Buc-ee’s massive travel centers stock nearly everything a road-tripper could want — but one of America’s most popular soft drinks isn’t on the menu.
The Texas-born convenience chain, known for its sprawling snack selections, smoked brisket sandwiches, homemade fudge, and famously clean restrooms, has an exclusive partnership with Coca-Cola, according to The Takeout. That deal means Buc-ee’s coolers and fountain machines carry Coke products — and shoppers searching for Pepsi, Mountain Dew, or other PepsiCo beverages will come up empty at nearly every location.
A Surprising Gap in the Snack Aisle
Exclusive beverage agreements are standard practice at restaurants and fast-food chains, but they’re far less common at convenience stores, where travelers generally expect to find products from both major soda brands side by side. For many first-time Buc-ee’s visitors, the absence of Pepsi only becomes apparent once they’re already standing in front of the drink coolers.
There is at least one exception to the rule. A Buc-ee’s location in Johnstown, Colorado, has reportedly stocked Pepsi products rather than Coca-Cola, making it a rare outlier among the chain’s otherwise Coke-exclusive footprint.
Expansion Means More Travelers Will Find Out the Hard Way
The quirk is set to reach a much wider audience as Buc-ee’s pushes into new markets. The chain has announced plans to open its first locations in Arkansas, Wisconsin, Kansas, Louisiana, and North Carolina within the next two years, introducing thousands of first-time customers to the travel center experience — and, for Pepsi drinkers among them, to an unexpected detour in their beverage plans.
