Why This Beloved Buc-Ee's Sandwich Hits The Wallet So Hard

To the uninitiated, Buc-ee's is just another gas station, albeit a really big one. Regular aficionados of interstate car trips, however, understand that Buc-ee's is so much more than a convenience store: it is an oasis of spotless restrooms and multitudinous tasty snacks just outside the thick snarl of highway traffic. Its glowing beaver's head mascot peeks over the treeline to let you know that comfort and deliciousness will be the hallmarks of your next pitstop. There are many reasons that Buc-ee's ranks high on our list of the best gas station food, but the number one with a bullet is the Texas-style brisket that is Buc-ee's signature bite.

Buc-ee's employees hand-chop and sauce their brisket in-house, guaranteeing a fresh, succulent product that will fuel your belly for another few hundred miles. The brisket, actually, is worth a dedicated visit if you are one of the lucky folks who live close enough to a Buc-ee's to make a quick jaunt over. Just don't be surprised by the price tag. If you have a big appetite, the Big Buckin' Brisket Sandwich XXL is perfect for you, but it will set you back 13 bucks. 

More than a few Buc-ee's fanatics have argued that this price is ludicrous for a glorified gas station sandwich. The counterpoint to that, however, is that the sandwich is absolutely massive and that brisket is labor-intensive to cook and prepare well, justifying the meaty cost.

Buc-ee's offers more diminutive brisket sandwiches for around $8, but the Big Buckin' Brisket Sandwich XXL is stuffed with a full 13 ounces of meat. For those bad at math, that's darn close to a full pound of beef, which makes for a mighty sandwich. If you have small paws, it might be a two-hander. If you have a small tummy, it's definitely shareable. 

Overwhelming heft is not the only factor driving the cost of Buc-ee's brisket. Folks who know how long it takes to smoke that particular cut of cow understand that you could be looking at a full day of work to prepare this protein. The brisket at your closest Buc-ee's is smoked at a Texas facility for 12 to 14 hours and then shipped to the chain's stores for final processing. To some degree, you are paying for the convenience of having someone else make a labor-intensive meal on your behalf.

Is a Buc-ee's brisket sandwich worth $12.99? That's ultimately between you and your wallet, but you have to respect the economics that help construct this hot, enormous brisket sandwich. If the price isn't to your liking, Buc-ee's offers all manner of other delicious meals — check out its chicken fajita tacos with a side of thick-cut, homemade potato chips, for instance. Otherwise, maybe you'd prefer venturing a little further off the exit in search of the best local fast food chains in your part of the country.