Blog for Zip line Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
Buc-ee's Food Overview – Part Two
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on July 11, 2023
In case you haven't already heard, the newest Buc-ee's location is now open in Sevierville, Tennessee, just off Interstate 40 at Exit 407. Currently the largest Buc-ee's in the chain - measuring 74,000 square feet inside and boasting more than 120 gas pumps outside - the store is known, among other things, for its ultra-clean restrooms - a true novelty for anyone who has spent any amount of time traveling on the road.
But since last week, we have spent more time talking about those “other things,” the selection of food in particular. In our previous blog post, we highlighted some of Buc-ee's most popular prepared foods, which include the barbecue beef brisket sandwich, breakfast tacos, cranberry pecan chicken salad croissant, kolaches, fudge, fruit and pudding cups, meat and cheese platters, and much more.
This week, we're going to continue the parade of grub with an overview of Buc-ee's most popular packaged snack items. So next time you head to the Smokies, swing by Buc-ee's on your way to the mountains and stock up on the good stuff before your visit to Smoky Mountain Ziplines. Although you probably don't want to load up TOO much before spending a few hours with us on the best ziplines Gatlinburg has to offer.
We'll start with one of Buc-ee's heaviest hitters and most popular items - the Beaver Nuggets. These oval-shaped treats are corn puffs coated in brown sugar and corn syrup before being deep-fried to crunchy deliciousness (they also come in sea salt, caramel and cinnamon flavors). We've heard tell that they can be quite addictive, so if you stop in for a taste, you might want to buy an extra bag or two.
If you like the Beaver Nuggets, you might want to also try Buc-ee's Nug-ees, which are essentially the savory version of the Nuggets. They're also fried corn puffs, but in this case, they're enhanced with cheesy and spicy seasonings instead of sugar and caramel. We hear they're similar in consistency to puffed Cheetos, although the flavors are supposedly more bold. There are three flavors: Bold and Spicy, White Cheddar and White Cheddar Habañero.
Another popular item at Buc-ee's is beef jerky. The selection there is vast, with flavors that include Sweet and Spicy, Bohemian Recipe Garlic, Ghost Pepper, Mesquite Pepper, Steakhouse Beef Jerky, and Hot and Spicy. Jerky makes a good road snack in general, because it's filling, heavy on protein and very flavorful.
Speaking of savory snacks, you might want to look into the trail mix, which Buc-ee's offers in at least five different varieties. The classic mix includes almonds, peanuts, cranberries, raisins and M&Ms. There's also a tropical bend featuring granola, dried banana chips, blueberry-flavored cranberries, pecans, yogurt-covered raisins, walnuts and honey-roasted almonds.
Other snackables at Buc-ee's include their Sizzlin' Saltines, which are basically just heavily seasoned, spicy saltine crackers; the Tru Small Beaver Chips, which are a greasy variation on the basic potato chip; and for a sweet change of pace, their gummie products, which includes bears, sour bears, butterflies, watermelon rings, peach rings and cinnamon bears.
And let's not forget about beverages, another topic we did not cover in our previous post. Buc-ee's has a huge selection of sodas and other fountain drinks as well as a well-stocked coffee bar. According to the gas-station-locator app GasBuddy, Buc-ee's coffee is the best gas station coffee in the country, an honor it bestowed after sifting through nearly 2 million reviews of some 150,000 different gas stations around the nation. In addition to multiple blends of ready-to-drink coffee, Buc-ee's also has an amply stocked station with wide variety of sweeteners and creamers.
