Buc-ee's Johnstown, Colorado

[Chef455]

Just opened a week or so ago. Johnstown is about 45 minutes north of Denver. Alas I had something needing doing in Loveland, about 15 miles further north. My trip was fabulously extended by about 30 minutes due to the gridlock on I-25 created by every Tom, Dick & Harriet that needed to go see the new giant gas station.

Look, I'm not going to hate on Buc-ee's. They apparently make a decent brisket, the restrooms are immaculate, and it likely is a beloved beacon of comfort to a whole lot of folks that are out on the open road. I will say that 116 gas pumps seems excessive to me. I've fueled up on the I-25 corridor many a time and may have waited a minute or 5 on a few occasions. I have never thought "gee, I sure do wish there were 100 more pumps". But I digress.

Ya' all did the same thing with In-N-Out Burger(decent, but it's a fast food burger = why?) Yet you were not "in and out", you were in line for upwards of four hours.

Krispy Kreme... hours for a glazed donut when they first opened here. Are you kidding me? I walk past Krispy Kreme boxed up by the dozen in the grocery store. A glazed .

Trader Joe's absolutely mobbed when it first opened. I've been since, it isn't for me, but kudos for no self check out

Anyhow, there isn't much allure to me when it comes to waiting long periods of time for chain store shopping. I have some of the best brisket a couple miles from home (sorry Buc-ee's) and oddly I see gas stations all over the place, there isn't a fast food burger in the world worth more than a 3 minute wait, not all donuts are equal but at the end of the day it's just a donut.

As always YMMV. Enjoy the queue.

 

[ewk]

I totally do not understand the Buccees allure. An overcrowded tourst trap with starry-eyed overeweight families mindlessly bumping into each other thinking blissfully "Wow, we're at Buccees."

-A northeastern transplant in SC (the great state that brought you the first shot of "the Unfortunate Incident" and that other tourist trap "South of the Border")

 

[Lightcs1776]

I am one that enjoys Bucees. There is one in Tennessee, off of I-75, where I can stop for gas and get a quick bite to eat or a cup of coffee when I’m driving to Georgia to visit family. While it is busy, I can get in and out in ten minutes. I don’t need to wander the store looking for trinkets. I just walk up to the section with salads or coffee, grab what I need, and head to the checkout. I think people in general have a fascination with new stores, which I don’t understand, but it usually does down relatively quickly.

 

[Mojo88]

The thing I like about Bucees is the salad section. The salads are fresh and the selection is comparable to a restaurant. Plus the coffee is decent.

When our son lived in Florida we stopped at all of the big gas stations. Bucees, Racetrack and Wawa are everywhere and all are busy. I typically just wanted to get in and out.

Where we live the big ones are Sheets and Speedway. Sheets has made to order food and in all reality it’s better than fast food. The gas is all the same price so no reason to stop at one vs another unless you are getting food.

When they have a new station opening they typically discount the gas and cars are lined up for blocks. I never had the time or patience to save 3.00 and wait 30 minutes.

 

[Sideburns]

Ya' all did the same thing with In-N-Out Burger(decent, but it's a fast food burger = why?) Yet you were not "in and out", you were in line for upwards of four hours.

I'm a Colorado transplant from Southern California and I can tell you that In-N-Out Burgers don't taste quite the same here as they do out on the Coast. Why? Because they only use local beef, never frozen, and the beef here isn't fed quite the same as out there and that makes the burgers taste different. And as long as they insist on fresh local beef, there's nothing anybody can do about it, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I also like Trader Joe's and shop there when I happen to be near one, which isn't often. Just think of them as a gourmet grocery without the Whole Paycheck prices.

 

[Chef455]

I'm a Colorado transplant from Southern California and I can tell you that In-N-Out Burgers don't taste quite the same here as they do out on the Coast. Why? Because they only use local beef, never frozen, and the beef here isn't fed quite the same as out there and that makes the burgers taste different. And as long as they insist on fresh local beef, there's nothing anybody can do about it, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I also like Trader Joe's and shop there when I happen to be near one, which isn't often. Just think of them as a gourmet grocery without the Whole Paycheck prices.

Agreed on local In & Out. Agree to disagree on Trader Joe's. Genuinely hope you're happy here in the Centennial State. California is a nice place to visit... you know the cliche.

 

[Climb14er]

Been here in Colorado fifty years… enjoy In n Out, Trader HO’s, both a lot. Will stop in to Bucees when I’m headed North from Denver. Have to unfortunately say… Denver and Colorado used to be fairly moderate politically. Denver was a way smaller cowtown back then. Now, the crime, congestion and radical politics have taken hold the last ten years. I miss the old Colorado!

 

[DesertIguana]

Here is my take your talking about Truck Stop, aka now Travel Center, they are all in business to make money off Tourists, and OTR DRIVERS.

Can not recall many memoriable experiences at Truck Stops, most the food was marginal, everything they sold was over priced. Best or Funniest thing I ever saw was a clerk restock a display of Navajo Dream Catcher, the funny part was the clerk was careful removing made it CHINA STICKER.

Do recall a Great Steak Dinner at 76 TruckStop in South St. Paul, MN. A Great Hamberger at Soap Brother in Omahtruck Stop Returanta, NE. Great Gerrn Chili at Sinclair TruckStop in Pinon, CO. Last on I-25 between Denver & Fort Collins you got on Johnson Cornors, Truck Stop Restuant know for never being closed, great food and Mega Cinnamon Rolls to die for.

 

[Mojo88]

We were traveling yesterday and stopped in the Bucees in Richmond Ky. The entrance and exit to the freeway are well planned out and accommodate the traffic well. The food is what you expect and it’s busy, but there is plenty of staff. What was interesting is the number of EV chargers. I believe there is a total of six and literally 100 gas pumps. There was one Kia EV the entire time we were there which was about an hour. The gas and diesel were a constant stream.