Buc-ee's

[Cummins12V98]

You need a diesel fuel card if you do truck stops. Filled up MH at TA, got $.46 / gallon savings for $3.09/gallon price.

No card needed if you go inside. Wife notes pump number goes inside tells them that and quantity of Diesel and DEF with a max $$$ amount. I fill up and call her letting it ring two times so she knows it's time to QUIT SHOPPING, pay and come to the truck.

 

[Wiredawg]

Ron, the fueling card gets you the discount thru a third party, like Open Roads.

 

[Crunch]

The Bud Light of C-stores

As others have pointed out, it not the truckers that Buc-ee's doesn't want, it's the trucks. If a trucker showed up in a car, pickup/trailer or RV they would be more than welcome. And to be fair, I've been to several of the Baby Buc-ee's stores in Texas that are happy to have the big trucks. These are the "original" Buc-ee's locations before they super sized. The canopies are close to 20' tall and the entire location is about the size of two 7-11s. If it is crowded you won't be able to get an 18 wheeler with a trailer in, but a bob-tail always fits. Perhaps the optimum solution would be for Buc-ee's to try an experiment where they open a few stores in high traffic locations that do have accommodations for the big trucks. Not sure they could make a profit off that, but they could give it a try. But what it comes down to is branding. Buc-ee's doesn't want to be known as a "truck stop". They want to be known as a family friendly travel stop that provides everything a traveling family wants when they need to get off the road for 20-30 minutes.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Ron, the fueling card gets you the discount thru a third party, like Open Roads.

Got it, those discount cards are not as good as my Costco Visa from what I have seen.

 

[TDRAdmin4]

Folks, let's keep the political stuff out of "other". Thanks.

(for those who don't know what I'm referring to, it's because you didn't see the post that was removed).

 

[crispyboy]

Last Saturday my wife and I stopped at a Bucee's in Calhoun, GA along I-75 heading home towards KY. This was my second time visiting a Bucee's and it will be my last.
I was pulling a u-haul trailer with a my FIL's old truck. I admit that I was not in the best of moods, 2 hours of traffic jams in Atlanta along with other parts of a long stressful story of taking care of my ill in-laws. The place was bustling but wanted to try their sandwiches as my friends said the food was ok. There was no place to park so I pulled up behind their building in an area where I wasn't blocking traffic, doorways or driveways. I stayed in the truck while my wife went in for the food. The manager came out and told me that I could not park there. I said my wife is in your store purchasing food, there is no place to park and when she walks out in 5 minutes we will leave. There is no signage stating that I cannot park in that spot. He started to get all red and threatened that this was private property and would call the police. Hey do what you need to do but I will leave in 5 minutes and will never return.
Maybe I was wrong but I will never visit the City of Bucee's again. Too d$%m many people and too top it off it wasn't worth the hassle for the sandwich. One of those rare moments when I pulled the -admin note: please no profanity - card.
I hope your experience was better than mine.

 

[Cummins12V98]

So many fuel lanes many just stay after getting fuel if towing and go inside.

 

[crispyboy]

We were just getting a sandwich and making a pit stop. I thought it would be rude to block a pump when I wasn’t getting fuel, the place was packed.

 

[Topzide]

@crispyboy, Sorry to hear that your experience wasn't very good. If they want to attract the general public, then you would think that they would have some place, that if you had a trailer, you'd have a place that wouldn't block anything if not needing fuel! I've gotten a few looks when towing my car trailer and getting fuel. It seems that there is no patience in the world today! It's all go go go all the time! Slow down and allow the time needed to get from point A to B! I always allow extra time to try and account for the unexpected. And if that happens, just enjoy the scenery the best you can. No sense getting all twisted up!

 

[Cummins12V98]

We were just getting a sandwich and making a pit stop. I thought it would be rude to block a pump when I wasn’t getting fuel, the place was packed.

I agree!!!

