The Buc-Ee's Ordering Mistake You Might Be Making On A Road Trip

You've been counting down the exits. You're starving, the car's running low on gas, and everyone's cranky and ready to stretch their legs. Then, you see it: a giant cartoon beaver on the horizon, ready to save the day. Inside, Buc-ee's has everything you could possibly want from a roadside pit stop, with more than 50 locations across the Southern part of the country. Think: brisket sandwiches that nod to the chain's Texas roots, fudge, pulled pork, and biscuits — all made fresh daily. But while Buc-ee's serves some darn good barbecue, the one thing you won't find is a spot to sit down to eat your messy food. 

Buc-ee's is built to get you in, stocked up, gassed up, and back on the road. Sure, you'll want to set aside some time for selfies with the beaver statue and take a lap with a buggy around the merch section, but the lack of seating is all part of the plan. When locations are turning over 600 cars an hour, there's no time for lingering — and that's where people typically mess up. They order something hot, heavy, and sauce-loaded, only to realize they'll be eating it Guy Fieri–style: hunched over a trash can in the parking lot, or with brisket juice dripping onto the passenger seat. Just like Fieri instructed Jimmy Fallon to cradle his burger buns on "The Tonight Show," there's a move for that kind of sandwich — the "hunch" — where you cradle the fixings with your hands to keep it from falling apart. But if your Buc-ee's order can't comfortably ride in your lap, you might want to stick to something handheld.

Luckily, Buc-ee's has plenty of options that won't require you to change into your new Buc-ee's T-shirt right after you eat. There are literal aisles of snacks, all packaged and ready to go. If jerky's your thing, you're in luck — Buc-ee's jerky wall features roughly 15 different flavors. Ghost pepper and jalapeño honey bring the heat, while the popular cherry maple flavor keeps it on the sweet side as you chomp along the interstate.

Kolaches are another go-to. You might know the savory version of this pastry as pigs in a blanket. They're soft rolls filled with sausage, cheese, or fruit, and they won't fall apart in your lap. And of course, the crispy, caramel-coated, corn puff Beaver Nuggets are made for one-handed snacking — one hand in the bag, one hand on the wheel. The burritos are a solid option too, tightly wrapped in foil so you can unwrap them bite by bite. And what's a trip to Buc-ee's without the Southern staple banana pudding? It comes in a cup with a lid, so — potholes aside — you should be fine as long as you don't get too excited about the size of the scoop on your spoon.

But you don't have to skip Buc-ee's legendary gas station brisket and pulled pork entirely. Just plan to eat it while you're parked and keep your napkin game strong. Buc-ee's might not give you a table, but it offers you plenty of ways to avoid wearing your lunch — and a pristine bathroom to clean up if you get lost in the sauce.