Buc-ee’s Is No Longer the #1 Convenience Store—Here’s What Took the Top Spot

Hayley Schueneman

This takeover is a little ironic, actually.

Road trips have been a big part of my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. My family drove from Chicago to Orlando to spend a week at Disney World when I was in middle school. During that 18-hour drive, I read Harry Potter, played my Gameboy and looked out the window at the changing scenery—in other words, I was in heaven. I’m sure if you ask my dad, who did all the driving, he might choose a different location than “heaven” to describe that particular adventure.

Now that I’m old enough to do the driving, I still prefer it to flying or taking a train. I love being able to take breaks whenever I want. And there is no greater feeling than pulling off the highway to take a break at a convenience store. I just know that a Diet Coke, a hot dog, a sleeve of Oreos and a full tank of gas are in my future.

One of the places I still really want to visit is Buc-ee’s. The Texas-based chain has gained a cult status among fans for being the biggest, best convenience store in the country. Its mascot is a beaver named Buc-ee, and you can even buy Buc-ee’s merch that features his cute little face. But despite how often Buc-ee’s goes viral on TikTok, it looks like there is a new king of convenience stores in town.

What is the top convenience store in the country?

The top spot in 2025 was taken by Wisconsin-based chain Kwik Trip. Now, I think this is a little ironic, considering that the University of Wisconsin’s mascot is Bucky the Badger. It was a Buc-ee/Bucky face off—and Bucky the Badger came out on top. On Wisconsin!

According to the American Consumer Satisfaction Index 2025, Kwik Trip ranked first with an overall score of 84 out of 100. This score was calculated based on how well each convenience store “maximized satisfaction and loyalty.” The variety and availability of food and drink products, the cleanliness of the stores and bathrooms and friendliness of staff all play a roll in this score.

I may be biased since I live in the Midwest, but I do love Kwik Trip. The floors are always squeaky-clean, and I’ve never had an issue getting the food and drinks that I want. Now I’ll have to visit Buc-ee’s and see how well it stands up!

The Top 10 Convenience Stores in the Country

Buc Ees Is No Longer The No.1 Convenience Store — Caroline/stock.adobe.com

Based on that same report, here are the top 10 best convenience stores in the country for 2025. It was a pretty competitive year, and a lot of places ended up tied with others. If you see one of these from the highway, safe to say you won’t regret pulling over for some food and gas!