 

[slowmover]

Last Saturday my wife and I stopped at a Bucee's in Calhoun, GA along I-75 heading home towards KY. This was my second time visiting a Bucee's and it will be my last.
I was pulling a u-haul trailer with a my FIL's old truck. I admit that I was not in the best of moods, 2 hours of traffic jams in Atlanta along with other parts of a long stressful story of taking care of my ill in-laws. The place was bustling but wanted to try their sandwiches as my friends said the food was ok. There was no place to park so I pulled up behind their building in an area where I wasn't blocking traffic, doorways or driveways. I stayed in the truck while my wife went in for the food. The manager came out and told me that I could not park there. I said my wife is in your store purchasing food, there is no place to park and when she walks out in 5 minutes we will leave. There is no signage stating that I cannot park in that spot. He started to get all red and threatened that this was private property and would call the police. Hey do what you need to do but I will leave in 5 minutes and will never return.
Maybe I was wrong but I will never visit the City of Bucee's again. Too d$%m many people and too top it off it wasn't worth the hassle for the sandwich. One of those rare moments when I pulled the -admin note: please no profanity - card.
I hope your experience was better than mine.

Fire Lane, Product Delivery Location, Compressed Gas Access, plumbing, AC-Service. Fire door exits and emergency assembly areas. You were trespassing one or more of these.

A high volume store of any sort has to keep clarity about deliveries & services to keep running.

While it’s “nice” to try to stay out of the way, sometimes it isn’t possible.

In a big truck part of trip planning is using overhead satellite images to determine ingress/parking/egress the night before. Go/ No Go.

U-Haul & RV operators have a learning curve in this. Trailers or box trucks. Motorhomes or toy haulers.

He did you a favor.

In the period I delivered DEF via tanker to truck stops and big C-stores more than once I wanted to take a winch bar to the vehicles of inconsiderate types. I’ll just be a minute (right).

While I thoroughly dislike big chains driving out family businesses, even small chains, I wholly agree about the sanctity of operations.

75 from Atlanta to Chattanooga has too much traffic volume. There are no low-use locations. All are busy.

Focus on using rest areas and carrying one’s own food.

Fuel up before crossing a major metro (100-miles) and have a rest stop after. Doesn’t matter how much fuel you take on. Major metro regions are major risk zones. Top all reserves. Idling in 95F heat is barely 30-hours per fillup (80% useable).

Women, children and elderly as passengers mean a different strategy of more frequent stops. Figure a stop 1/2-hour past a meal. (Always).

www.roadfood.com was one way I planned those trips. Pulling a 12’ U-Haul trailer wasn’t the same hindrance given sat image study. Eat lunch or supper ahead of others. Etc.

Have alternatives ready. As husband and father this is duty. Random last minute decisions on where to stop is dereliction of said duty as risk evaluation is part of that process in planning.

Assume 50-MPH trip time (not road speed average).

One always loses an hour with major metros. 0200 or 1400 makes little difference. The 100-mile distance is what to split somewhere inside that circle with those passengers.

— Having a meal at a place the locals revere is grist for conversation in the future is the suggestion. A very pleasant reminder of the trip. Just stay out of the ‘hood.

Otherwise, one avoids entering the major metro circle after 1100 till past 2100.

Your planning failure wasn’t a store problem. Seen this way there’s a remedy.

And, hey, it’s Pride Month at Cracker Barrel. Who often have RV parking out back. There are more than a dozen truck stops on that stretch of road. Choose newest and easiest access next time.

Two hours or 100-mile planned breaks all day. Major metro needs one right before and right after due to stress, so make that transit with (1) hour stops.

There’s no good reason to carry this stress any farther than absolutely necessary. Not for you or passengers. A backup from a wreck is hell on bladders (get a radio). Same for one-lane construction zones. Have a way to talk with those around you if a diversion route is desirable.

An ideal in planning generally is a rest area no more than .75/hour at 55-MPH past a meal. Find the meal location in this way. When this works it’s seamless travel.

We now live in the world of inconsiderate and incompetent. Don’t be surprised at rules which address this as sub-95 national IQ can’t sustain high-trust First World civilization.

Cartoon character logos are for children.
You were warned.

.

 

[crispyboy]

Fire Lane, Product Delivery Location, Compressed Gas Access, plumbing, AC-Service. Fire door exits and emergency assembly areas. You were trespassing one or more of these.
There was no signage. I did not block any means of ingress/egress of the building or the traffic lane. Where the man directed me was to block traffic.

