Intro

To know Buc-ee’s is to love Buc-ee’s.
From the clean bathrooms to the awesome homemade food…it’s an amazing place to visit.
Fortunately, more are on their way – including one state poised to gain an unprecedented THREE new Buc-ee’s locations in the near future!
Plus, let’s face it…
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Buc-ee’s is big

The selection is amazing.
That’s no surprise – the typical Buc-ee’s is over 50,000 square feet, or larger than your average grocery store.
It’s a lot of space for a lot of stuff.
And Buc-ee’s jam-packs it full!
But here’s the thing…
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There’s better food out there

Buc-ee’s food is good, no doubt.
But if you talk to fans of any of these other roadside convenience stores and restaurants, they’ll tell you they’re even better.
Are they correct? Well, that’s up for you to decide…
So let’s dive right in…
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Wawa

Where you’ll find them: Wawa has over 1,000 locations, mostly in the Mid Atlantic – Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia.
Why they’re better: Their prepared food is absolutely fantastic, and their menu is MUCH more diverse than Buc-ee’s. Enjoy their hoagies, mac ‘n cheese, sizzli breakfast sandwiches, and their chicken fingers – everything is great, and made-to-order.
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McDonald’s

Where you’ll find them: McDonald’s is in every state, and seemingly even every highway exit. There are over 13,000 McDonald’s in the US (and more than 36,000 worldwide).
Why they’re better: The Big Mac is the obvious choice, but honestly I really like McDonald’s breakfast too (even McDonald’s haters love the breakfast). Their hot cakes platter is a longtime favorite in my family, and their sausage egg and cheese biscuit is a go-to whenever I’m on the go.
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Sheetz

Where you’ll find them: Sheetz has over 700 locations centered around Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia, and North Carolina.
Why they’re better: Honestly, their French Fries are my favorite in the whole world. (Their chicken nuggets – called Shnuggetz – are pretty good too.) Their burger sliders are solid, their wraps are good, they’ve just done an amazing job of really stepping up their menu over the years while Buc-ee’s has reduced its options.
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Rutter’s

Where you’ll find them: Rutter’s has almost 100 locations, almost exclusively in Pennsylvania. (There are a few scattered in West Virginia and Maryland.)
Sidebar: I don’t know what it is with Pennsylvania and all these great food options – maybe it’s I-95? Discuss in the comments.
Why they’re better: Just look at their menu and you can tell. Hashbrown wraps, funnel cake fries, cannolis, seafood (!), burgers, there are a ton of great options. I’ve personally had the funnel cake fries, and they are amazing.
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Five Guys

Where you’ll find them: Five Guys has over 1,400 locations in 49 of 50 states (none in Alaska). Travel anywhere (especially up I-95 on the East Coast), and you’ll run into plenty.
Why they’re better: Five Guys has the best burgers in my opinion (aside from maybe In-N-Out – I think the customization options for Five Guys really sell me here), and their milkshakes are next level.
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• For fun lists, healthy living tips, and bar conversation topics, make sure to follow The Coconut Mama. Click here to access The Coconut Mama’s profile page and be sure to hit the Follow button here or at the top of this article!
• Have feedback? Add a comment below!
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Panera

Where you’ll find them: Panera has over 2,000 locations across 49 states (only Alaska misses out – sorry Alaska!), with large clusters in the major population centers – New York, Texas, California, Florida – as well as Ohio and Virginia.
Why they’re better: Listen, if you want healthy and tasty road trip food, Panera has got that locked down. I’ve driven while eating their salads before (would not recommend, stuff gets a little messy), and you can easily make do with a hot panini and a great bag of chips. (Or a hunk of bread.)
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Firehouse Subs

Where you’ll find them: Firehouse Subs has over 1,200 locations in 46 states, with more expansions planned in the near future.
Chances are good you’ll find one more or less anywhere you’re stopping.
Why they’re better: Their hot subs are fantastic – I highly recommend their Firehouse Hero, Spicy Cajun Chicken, and Smokehouse Beef & Cheddar Brisket. Great quality ingredients, great sandwiches, delivered quickly.
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Subway

Where you’ll find them: Subway is everywhere. It’s the most ubiquitous chain in the world, with about 37,000 locations in over 100 countries. It has over 20,000 locations just in the US!
Why they’re better: Good sandwiches, great value, very healthy. I don’t like Subway as much as Panera, but they’re certainly a cheaper option – and a great healthy alternative to Buc-ee’s.
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Buc-ee’s

Ok, come on, I couldn’t end this article without giving Buc-ee’s some love, too.
Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets are some of my favorite roadtrip snacks (when I can get them), and their peanut brittle and fudge are fantastic.
I love their chopped brisket sandwich and bbq options – you’ll notice I didn’t let any bbq joints get on this list – and obviously there’s lots of great food there.
Which brings me to the all-important question…
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What do YOU think?

How do these eight food options stack up vs Buc-ee’s? Were any obviously better or worse to you?
Some definitely challenge me on Subway and McDonald’s.
Let us know in the comments!
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