Most of us can relate to some level of frustration when it comes time to fuel up on a long road trip and every pump is occupied (sometimes by just a parked car because its owner is lollygagging inside). Buc-ee’s is known for its massive convenience stores and gas stations, all of which feature over 100 pumps and over 70,000 square feet of retail space.
The travel store chain was founded in 1982 in Texas by Arch “Beaver” Aplin III and now has 56 locations in 13 states. Arizona joined the list when the latest location opened just recently in June 2026 off Bullard Avenue and Interstate 10 in Goodyear, Arizona.
I’d been to a few Buc-ee’s locations during my previous cross-country travels, but I decided to make the 30-minute pilgrimage to see how the new Arizona store stacks up. I intentionally waited until a couple of weeks after the opening day because the hustle and bustle around that time was so chaotic that it was covered on the news for many days. People had been camped out waiting for opening day, and traffic control measures were put into place for the inevitable influx.
My visit took place on a Thursday evening around 6:30 p.m. While there were plenty of pump stations available, the interior of the building was packed with people. I walked past the signature bronze Buc-ee the bucktoothed beaver statue outside the front door and braved the crowd.
Buc-ee’s is the kind of place where you can spend a few hours and still not see all the merchandise. There were sections of the store dedicated to apparel and gifts, but the main attraction (aside from the fuel, of course) was the BBQ food available.
I helped myself to a turkey sandwich, pulled pork sandwich, Rice Krispy treat, some “Beaver Nuggets” (puffed caramel corn snack), and a couple of bottled beverages.
There are no tables or chairs — on purpose — because everything is intentionally served up to-go. I took note of the Wall o’ Jerky on my way out, so I grabbed a bag of “mesquite peppered” jerky for a friend. The cashier was friendly when I had a short Q&A with her; she told me there were 128 pumps in total.
On prominent display was a 1948-50 Ford F-1 pickup that had been heavily customized. Check out the stuffed beavers in the “bucket” wheels. Also, the grille was replaced with a custom one (likely to resemble Buc-ee’s buck teeth). Clever touch, indeed.
The vibe at Buc-ee’s was more like that of a theme park than a gas station. In fact, the constant conversation and acoustics inside the space made it sound a bit like a cafeteria. It’s an experience that certainly won’t be for everyone, but I think if you’re an avid road tripper, you have to try it at least once. By the way, the BBQ turkey sandwich was amazing.