He did you a favor.
He did not do me any favors. If I would have moved, it is likely my wife would not have found me and this man does not have to live with my wife..... I stayed in the truck so if there was an "emergency" the truck could be moved.

Focus on using rest areas and carrying one’s own food.
This is typically done on a planned trip whether solo or with our travel trailer. This was a different type of trip where we had to be on the road, pronto!

Women, children and elderly as passengers mean a different strategy of more frequent stops. Figure a stop 1/2-hour past a meal. (Always).
My wife and I travel well together, think along similar lines and our bladders are typically on the same schedule.

Assume 50-MPH trip time (not road speed average).
Yes I agree.

And, hey, it’s Pride Month at Cracker Barrel. Who often have RV parking out back. There are more than a dozen truck stops on that stretch of road. Choose newest and easiest access next time.
That's a shame. I will not be sitting in any rainbow rocking chairs.... Another place to boycott.

We now live in the world of inconsiderate and incompetent. Don’t be surprised at rules which address this as sub-95 national IQ can’t sustain high-trust First World civilization.
Typically I am more considerate and understanding of situations but that particular day was led by a lack of restful sleep and stress of the family health situation. I take no pride in my short fused anger that day.

.

 

[Crunch]

There was no place to park so I pulled up behind their building in an area where I wasn't blocking traffic, doorways or driveways. I stayed in the truck while my wife went in for the food. The manager came out and told me that I could not park there.

I pull in to Buc-ee's all the time while pulling a 16' trailer, and have never had a problem. If I'm not fueling up I use the side lots and take up two end-to-end parking places. I think it was pulling up behind the store that was you undoing. You might also consider that that particular manager was also having a bad day, or he may have just been a D-bag. Either way, I wouldn't blame the store in general for the experience. For the short time you wife was in the store, simply driving a lap or two around the parking lot would probably have been sufficient to burn time; kind of like one of those drive-thru safari experiences...

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Buc-ees got some national exposure today.

https://www.today.com/food/worlds-largest-gas-station-bucees-tennessee-rcna91120

 

[NIsaacs]

Buc-ees got some national exposure today.

https://www.today.com/food/worlds-largest-gas-station-bucees-tennessee-rcna91120

I remember back in the 60's, that distinction might have went to the original Little America travel center chain in nowhere Wyoming, between SLC and Cheyenne. What an awesome place back in the day.

 

[06 Dodge]

I remember back in the 60's, that distinction might have went to the original Little America travel center chain in nowhere Wyoming, between SLC and Cheyenne. What an awesome place back in the day.

Recall as a kid my dad stopping at Little America it was a site to see back then...

 

[Crunch]

Buc-ees got some national exposure today.

From the article: "The newest location in Tennessee won't be the record holder for very long, however. Following the adage that everything is bigger in Texas, Buc-ee's is constructing a 75,000-square-foot location in Luling in the Lone Star State."

Apparently Texas also has the smallest Buc-ee's:

World's smallest Buc-ee's reopens in West Texas

 

[Crunch]

Make $1,000 and eat Buc-ee's food. No kidding. Some joint is hiring a person to do just that to help them compile a list of the best road trip snacks. Link to sign up at the end of the article if you are interested. You get the $1,000 and $250 to cover the cost of the food:

Dream job? How you can get paid $1,000 to taste test Buc-ee's snacks

 

[brucejohnson]

Make $1,000 and eat Buc-ee's food. No kidding. Some joint is hiring a person to do just that to help them compile a list of the best road trip snacks. Link to sign up at the end of the article if you are interested. You get the $1,000 and $250 to cover the cost of the food:

Dream job? How you can get paid $1,000 to taste test Buc-ee's snacks

Is the payment compensation for the weight loss classes you'd need after sampling all those delicious snacks?

 

[DaveHess]

We just spent two weeks in Port Lavaca, TxX and visited four Buc-ees! Unfortuately they were the small convenience store variety instead of a Travel Center. I was a little disappointed.... I wanted a T-Shirt