Is Buc-ee's Actually a Tourist Trap? It's Possible

Could it be that our very favorite roadside pit stop with the snaggle-toothed mascot is fast-approaching the definition of a tourist trap?

Well...yes. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I came across this interesting post by PhotoAiD that goes in depth on what qualifies a location as a tourist trap and I have to say, it got me to thinking.

I mean, just take a look at the factors that contribute to a place being considered a tourist trap.

What's This Have to do With Buc-ee's?

Well, for starters, the entire store in itself is designed for tourists. We can also check off the boxes for high levels of foot traffic, low attendance or avoidance by locals, amenities designed for tourists.

As for the aggressive sales tactics aspect, one could argue that the fact that you cannot simply purchase any Buc-ee's goodies or merch online and must visit a store in-person to do so is a genius tactic in itself.

Tourist Traps in Texas

So, is Buc-ee's a tourist trap? Right now it's purely up to opinion, but i'll say this much....

The Buc-ee's being built in Amarillo is a stone's throw away from a legendary, unofficial tourist trap: The Big Texan, home of the 72 oz steak.

And on the way out of town, you can stop at the quintessential Texas tourist trap: The Cadillac Ranch. Seems to me that tourist trappy things come in threes, don't you think?

But I digress. Here's the tourist traps of Texas: