A Buc-ee’s fanatic spills the beaver nuggets on his favorite Buc-ee’s foods

We have become a Buc-ee’s family. For a long time, we’d heard whispers and had been Buc-ee’s curious. Now, after multiple road trips and witnessing one of the country’s largest Buc-ee’s being recently installed in our hometown, we’ve been able to soak in the Buc-ee’s travel center experience in multiple locations. And, I can finally confirm that it is indeed one of the best places to stop on a trip. In fact, we are completely smitten with the ever-expanding Texas chain of gas stations.

Now I’m ready to spill the sweet tea on the best foods to try for those who haven’t yet had the chance to immerse themselves in Buc-ee’s culture. Do keep in mind, that what the general public might consider to be the best Buc-ee’s snacks and my favorite Buc-ee’s snacks aren’t exactly the same thing, but I’ll try to thread the needle with a bit of both. Because I’m convinced, that while it’s no Michelin-star dining experience, it’s guaranteed the best “gas station food” you’ve ever had. Now, here are my picks for best Buc-ee’s snacks ranked.

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1. Barbecue

First we have Buc-ee’s barbecue. Previously, I’d tried the brisket and found it to be not bad. But at that point, I hadn’t tried the pulled pork. I corrected that mistake recently. While the brisket sandwich is better than most fast food road trip options, it’s not as good as local mom-and-pop barbecue establishments. The pulled pork, however, is a notch or two above the brisket. I suspect it’s because the pulled pork survives slightly better under the production limitations that Buc-ee’s must overcome. The calibrations don’t have to be quite as precise. Certainly, I’m not here to tell you to drive past a local smoker who’s doing barbecue to go to Buc-ee’s, but I am willing to tell you it’s probably the best mass-produced road trip sandwich available.

2. Beef jerky

Belinda Carlisle once sang “Heaven is a Place on Earth.” I’m pretty sure she was singing about the jerky counter at Buc-ee’s. It is like the meat case at a grocery store but instead of selections of steaks, chicken and ground beef, it’s just different flavors of dried meat piled high. How committed am I to the beef jerky life? I can remember the first time I had it. It was made by hand by a craftsperson who served it on a field trip at Historic Old Fort in Fort Wayne, Indiana. So, I like to think the reenactor – a champion of jerky tradition and pride – is looking down from somewhere ethereal at the Buc-ee’s jerky counter and pleased that their life’s work wasn’t in vain.

3. Breakfast tacos

Buc-ee’s has a variety of breakfast tacos. However, I think drifts closer to the realm of burritos – but we’re not going to quibble over technicalities. There are different varieties. The Hippo taco has bacon, egg, cheese, potatoes and beans. The Rhino substitutes sausage for bacon. And honestly, they are all wonderful.

4. Banana pudding

As you can probably tell from the list, I prefer savory snacks to sweet snacks most of the time, but I’m a sucker for banana pudding. In case you’re wondering, the best banana pudding in the world is at Dreamland Barbecue in Tuscaloosa. Buc-ee’s isn’t that good but when you’re on the road, you have to take what you can get. And this banana pudding is worth taking.

5. Trail mix

Buc-ee’s specializes in walls of various treats. There’s a beef jerky wall, a dried fruit wall and a wall of gummy treats. There is also a large section dedicated to a variety of trail mixes. It goes far beyond the typical trail mix with a variety for everyone. In particular, it’s a good energy snack for the road. 

6. Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets

A controversial selection here as the Beaver Nuggets are probably Buc-ee’s most recognizable and blogged-about snack. To me, they’re a cousin of the cereal Honey Smacks. But with more caramel flavor. It’s not my favorite thing but many people swear by the puffed corn nuggets. 

7. Cold sandwiches

While Buc-ee’s has quite an array of hot food, there is an excellent variety of deli sandwiches as well. I recently tried the Italian sub and it was really, really good. Not good for gas station food, but enjoyable enough that I’d seek it out again. The roast beef and the pastrami Reuben are also pretty good. If you enjoy a good sandwich, also consider their Signature Club which has ham, turkey, bacon, jalapeño Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and a spicy-sweet mayo.

8. Meats and cheese

When on the road, I like meats and cheeses and Buc-ee’s has a fine array of choices. On our most recent visit, I got a vacuum-sealed pork loin with pepper jack cheese. There are several options including a summer sausage that’s quite good as well. 

9. Chicken fajita tacos

I like Buc-ee’s tacos very much. Quite frankly, I haven’t met a Buc-ees fajita taco I didn’t like. Plus, bonus points for also being easy to eat in a car.

10. Caramel corn

It’s a high-floor, low-ceiling kind of snack. Is it possible to mess up caramel corn? I suppose, theoretically, it is, but more often than not you know what you’re getting with caramel corn. Good. Satisfying. Sweet. Crunchy. Not life-changing. But it’s a good road trip snack. 

11. Cinnamon rolls

Buc-ee’s has a variety of pastry selections and honestly, the cinnamon rolls are great. It’s just that as road trip food, cinnamon rolls can be a bit … messy. Therefore, I say get a box and put it away for the hotel at the end of the trip. But will I let you eat cinnamon rolls in our new family car? I will not.

12. Fudge

Again, we’re in the realm of personal preference. I’m not a fudge guy. Every tourist town in America hawks fudge and saltwater taffy and I’ve never much liked either. I think it’s the consistency. Still, even if you don’t have a sweet tooth, Buc-ee’s fudge counter is a sight to behold. They have flavors ranging from traditional, like the chocolate peanut butter, to the curious, like a blueberry cobbler, to the downright reckless – I’m looking at you, key lime pie – and also birthday cake.

13. Peach rings

Of the many varieties of gummy foods available at Buc-ee’s, and there are a great many, the peach rings are likely my least favorite. In truth, it’s not that they’re bad. It’s just that peach rings are not my thing. If you like sugary, peachy flavor, adjust accordingly. 

14. Fresh fruit

We can’t all live by Beaver Nuggets and beef jerky. We need a little fresh fruit. Buc-ee’s has a nice selection of fruit – probably slightly better than your typical gas station, but probably not quite as good as a local supermarket. Especially in the south where fresh fruit is available for most of the year, I can’t imagine targeting Buc-ee’s for the fruit. In Florida and Georgia, we saw dozens of ads for citrus fruit and peaches at stands up and down the interstate. In my experience, any one of those has better fruit than you’ll get from a large chain.

15. Buc-ee’s homemade chips

They’re chips. They don’t reinvent the art form or anything. But they are homemade, so there is that. Try asking for homemade chips at the local 7-Eleven and see what happens.

16. Buc-ee’s pickled quail eggs

Every once in a while, you get a real hint of Buc-ee’s Texas roots. Look, I’m an open-minded guy. Eat what you want to eat. I’m not saying pickled quail eggs are bad. They are actually quite tasty. But I do not want to go on a 10-hour road trip with someone eating pickled quail eggs.

17. Sausage on a stick

I’m genuinely sad to report this, as I am typically a big proponent of foods on sticks. The Buc-ee’s sausage on a stick – which comes wrapped in a tortilla – was difficult to navigate while driving and ultimately underwhelming in just about every way. 

Do you have a favorite Buc-ee’s food? What items do you think are the best? Let us know in the comments!

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