Favorite Convience Store (2026)

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I got a chuckle out of someone's social media post a few days ago ranking MN stores, where "pee your pants" was above Speedway and I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thinks that way about them. I've told multiple people Speedway is a place I would only go if a pants disaster was imminent.

[kphoger]

I got a chuckle out of someone's social media post a few days ago ranking MN stores, where "pee your pants" was above Speedway and I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thinks that way about them. I've told multiple people Speedway is a place I would only go if a pants disaster was imminent.

I don't think I've ever actually been into a Speedway.  Glad to know my suspicions were correct.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I got a chuckle out of someone's social media post a few days ago ranking MN stores, where "pee your pants" was above Speedway and I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thinks that way about them. I've told multiple people Speedway is a place I would only go if a pants disaster was imminent.

I don't think I've ever actually been into a Speedway.  Glad to know my suspicions were correct.

Even when it was SuperAmerica in MN I avoided it whenever possible. The second acquisitoon/rebranding didn't make it any better.

[Dirt Roads]

I got a chuckle out of someone's social media post a few days ago ranking MN stores, where "pee your pants" was above Speedway and I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thinks that way about them. I've told multiple people Speedway is a place I would only go if a pants disaster was imminent.

I don't think I've ever actually been into a Speedway.  Glad to know my suspicions were correct.

Even when it was SuperAmerica in MN I avoided it whenever possible. The second acquisitoon/rebranding didn't make it any better.

Surprised that nobody has mentioned this yet, but 7-Eleven took over Speedway back in May 2021.  Even though the stores still have that Speedway feel (or the SuperAmerica feels up in Ashland Oil territory), everything in the store is branded for 7-Eleven, right down to the Big Gulp cups.

[vdeane]

The name "Buc-ee's" and the beaver logo is part of the corporate identity. If you don't defend it and have a history of defending it, then you run the risk of being ruled that it has fallen into the "public domain".

They go well beyond defending their trademark.  They're basically claiming a monopoly on the concept of having a cartoon animal on the logo.  It's just as absurd when Apple tried to claim that the concept of rectangles with rounded corners was their intellectual property.  Unless the animal is a beaver with a cap in a colored circle, they shouldn't be suing.  Any other animal, any other shape, or any other headwear (or no headwear), they're just using the fact that lawsuits are expensive to bully everyone else.  I think they've even gone after stores that were in an area longer than they have been (which is just wrong; if you're the newcomer and can't come to an agreement with the existing store to both use your IP, then the newcomer should be the one forced to compromise, not the one with less money).

[Max Rockatansky]

I didn't even realize Oxxo had stores in Texas until today.  There is a couple knockoffs in the Central Valley of California. 

Pemex has a couple gas station/convenience stores in California.  There is one by me in Kingsburg.  I'm unclear if they are owned by the Mexican government or franchised. 

[hbelkins]

I'd call Buc-ee's more of an inconvenience (or inconvience, if you prefer) store if you're in a hurry to get in and get out.

[kphoger]

Pemex has a couple gas station/convenience stores in California.  There is one by me in Kingsburg.  I'm unclear if they are owned by the Mexican government or franchised. 

No, they're operated by franchisees.

The Houston area stations get their fuel from the Deer Park refinery, and I believe the California stations get theirs from Valero.

[hotdogPi]

I'd call Buc-ee's more of an inconvenience (or inconvience, if you prefer) store if you're in a hurry to get in and get out.

Or an inconvivence.

Attempt #2 on the Buc-ee's in El Paso County, Colorado. The company sent a request asking the travel stop to be classified as a "convivence store." The plan is to build on a plot of land along I-25 near County Line Road.

https://www.9news.com/video/news/local/colorado-news/buc-ees-requests-land-use-zoning-designation-in-el-paso-county/73-738fa8c9-8105-47c5-b6e2-7f0b9f3205fc

[NE2]

At least they've elimitanted the truck trarffic!

[bugo]

I like Casey's for the pizza, and independent stations for their fried chicken tenders. potato logs and (sometimes) barbecue. QT is OK. The in-store experience isn't the best, and they don't have the best candy selection, but it's fast to get in and out of there. And the bathrooms are clean. QT wins on speed and convenience, but the in-store ambience is lacking. And there are usually beggars standing outside QT, no matter what QT.

[on_wisconsin]

Newer and reno'd Quik Trips for midwest chains. Somewhat heretical for a native western WI'ite but good god Kwik Trip/Star has taken a bit of a nosedive since Don Sr. (fmr CEO and co-founder) retired ~3 years ago... Outside the midwest, Maverik and Wawa/Sheetz are fine.

[kphoger]

QT is OK. The in-store experience isn't the best, and they don't have the best candy selection, but it's fast to get in and out of there.

If I'm looking for a wide candy selection, I find a drugstore instead.

[GaryV]

Whatever's at the exit I find myself at when I really have to go.

[NE2]

QT is OK. The in-store experience isn't the best, and they don't have the best candy selection, but it's fast to get in and out of there.

If I'm looking for a wide candy selection, I find a drugstore instead.

If I'm looking for some nice drugs to partake in, I'll find a candy shop.

[CoreySamson]

I've said this before, but even though I work less than 3 miles away from Buc-ee's HQ, I still prefer QuikTrip. However, the local smaller Buc-ee's in my area are much better than the big Buc-ee's stops (they have everything the big ones do but without most of the hassle) and drag basically even with QuikTrip. The deciding factor between the two is that QuikTrip has free air and Buc-ee's does not, which slightly puts QuikTrip ahead.

As for other chains, I'm fairly impartial to Love's, RaceTrac, Allsup's, and Stripes in that order.

[kphoger]

I'm fairly impartial to Love's, RaceTrac, Allsup's, and Stripes in that order.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I guess I never gave my personal preferences.

I used to be a Holiday guy, but eventually Kwik Trip won me over.

Love's when I'm on the road just because they're easy to get in and out of.

Sheetz over Wawa, but will still gladly visit the latter.

Generally I avoid Shell/Mobil/Speedway when I can.

[hbelkins]

Oddly enough, when I traveled across the upper midwest on US 2 five years ago, I saw a ton of Holiday and Krist stations, but never stopped at one.

I did stop at a station near Great Falls, Montana, that was being taken over by Circle K, but I can't remember the branding that was on the outside of the station.