ORLANDO, Fla. – Popular convenience store chain Buc-ee’s has already rolled out a new ‘pay-at-the-pump’ policy, which may leave some fans less than satisfied, according to USA Today.
In a piece on Friday, the outlet reported that the new policy requires customers paying for gas with credit and debit cards to pay at the pump.
This means that prepaying in the store is no longer an option, unless you’re using cash.
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Furthermore, the Buc-ee’s website now also says that customers won’t be able to use gift cards for fuel starting on April 1, 2027.
While the new policy may annoy some longtime fans of the chain, it may come as more welcome news that Buc-ee’s is planning to bring several new locations to the Sunshine State.
They are as follows:
ST. LUCIE
First up is an expected Buc-ee’s gas station in St. Lucie County, which may reportedly open as soon as 2027.
Site plans unveiled in 2024 show that this store is set to open north of Fort Pierce, likely on the southeast corner of the I-95 Indrio Road interchange.
Last year, more news came out showing that the gas station may feature up to 120 gas pumps and 778 parking spaces, though few details about this site have been released so far.
OCALA
Another upcoming Florida location is in Ocala, now apparently set to open in 2029.
This location was originally set to be the largest Buc-ee’s ever — though that title was usurped by a Texas store that opened in 2024.
Still, the upcoming Marion County store is planned to be 74,000 square feet, making it a behemoth compared to many other Buc-ee’s locations.
It’s also being built near I-75, north of Ocala. And it’s also a big motivator for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who discussed the travel store chain when talking about a request for funding the nearby interchange on Northwest 49th Street.
“I get pitched on a lot of things, right? I mean, it just goes with the job,” he said last year. “And so I’m just kind of going there, going through some stuff, and then I’m like, ‘Alright.’ I didn’t commit to anything.”
However, the person briefing DeSantis reportedly told him that by funding the interchange, they would be able to have the upcoming Buc-ee’s right there off the exit to I-75.
“I said, ‘Sign me up,’” DeSantis said.
TALLAHASSEE
During the same news conference where DeSantis discussed the I-75 project in Ocala, he also claimed that a new Buc-ee’s is coming to the state capitol.
There’s no opening date yet for this site, but according to DeSantis, this Buc-ee’s store is planned to be built off Interstate 10 near Tallahassee, which he said will “revolutionize driving on I-10.”
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, this travel center is planned to span 74,000 square feet, with 120 fueling stations and wrap-around parking. There may also reportedly be over 800 standard parking spaces, along with 24 E.V. parking spaces, and spots for buses and RVs.
PORT CHARLOTTE
Last year, News 6 also dug up property records showing that a rezoning project for a potential was approved along Harborview Road near Interstate 75, clearing the way for over 650 acres of development.
North and east of the highway, the project is slated to bring in plenty of residential development, though a smaller parcel of land to the southwest of I-75 may potentially become home to a new Buc-ee’s gas station, county records reveal.
Property records show that a portion of that land right off I-75 is under the ownership of Buc-ee’s, though little information has yet been provided about the site at this time.