Buc-ee’s Has 12 New Stores Planned Through 2028. Each One Brings Around 250 Jobs That Pay Well Above the Gas Station Average
One beaver-branded travel center can turn a quiet highway exit into the biggest hiring event in the county. Rival employers nearby face a tough choice, and workers may hold more leverage than they realize.
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.
A Buc-ee’s spokesperson told FOX Business that Buc-ee’s plans 12 new locations through 2028. For the towns on that list, a single store means a big wave of hiring all at once. According to Mashed, Buc-ee’s employs around 250 people per location. In a small county, that is one of the largest private hiring events of the decade. The jobs are coming while families are still under pressure: regular gas averaged $4.15 a gallon nationally on November 2, even after a 7.0% drop over the past month. A job that pays well above the local fuel-counter rate matters more when the cost of driving to work is still high.
Where Buc-ee’s Is Building Next
Here is the schedule as of LiveNOW from FOX’s July 2026 report:
- 2026: San Marcos, Texas; Benton, Arkansas; Murfreesboro, Tennessee
- 2027: Ruston, Louisiana; Kansas City, Kansas; Gallaway, Tennessee; St. Lucie, Florida; Boerne, Texas; Monroe County, Georgia; Oak Creek, Wisconsin
- 2028: Mebane, North Carolina; Lafayette, Louisiana
After that, Ocala, Florida; West Memphis, Arkansas; Oak Grove, Kentucky; and Hardeeville, South Carolina are expected starting in 2029. The chain is still adding stores in Texas and the Southeast. The chain is also moving into Midwestern markets like Kansas City and suburban Milwaukee, where it will compete for workers who have never heard its pay pitch.
A $20 Starting Wage Beats the Gas Station Down the Road
The pay signs inside Buc-ee’s stores list a starting wage of $20 an hour for cashiers, warehouse workers, maintenance employees and stockers. Indeed estimates that the average US gas station worker makes about $15 an hour. That puts Buc-ee’s entry pay about 33% higher. Over a 40-hour week, the starting rate comes to $800 before taxes. Pay varies by location, and store managers earn a good deal more.
To put that in wider context, the average hourly wage across all private jobs was $37.81 in September. Median weekly pay for full-time workers was $1,232 in the third quarter. Those averages include engineers, nurses and lawyers, though. For someone choosing between entry-level retail jobs, other fuel and convenience stores are the fair comparison, and Buc-ee’s comes out well ahead of them.
Why Nearby Employers May Have to Raise Pay
When about 250 jobs open at the same exit, every fast-food counter, grocery store and convenience store nearby faces the same choice: pay more or lose staff. Workers who make $15 an hour can drive down the road and get an immediate raise. Owners of small, independent gas stations near the same highway will feel this most, because they compete with Buc-ee’s for drivers at the pump and for workers.
The likely winners are people who have been stuck at the lower end of local pay: teenagers looking for a first job, workers changing careers, and retirees who want steady hours to stretch a fixed income. Any lift in wages around town will depend on how tight the local job market already is. Still, a well-funded employer with a published pay floor gives everyone a new benchmark.
How to Get in Line Before the Doors Open
Hiring usually starts weeks before a store opens, because a store this big needs trained staff on its first day. If you or a family member lives near one of the 2026 or 2027 sites, check the Buc-ee’s careers page regularly for listings tied to your location. Also keep an eye on the pay signs at the first Midwest stores. If Buc-ee’s keeps its $20 floor in Kansas City and Oak Creek, it will show that the company sets one national standard instead of matching local wage levels. Every worker within commuting distance would benefit from that.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Jake has been been working in financial media for almost 15 years. He focuses on all things personal finance for 24/7 Wall St. with high hopes to educate and entertain. Most recently, Jake spent 12 years working various roles at The Motley Fool. He started copy editing fool.com content, worked on premium and marketing campaigns, and helped launch The Ascent, a personal finance brand.
His work has been featured on platforms like MSN, Yahoo Finance, USA Today, and more. He's written about credit cards, social security, ETFs, savings accounts, and just about anything else you can imagine when thinking about money. Jake love to cook, play golf, and tell people he's never had a cavity. (It's true!)
