Many Florida residents continue to wait for the arrival of four new Buc-ee’s travel centers.
The Sunshine State currently has two of the huge travel centers, both located in northeast Florida near St. Augustine and Daytona Beach.
The four new locations will spread the nugget love across the state, although motorists will still have to wait awhile. The earliest opening date is sometime in 2027 for the one in St. Lucie County, according to the company’s website.
➤ Buc-ee’s rolls out new pay-at-the-pump policy. Here’s how it works
Buc-ee’s is known for its hot food, more than hundred gas pumps, fresh baked goods, an entire wall of jerky, home decor, grills, souvenirs … we could go on but we’ll stop here.
The company rolled out a new pay-at-the-pump policy earlier this year, which requires customers paying for gas with credit or debit cards to pay at the pump instead of inside the store. Many customers were not happy.
➤ No gas for Buc-ee’s gift cards? Florida man’s outburst goes viral
Anyone using cash can still prepay inside, but as of March 1, customers with credit or debit cards are no longer able to pay for gas at the register.
Here’s what you should know as you wait for Florida’s new travel centers to open.
What are Buc-ee’s new pump rules?
Buc-ee’s new policy, implemented in March, says:
Why does Buc-ee’s place a hold on my credit card when I pay at the pump?
Here’s what you should know about holds on your credit or debit card when you pay at the pump, according to the company’s website:
“Because gas station operators do not know how much you will be spending, we have to authorize the pump for some amount — typically from $75 to more than $200 depending if the card is debit, consumer credit or commercial credit.
“If we authorize too little, then an SUV or truck can’t fill their tanks. If too much, then some card holders would not have the funds and therefore could not make the purchase.
“For example, if the pump is authorized for $100 and $40 of gas is pumped, then there will be a $40 charge and a $100 hold. Holds can last for up to 72 hours.”
New Buc-ee’s coming to 4 Florida cities
Fort Pierce: A planned location at Interstate 95 northwest of Fort Pierce would be 76,245 square feet with 120 gas pumps, 18 EV charging stations and 778 parking spaces.
➤ Buc-ee’s St. Lucie County site is now ‘Loading…’ as plans advance
Ocala: Originally planned to open in 2028, the Ocala Buc-ee’s has been rescheduled to open in 2029. The new Buc-ee’s is planned for the southeast corner of I-75 and Northwest 49th Street. The Ocala Buc-ee’s will be 74,000 square feet, with 120 fueling stations.
➤ New Ocala Buc-ee’s bumped to 2029 opening
Tallahassee: Not listed on Buc-ee’s website are plans to build in Leon County in Florida’s Panhandle. Buc-ee’s wants to build a 74,000 square-foot travel center with 120 fueling stations on a 30-acre site near Interstate 10. Plans call for 807 standard parking spaces, along with 24 electric vehicle parking spaces and about a dozen spaces for buses and RVs.
➤ Tallahassee Buc-ee’s site moves ahead with little opposition
Port Charlotte: Also not listed on Buc-ee’s website are plans for a travel center in a trio of villages near a new Harborview development in Southwest Florida. Depending on the zoning, it’s planned to be around 74,000 square feet, according to Stan Beard, Buc-ee’s national director of real estate and development.
See 16 new Buc-ee’s planned across US
Buc-ee’s has 16 new locations planned in the United States, with opening dates as far out as 2031, according to its website:
Where are Buc-ee’s locations in Florida?
There are two Buc-ee’s open in Florida as of May 2026:
What’s so special about Buc-ee’s?
Buc-ee’s began in Texas in 1982. Since then, the chain has been expanding, with locations in 12 states. Locations are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The travel center is famous for its huge number of gas pumps; a wide variety of hot food, bakery items and fudge prepared on site; a wide variety of store-brand snacks, grocery staples, sauces and an entire wall of jerky; and a large section of home decor, kitchen utensils, clothing, barbecue grills, Florida souvenirs, and more.
Buc-ee’s was rated by GasBuddy.com as having the cleanest restrooms of any convenience store chain in the nation.
In May 2024, USA TODAY’s 10Best chose Buc-ee’s as the 10th best for both Best Gas Station Brand and Best Gas Station for Food.
Contributing: C. A. Bridges, USA Today Network-Florida
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://tcpalm.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Buc-ee’s opening 4 new Florida locations as new pump rules rolls out
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
