Buc-ee’s, the larger-than-life Texas travel stop that’s equal parts gas station, food hall and roadside spectacle, is heading west. Its newest home? Springville, Utah.
A Lone Star legend to nationwide sensation
Every state has its sacred roadside icons. Californians proudly defend In-N-Out. In the Midwest, Culver’s holds loyal fans. For Texans, Buc-ee’s (along with Whataburger) is woven into the state’s identity.
For decades, Buc-ee’s has been a Texas treasure, but in recent years, it’s also become an internet sensation. The chain has inspired more than 128,000 TikTok posts and 66,000 Instagram hashtags, turning what should be a pit stop into a bucket-list destination. Travelers rave about their first visits, post videos of its seemingly never ending aisles and review Buc-ee exclusive offerings, like their brisket sandwiches.
Step inside and you’ll see why. One Reddit user described it as “a really large gas station, like having a hundred gas pumps large. That’s just the outside. In the store, it is part convenience store, part Bass Pro Shop less the sporting goods, and part restaurant. They have their own bakery in store and barbecue area serving brisket and pork. Their restrooms are huge and plentiful. It’s more than just a gas station but isn’t Disney.”
Another fan put it more simply: “It’s basically Texas, but condensed down into a gas station.”
One TikTok couple recently visited the gas station and marveled, “They make movies about places like this,” and joked that someone could “get your grocery shopping and your Christmas shopping all in one.”
Buc-ee’s turns the mundane act of filling up a tank into part of the vacation itself. With 54 locations nationwide — only 18 of them outside Texas — the brand has slowly been expanding. Until now, Colorado was the westernmost frontier. Springville will soon push that line further into new territory for Buc-ee’s.
Colorado’s beaver backlash
While Utahns are gearing up to welcome the beaver-branded giant, not every community has been quick to roll out the welcome mat. Buc-ee’s first Colorado location drew plenty of excitement, according to the Colorado Sun.
The second proposed site, however, has been met with some resistance. Residents of Palmer Lake, located north of Colorado Springs, voiced their concerns that the 24/7 station would clog small-town roads with traffic, pollute the night sky with its lighting and put a strain on the water supply — an independent study cited by the Sun noted water demand would jump by nearly 20%.
The debate has grown so tense that it even sparked a recall effort against members of the town’s board of trustees, Fox Business reported.
Buzz in the Beehive State
Reaction online to the Utah location has been mixed — though largely enthusiastic. One X user voiced skepticism, questioning whether Springville tax dollars should be used to support the project.
Many more expressed excitement about Buc-ee’s finally making its way to Utah.
A recurring joke among commenters: the first Utah location of the beaver-themed franchise should have opened in Beaver, Utah.
Utah’s growing roster of cult favorites
For now, Utahns seem more excited than wary. Buc-ee’s will join an expanding lineup of out-of-state favorites, like Shake Shack, the New York burger joint that landed here in 2019, and Houston Hot Chicken, which opened its doors in 2023.
The conversation is already buzzing about what could come next. On local wish lists: Sweetgreen and Cava for fast-casual meals, Bojangles for its biscuits, Pret a Manger for sandwiches, and the elusive Waffle House for late-night runs. Others are hoping Whataburger will follow Buc-ee’s out of Texas, while some dream of Burger Lounge, Seattle Chocolates or even Aldi setting up shop in Utah.
Whether or not those other brands follow, one thing is certain: When Buc-ee’s opens in Springville, Utahns will see what all the fuss — and all those TikToks — are about.