Most people pull into a gas station for the same few reasons: fill up the tank, use the restroom, grab a drink, and get back on the road. But some gas station chains have become destinations in their own right, thanks to food that is much better than the usual convenience-store fare.
A lot has changed since the days when your choices were limited to a hot dog sitting on a roller grill and a bag of chips. Depending on where you stop, you might find fresh sandwiches, pizza, barbecue, fried chicken, breakfast items, and regional specialties made in-store.
Food has also become a bigger part of the convenience-store business. Data from the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) shows that prepared food and other foodservice options have become an important part of what customers buy during a stop.
Some chains have developed such loyal followings that people plan stops around them. If you’re taking a long road trip, these 10 gas station chains are worth checking out when you want more than a bag of snacks.
Buc-ee’s
Buc-ee’s is hard to miss. The Texas-based chain is famous for its huge stores, rows of gas pumps, clean restrooms, and enormous selection of food and snacks.
The brisket sandwich is one of the biggest draws, with freshly sliced brisket served on a bun. Kolaches, fudge, Beaver Nuggets, jerky, sandwiches, and other snacks offer travelers plenty of options on the road.
The stores themselves are part of the experience. A typical Buc-ee’s stop can take much longer than a regular gas station visit because there is so much food and merchandise to look through. For many travelers, stopping for fuel is almost an excuse to grab some Buc-ee’s food.
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QuikTrip
QuikTrip, or QT as regular customers call it, has built a strong reputation for its clean stores and food made throughout the day. Its QT Kitchens menu includes breakfast pizza, pretzels, taquitos, sandwiches, and other hot foods.
It’s especially convenient on a road trip because you can get a hot meal without spending much time sitting in a restaurant. The menu also offers more choices than the typical gas station snack aisle, whether you’re looking for breakfast, a quick lunch, or a late-night bite.
Wawa
For many people on the East Coast, Wawa is a road trip stop they already know and love. The chain has locations throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida, among other areas.
Wawa is best known for its made-to-order hoagies, which customers can customize through touchscreen ordering. Breakfast sandwiches, quesadillas, burritos, soups, salads, snacks, and coffee give travelers plenty of options.
The convenience is a big part of the appeal. You can walk in, place an order, grab a coffee, and be back in the car without making a separate stop at a restaurant.
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Sheetz
Sheetz has a similar made-to-order setup, with touchscreen kiosks that let customers build their meals. The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, burritos, mac and cheese, fries, snacks, and more.
The chain is also known for being open around the clock, making it a useful stop for travelers driving late at night. If you’re craving something sweet, many locations also have milkshakes, smoothies, and other drinks.
Sheetz is especially popular in the Mid-Atlantic, though the chain has expanded into parts of the Midwest and Southeast. For road trippers traveling through its territory, it’s an easy place to grab a full meal without sitting down at a restaurant.
RaceTrac
RaceTrac is a familiar sight throughout the South, and its food selection goes well beyond packaged snacks. Depending on the location, travelers can find pizza, breakfast foods, roller-grill items, sandwiches, and other quick meals.
RaceTrac also offers Swirl World, its self-serve frozen yogurt option at participating stores. Customers can fill a cup with frozen yogurt and add their own toppings, making it a fun break for families traveling with kids.
RaceTrac works well for those stops where everyone in the car wants something different. One person can grab a hot snack, another can get a drink, and someone else can head straight for dessert.
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Kwik Trip / Kwik Star
In Wisconsin and parts of the surrounding Midwest, Kwik Trip has a particularly loyal customer base. Stores are known for offering fresh food, bakery items, dairy products, and prepared meals alongside the usual convenience-store selection.
Fried chicken, breakfast burritos, sandwiches, and cheese curds are among the most popular items. Many locations also sell baked goods and other foods sourced through the company’s own supply network.
Kwik Trip stores can be especially useful on long drives through smaller communities. You can fill the tank, grab a hot meal, pick up something for later, and get back on the road in one stop.
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is one of the most recognizable convenience store brands anywhere, with locations across the United States and many other countries. In the U.S., people often associate the chain with Slurpees, but there is plenty more to eat.
Many locations offer taquitos, pizza, chicken wings, sandwiches, breakfast items, and other prepared foods. The selection can vary quite a bit from one store to another, so some locations have a better food selection than others.
Outside the U.S., 7-Eleven can look very different. In Japan, for example, the chain is well known for grab-and-go foods such as rice balls, noodles, sandwiches, and bento-style meals. That makes the brand particularly interesting for travelers who visit its stores in different countries.
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Rutter’s
Rutter’s is a smaller chain based in Pennsylvania, but it has earned plenty of attention for its food. Many locations offer made-to-order burgers, sandwiches, fried foods, breakfast items, and other meals.
Customers can place orders through touchscreen kiosks and modify their meals before checking out. Many locations also offer milkshakes and desserts, letting travelers turn a quick stop into a full meal.
Rutter’s doesn’t have the nationwide reach of some of the other chains on this list, but if you’re driving through its service area, it’s a stop worth knowing about.
Casey’s General Store
Casey’s is a familiar sight across the Midwest, particularly in smaller towns and rural communities. The chain has built a huge following for its pizza, with breakfast pizza among its most talked-about options.
Casey’s breakfast pizza combines eggs, sausage, cheese, and other toppings on a pizza crust, making it an easy option for an early-morning road trip stop. Regular pizza, sandwiches, bakery items, snacks, and coffee offer plenty of options if breakfast pizza isn’t what you’re after.
Because Casey’s locations are often in smaller communities, they can also be handy on long drives when restaurant options are limited. A quick fuel stop can turn into breakfast, lunch, or dinner without adding another stop to the trip.
Love’s Travel Stops
Love’s is best known as a major stop for truck drivers, but you don’t need to be driving a semi to use its food options. Many locations have several places to eat, offering travelers more options than they might expect at a truck stop.
Depending on the location, you may find restaurants such as Chester’s Chicken or Godfather’s Pizza, along with convenience-store food, breakfast items, sandwiches, drinks, and snacks. The exact selection varies by store, so larger Love’s locations tend to have more choices.
