We’re getting Mississippi’s first Buc-ee’s. Is the food really as good as everyone says?
In case you haven’t heard, South Mississippi is getting a Buc-ee’s.
I know, I know. The news is just flying under the radar. But they’re even shutting down entire lanes of the interstate for it!
If this is the first time you’re hearing about this, I’ll catch you up: Buc-ee’s is opening a new location on Menge Avenue near Diamondhead and it could be open by Thanksgiving.
What is a Buc-ee’s? Well, it’s a gas station. You fill up at the pump, buy some snacks and high-five the beaver on the way out. OK, I may be summarizing a bit.
It’s certainly more than that. The Texas-based mega-convenience store is known for its top-notch bathrooms, dozens of fuel pumps, throngs of people, beaver-branded paraphernalia and wide range of food.
That last part is what I’m here to break down. The nearest current location to the Mississippi Coast is in Robertsdale, Alabama along I-10 and actually near where my family lives. I’ve frequented the store on many occasions and decided to pass along a review while making my way through the area for the Sun Belt basketball tournament in Pensacola.
The food at Buc-ee’s is plentiful. You know this if you’ve ever walked into one. I could never write down everything they have within the red-and-tan walls here, so I’ll hit the highlights.
All the typical snacks and drinks found at a gas station are here, but those aisles are placed off to the side and it’s usually the most peaceful area in the building. In the center is a fudge-and-barbecue stand that is surrounded by meal kiosks, snack stands and a kitchen-front food bar.
Here you will find anything and everything. The fudge is prepared in front of you. You’ll find chocolate, salted caramel, tiger butter, birthday cake and plenty more. There’s cookies, glazed nuts and other treats around here, as well.
On other side is the chopped-in-front-of-you barbecue sandwich stand. You take your pick between buns stuffed with pulled pork, sliced turkey, chopped brisket, three meat and others.
I almost never visit without grabbing a chopped brisket sandwich. To me, these sandwiches are the highlight of the offerings. They carry a smokiness that gives it a genuine taste and the sauce used behind the bar adds the right amount of tang.
Then there’s the jerky. Peppered, mesquite, steakhouse or however you want it. That alongside a treasure trove of treats from pecan-topped cinnamon rolls to white chocolate macadamia nut cookies to muffins and cake rolls. There are kolaches stuffed with sausages, cherry filling, cream cheese or strawberry.
There are even burritos. The chicken burrito is massive. A stuffed homewrecker from Moe’s pales in comparison. It’s loaded with chicken, rice, bell pepper, corn relish, onion and chipimiento. You won’t be able to fit much else in once you’ve had this.
And, of course, there are the famed beaver nuggets. I can’t speak for the variety of flavors like cinnamon sweet and white cheddar, but you can think of the taste of the original nuggets as similar to the caramel popcorn you find in the big Christmas popcorn buckets.
And finally, the fountain drinks are 79 cents in any size.
Not everything is stellar. You’re not going to order a custom-built hot dog and swear off ever buying another ballpark dog again. But much of it is surprisingly high quality for a convenience store. They do have a full-sized kitchen, after all.
Buc-ee’s is worth the stop for a number of reasons. Whether you want to quickly grab a couple sandwiches to bring home for dinner or grab some gas and meals that will put the kids to sleep for the next several hours, Buc-ee’s more than serves that purpose and does it well.
