10 ways Buc-ee's is a Texas traveler's friend

It's not always about the destination but the journey.

If you've never been to Buc-ee's, you might be tempted to think it's just another gas station. But you haven't lived until you've visited the beaver palace.

Buc-ee's is larger than life and brings 10 benefits to the lives of travelers on Texas highways and byways:

World's cleanest restrooms

It's one of the scariest things you'll ever encounter on the road: being forced to use a dirty gas station commode. But when you see the big yellow Buc-ee's orb in the distance, there's a sense of serenity that can (albeit briefly) calm any seat-shifting pee pee dance.

Buc-ee's has made its name on the idea you'll always find the cleanest restrooms there. In fact, Buc-ee's was awarded the title of Cleanest Restrooms in America 2012.

Inside, you'll find pristine bathrooms, plenty of toilet paper, and an abundance of urinals and toilets. A thing of beauty.

There's food. Food everywhere.

Sometimes you need to refuel and at Buc-ee's you'd be hard pressed not to find something you can eat. From hot barbecue sandwiches and burritos, to sweets, fruit and veggie cups, cheese platters and more, it's like a grocery store in here.

A few Buc-ee's items you must try before you die:

• Beaver nuggets
• Buc-ee's jerky
• The 'birthday' Rice Krispies treat
• Buc-ee's fudge

The convenience store also offers a huge assortment of drinks you can't find at other gas stations.

Best souvenir shop in the Lone Star State

Beaver plush and tees are hot commodities across Texas, and you can find these at Buc-ee's along with Yeti and RTIC mugs, home décor, country music CDs and a massive toy section, too.

One ABC13 web producer says their boyfriend often buys birthday and holiday gifts at Buc-ee's en route to his family's place in Odessa, especially those gigantic bags of shelled pecans at Christmas.

The best road trip selfie ever

We have to admit: we're pretty fond of Buc-ee's beaver mascot. He's adorable, he's plentiful (in terms of merchandise), and he's a Texan. What could be better than that?

A selfie with the Buc-ee's beaver. That's what.

You can find a human-sized beaver at many of their locations, perfect for cozying up for Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook.

Welcome to Pumpville

Buc-ee's gas game is strong, with dozens of pumps available as you pull into the parking lot.

It's true, you might have to drive around the massive lot for a bit to find one, but the wait is never terribly long. People are moving in and out pretty quickly, getting the petrol to fuel your car, truck, boat, ATV and other gas guzzlers.

Bug splatter no more!

When the lovebugs come out in Texas, you'll know it by the crime scene they leave splattered across your vehicle bumpers and grills This nasty affair is easily solved with a trip through Buc-ee's super efficient car washes.

The best part: in some cases and at some locations, you get a discount on gasoline with the purchase of a car wash. Score!

They're modern and efficient

In addition to offering speedy checkout, Buc-ee's brought their food service into the 21st century with electronic ordering kiosks. Having travelers input their orders at some Buc-ee's locations instead of employees means hot food faster, since more workers can dedicate themselves to preparing your meal.

Bright lights and plenty of people

In the middle of the night, it's comforting to find a place to stop that doesn't remind you of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Buc-ee's is well lit, there are always people around, and it at least makes you feel that it can be reasonably safe.

You should still always exercise caution, locking your vehicle and keeping aware of your surroundings. But it seems a lot safer than some other possibilities out there.

The billboards are pretty funny

When the family or your friends are passed out in the back of the car, those familiar black and yellow Buc-ee's billboards are good travel companions.

Not only are they humorous, often encouraging you to hold "it," they are also a nice way to measure how much longer you'll be in the car.

Buc-ee's offers higher-than-minimum wage jobs

The company says it pays high wages and paid vacation to their employees. Because of this, Buc-ee's is able to offer a higher standard in customer service. Their people seem truly happy to be at work and are helpful when you need something. Everybody wins.

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