We were visiting our friends Pam and Pat in Florida, when, as we were talking about lunch, Pat mentioned the brisket sandwich at Buc-ee’s, a chain of gas stations that started in Texas, with an outpost in Daytona Beach. The close to an hour drive, with potentially traffic, was not a deterrent, my love for BBQ being more powerful than the idea of potentially sitting in traffic the day before Thanksgiving…As we drove, I was already checking Buc-ee’s website, trying to figure out what I should try there. Brisket and pulled pork sandwiches were on the menu, so I had no other choice than trying both! As we arrived, there was already a line to pull into the giant parking lot, with people eating in their car or standing in front of their vehicle, holding sandwiches that they devoured without hesitation. You guessed it: there are no tables; you grab your food and eat in our car or next to it, making it a whole experience.

The place in Daytona Beach is huge: a gigantic parking lot with car wash and gas station on one side, and a fairly large store in the back. There, t-shirts, house decorations and various Buc-ee’s souvenirs, sit next to cakes, chocolates, and other kinds of foods, with three main areas of focus: first is their jerky that I did not try (I regret it as I am writing this, ditching the overpriced Amazon merchandise). Then is their fudge that looks amazing and tastes pretty good, especially the praline fudge that was my favorite, over the birthday cake one that Jodi liked.

But the main attraction was the brisket and pulled pork sandwiches. In the middle of the station, you can see that brisket with its nice bark being chopped and then smothered with some sweet BBQ sauce before being squeezed between two soft buns and wrapped (no need to wait for your sandwich to be done, they have a bunch ready for grab). As they prepare the sandwiches, you can hear them yelling “Fresh, hot brisket on board!” or “Sauce on the board!”, followed by an acknowledgment from the staff, like you would hear “Oui, Chef” in a fancy restaurant. So, I grabbed a pulled pork sandwich ($7.48) and a chopped brisket sandwich ($8.49). I admit that, although the pulled pork was good, my favorite was the brisket that was so tender, it literally melted in my mouth.

With it, we tried their Beaver Nuggets that are puffed corn tossed in a mix of butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla, that give it an interesting taste. Crunchy, you need a couple before liking them, the first few being more focussed on trying to figure out what they taste like rather than wondering if you like them or not. Then, they start being a bit addictive…

Beaver nuggets at Buc-ee's in Daytona Beach, Florida

Overall it was fun: the brisket sandwich is definitely something I would get again, but I would go for the XXL that has more brisket in it. Eating this in the back of a car was whole experience, worth the drive.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Buc-ee’s - 2330 Gateway N Dr, Daytona Beach, FL 32117

Buc-ee's: come for the brisket, leave with the experience

I Just Want To Eat!