Dawn and Richard Thomspon recently visited Buc-ee’s for the first time but ended up not getting the experience they craved. The couple was forced out of a Texas branch of the restaurant in April because their semi-truck did not meet the outlet’s parking lot standard.
The Thompsons, who sold their home in Liberty City, Ohio, to become full-time truckers, spotted the restaurant several times while driving by and decided to get the Buc-ee’s treatment complete with fresh jerky and Beaver-branded merch on that day but were interrupted by staff.
Two employees confronted the couple
After a trailer drop-off in Houston, Dawn and Richard thought it a good idea to relax at the Baytown Buc-ee’s, where Dawn already picked five outfits in thirty minutes. While they were exploring the interior, two employees questioned them about their parked vehicle.
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“We were seriously just taking in the atmosphere. They approached us and asked my husband if it was his truck,” she said. She was still holding the items they had picked when the staff said, ‘You are not allowed to purchase anything here, you have to leave now.’
Dawn felt mistreated because she had witnessed RVs and trailer trucks taking up space at the lot, while theirs only took two concurrent parking spaces. “We’re not a big truck, how are we any different than an RV? This is where we live,” she protested.
Dawn reached out to Buc-ee’s
In response to being turned away, Dawn reached out to the company twice without getting a response, after which she took to social media. “You know, your store has to receive deliveries, and that’s one thing that bothers us truckers the most. We’re good enough to bring your fuel and products, but we’re not good enough to shop in your stores?” she said.
Other truckers agreed, having experienced the same; however, Buc-ee’s have “NO 18-Wheelers” signs at every entrance in bold print. The general counsel, Jeff Nadalo said the lots are designed for passenger vehicles, and cannot accommodate large trucks. There has been outrage in the past over this rule from a trucker blog— America Over the Road, who found it “annoying.”
“Give one good reason why bobtails or truckers / 18-wheelers are not allowed at your store. How do you get freight/merchandise? Tankers are allowed to fill up your underground tanks but that’s it?” an old Facebook post reads. It is not clear yet if Buc-ees has responded to these complaints.