics like chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, and vanilla are standards. But quirky flavors like watermelon also make their way into the rotation.

You can buy a big block of your favorite flavor or create your own mix-and-match box of smaller blocks perfect for enjoying on the road.

While there are plenty of must-try snack foods to enjoy at Buc-ee's, it also has a solid line-up of more filling foods. The breakfast tacos are a popular grab-and-go breakfast option for travelers. Don't be fooled by the name, though — these tacos are closer in size to a burrito.

The breakfast tacos come in several different flavors. There are standards, like egg and cheese or bacon, egg, and cheese. Then there are Buc-ee's own variations. Try the Hippo Taco, which is filled with beans, eggs, bacon, potatoes, and cheese. The Rhino Taco is similar, but with sausage rather than bacon. You can also add jalapenos free of charge if you want to take your tacos up a notch.

These may not be quite as easy to eat on the go as the famous taquitos you'll find at 7-Eleven, but Buc-ee's breakfast tacos are the perfect way to start your day.

Humans have been sticking food on a stick since at least 1377 (via My Recipes). Corn dogs stuck on skewers made their way into the picture in the late 1920s. But while you won't find corn dogs at Buc-ee's, you will find a different kind of food on a stick.

Buc-ee's Sausage on a Stick is an oversized sausage stuck on a skewer, sprinkled with seasoning, and wrapped tightly in a tortilla: It's not quite a hot dog and not quite a corndog.

Breakfast tacos, BBQ sandwiches, kolaches, and even cold sandwiches can be a filling, tasty, yet messy road trip foods. However, the Sausage on a Stick is an easy to eat and largely mess-free snack that is also tasty and satisfyingly meaty. 

It's a simple yet filling item that you'll definitely want to grab on your next Buc-ee's visit. Since it's priced at just $2.99, it's on the cheaper end of foods you can grab at our favorite mega-gas station (via I came here for the food...).

Many of the foods you have to try during your next Buc-ee's visit are ones you'll want to enjoy right away, or bring along to eat on the road. But the chain also offers a variety of foods that are perfect for taking home, perhaps as a souvenir from your adventure.

The brand's candied jalapenos are one great option. Perfect for adding to a charcuterie board, these spicy, yet sweet jalapenos go great with meats and cheeses, or on a burger. We won't judge if you choose to eat them straight from the jar either.

Alongside the jalapenos, you'll find an odd choice: pickled quail eggs. These tiny eggs are pickled in spicy brine alongside chopped peppers. Quail eggs not your style? Try the mayhaw jelly instead. Made from berries picked from the Southern mayhaw tree (via Southern Living), this jelly is bright pink and makes for a delicious, sweet topping for breads and pastries. Buc-ee's cinnamon honey butter is another popular Southern staple.

If you're not in the mood for a breakfast taco, you'll have plenty of other hot foods to choose from — and you should definitely try some on your next visit. Buc-ee's has surprisingly delicious hot sandwiches for a gas station.

The BBQ options — including the chopped brisket — are very appropriate for Texas. But you'll also find a pastrami Reuben on the menu that has a bit of a cult following. This sandwich comes on a pretzel bun topped with hot pastrami, crispy onion strings, and plenty of sauerkraut. The Signature Club sandwich features ham, bacon, and turkey topped with melted cheddar cheese, mayo, lettuce, and tomato, piled on a grilled white bun (via AL.com)

Many of the hot sandwiches and the BBQ options are made-to-order. This not only means that you can customize your options, but also that you're guaranteed a hot, fresh meal — you can skip the fast-food run and get gas, food, and snacks in one stop.

Looking for a salty, crunchy side to go along with some savory brisket BBQ? At Buc-ee's, you'll find a tray lined with individual bags of hot, fresh potato chips on the same counter where you'll also find the breakfast tacos in the morning and pre-made BBQ sandwiches in the afternoon. Beaver Chips are homemade potato chips that are fried in-store each day. They are sold in small, individual-sized paper bags, making them a great lunch side.

Because these are homemade and fresh and aren't packed into a sealable bag, they are best eaten right away. If you're grabbing road trip snacks to enjoy later on or over the course of a few days, you might be better off visiting Buc-ee's bagged snack aisle for a bag of Lay's, a box of Pringles, or a bag of Buc-ee's brand chips. The original inventor of potato chips may have been invented by accident, but if you love classic, greasy, homemade potato chips, picking up a bag certainly shouldn't be an accident!

Buc-ee's Nuggets and Nug-ees are a must-try. But with many of the same toppings as your favorite popcorn varieties, it probably comes as no surprise that you'll also find popped corn with the same flavors here.

You can fill up on fresh, tasty popcorn in the same Beaver-labeled bags as the Nuggets and Nug-ees come in. Caramel popcorn is the standard, but just like with the chain's most popular snack, you'll also find powdered cheese coated varieties, including regular cheddar and white cheddar. Can't make up your mind about what flavor you want? Try the Triple Play Popcorn (via Texas Snax). This bag features a mix of caramel corn, cheddar corn, and white cheddar corn. It's the perfect mix of sweet and savory, and great for enjoying on the go, albeit with some sticky fingers.

Another salty-sweet must-have are Buc-ee's bagged pretzels. Dipped varieties include chocolate, yogurt, and peanut, and blends like peanut-butter chocolate.

If you haven't spent much time in Texas and aren't familiar with Czech foods, you may never have heard of a kolache. But how this Czech pastry came to be as Texan as football or Tex-Mex is a long story. It dates back to Czech immigrants who founded communities in rural Texas in the 1880s (via NPR). Today, you can find these stuffed rolls at a variety of bakeries, restaurants, and convenience stores across the state — including at Buc-ee's.

At Buc-ee's, you'll find tons of fresh, homemade flavors of kolaches to choose from. Sweet options include those stuffed with fruits and fruit jellies. Savory options are also popular. The jalapeno-cheddar is a slightly spicy must-try. In true Texas-style, you can also enjoy varieties stuffed with meats like spicy sausage. If you're feeling particularly daring, try the boudin-stuffed kolache.

Dying to try a kolache but can't get to a Buc-ee's? You can make our easy cookie kolache recipe at home instead.

If you don't know what you're looking for, it's easy to miss this next popular snack food. This unique treat is one that you definitely won't find at most gas stations or truck stops. Sizzlin' Saltines start with saltine crackers and add a variety of sweet, salty, and spicy toppings. They're similar to homemade firecrackers.

Classic Sizzlin' Saltines are topped with a zesty seasoning and then baked. Ranch-lovers should try the Ranchin' Saltines, which are topped with a generous helping of ranch seasoning before being baked. A spicy variety is also available. These crackers are a fun addition to a meat and cheese plate — made up of a mix of beef jerky, summer sausage, and smoked cheeses from Buc-ee's, of course. They're also great on their own. But with all that seasoning, and the delicate saltine crackers as a base, these are a messy snack to enjoy in the car.