Missouri man orders the brisket at Buc-ee’s. He’s shocked by the level of quality

A Missouri man ordered brisket at Buc-ee's, only to be shocked by the food quality. Now, his video has sparked a heated debate as to whether Buc-ee's brisket is really worth stopping for.

Brian (@travelbybrianat) posted a video that received more than 5,000 views. In his video, the content creator said he purchased the barbecue brisket, alongside a few other products, from a Buc-ee's location in Springfield. 

Brian's review

In the video, Brian opened a container of brisket, which he said was “the worst brisket wannabe barbecue I have had in a very long time.”

In his review, he said that the brisket had “no smoke” and “no flavor.”

Brian added that other food purchased from the store, such as the pulled-pork sandwich, lacked quality. He said he had to throw out a majority of the food he purchased. Toward the end of his video, Brian concluded that Buc-ee's should “do better.”

Viewers reflect the divide

The video quickly divided viewers. Some argued that Brian's expectations were too high. Others believed Buc-ee's reputation and prices make criticism valid.

One commenter questioned the whole premise of Brian's review. They wrote, “It's gas station brisket what do you expect.”

Others said they had similar problems with the gas station's offerings. Another commenter recalled ordering a brisket sandwich that was “all gristly.” They added, “do better Bucky's you suck.” 

Another viewer, who also tried the pulled pork sandwich, described the meat as “shredded hotdogs.” The viewer said their sandwich ended up in the trash.

@travelbybrianat @Buc-ee's official tiktok this was the worst brisket I have had in a very long time. There was no smoke ring, no bark, no flavor at all. You could definitely tell it was done in an oven and not a smoker or pit. Now this was in Springfield Missouri so I shouldn't expect good bbq to start with but come on. We also bought brisket sandwiches and a pulled pork sandwich. They were so bad we did not even get through 1/4 of them they were that bad. Please @Buc-ee's do better. #bbq #wordsofwisdom #food #travel #miss ♬ original sound – travelbybrian

Did the Buc-ee's brisket hype set the expectation too high?

Part of Brian's disappointment may have come down to the reputation Buc-ee's brisket has built online. 

A May 2026 review from Allrecipes described the chain's brisket sandwich as tender, flavorful, and restaurant-quality. Allrecipes' reviewer also noted that the sandwich costs less than $9 and said the chopped version was particularly impressive. 

That kind of praise can create some pretty high expectations, although it's unclear if online reviews influenced Brian's decision to try the gas station chain's offerings.

Commenters take aim at another issue

In the comment section, viewers focused on another issue entirely: Buc-ee's legal disputes.

One commenter claimed Buc-ee's was “going after all the ma and pa shops that have a cartoon character,” while another commenter said the controversy would make them avoid the chain. 

Both viewers were referring to recent litigation Buc-ee's has been involved in. In August, Buc-ee's sued a convenience store over an allegedly similar beaver logo. The company argued that the branding infringed on its trademarks. Buc-ee's is currently trying to stop the business from using the disputed name and logo.

For some viewers, the trademark controversy simply added another reason to criticize the chain. For others, the situation was only a footnote in their reviews.

Buzz News reached out to Buc-ee's via contact form and Brian via TikTok direct message.