BY MATTHEW MARTINEZ
January 17, 2018 11:39 AM
Updated January 17, 2018 01:34 PM
Buc-ee the beaver reigns supreme.
Gas stations pepper the maze of highways we use for our cross-country explorations, and they’re largely a dime a dozen.
But here’s another reason why you’re lucky if you do most of your driving in the Lone Star State.
Gas Buddy, a consumer-driven website that tracks gas prices, has named — nay, confirmed— what the criss-crossers of Texas’ highways have long known: Buc-ee’s is the best gas station in all the land.
Gas Buddy compiled the findings using customer ratings and reviews from various websites Jan. 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, and ranked the chains with at least 30 retail locations in the U.S. in five categories: best coffee, best outdoor lighting, customer service, cleanliness and restrooms.
Buc-ee’s won in a landslide. According to Gas Buddy’s “data science team,” Buc-ee’s took top honors in all five.
“Bathrooms so clean you can eat off the floors” is the popular refrain among Buc-ee’s disciples. While doctors probably wouldn’t recommend it, better to do it at Buc-ee’s than anywhere else, according to Gas Buddy’s findings.
QuikTrip, with its 740 locations spread from Illinois to North Carolina to Texas, was fourth on the list. Illinois-based Kally’s Market took second, and Kwik Trip, not to be confused with QuikTrip, was third.
Bucee’s brought its seemingly endless variety of trail mix and jerky to north Fort Worth in May 2016. The location sits on I-35W, just south of Texas Motor Speedway. Its new neighbor, the Tanger outlets, opened in Oct. 2017 as part of the Champions Circle development, a 279-acre commercial mixed-use development at I-35W and Texas 114.
Matthew Martinez: 817-390-7667; @MCTinez817