Back in 2019 Business Insider's Kate Taylor visited a Buc-ee's, and she described it as: "Walking into Buc-ee's was like wandering into a mix of a Walmart, a barbecue-centric deli, and the Texas tourism bureau, plus a dash of the Cracker Barrel general store." Aw-shucks!
Believe it or not, not everyone is like Taylor. Buc-ee's has haters. Bless their hearts. We know as we keep an eye on all things Buc-ee. However, we don't blame them. True genius is sometimes misunderstood.
Here are a few of the arguments we've seen online, but we won't link to them to protect the innocent and future converts. Just trust us. We endured this scaring research project so y'all don't have to.
Some people call fans of the store a "cult." We like to point out that the fan base is quite large -- so much so that it is actually a cult following. What these people don't realize is that Buc-ee is a big tent (and store!) kind of guy, and these wannabe commentators are cool enough to pump gas at and sit on the throne in one of his gas stations, eat his grub, and wear his fashion line. This is too popular of a movement for this one word label. However, we would risk it for the brisket even if it was a cult instead of cult following.
Other people think that the stores are "garish." What's wrong with that? According to Merriam-Webster, its antonyms (near and precise) include: plain, simple, understated, and unflashy. How boring! If a store was, say, modest, how long would y'all have to wait in line for an open gas pump? Further, would an unflamboyant shop have 80s-tastic (thanks, Urban Dictionary!) shirts? We doubt it. Garish never looked so rad. Count us in!
Apparently, it seems weird to some folks for people to take their plush Buc-ee with them on vacation. They clearly misunderstand what the chain is all about -- travel. The store is there for roadtrippers, commuters, and joyriders with immaculately clean bathrooms, snacks galore, friendly staff, and a little bit of home (like a stuffed beaver) to take as y'all travel far and wide. What's weird about that?
Having said all of that, there's one type of complaint that we can't counter. That's when people are distressed that there isn't a Buc-ee near them. Some of us here at Texas Snax are in such a predicament. The struggle is real. We asked y'all on our Facebook page where stores are needed, and all y'all responded. Let's hope that this one complaint is deemed valid and worthy of remedy, but until then Texas Snax will ship what y'all need to your doorsteps.