Can you park your car at Buc-ee’s gas pumps while shopping?

Since March, new signage has been plastered across gas pumps at Buc-ee’s stores across Texas. It’s part of a new policy roll out requiring credit card users to pay for their gas at the pump. But with so many people getting gas and perusing the aisles of Texas’ favorite gas station at the same time, can you still leave your car at the Buc-ee’s gas pumps while shopping?

In the long and short of it, there’s no clear rule that says you can’t go inside while you’re getting gas. In fact, folks say inside sales are the real money maker for places like Buc-ee’s.

“They told my friend that they [build so many gas pumps] on purpose so that people can leave their car and stay parked there at the pump after they get their gas,” one Reddit user said, claiming their friend is a civil engineer who helped build a Buc-ee’s in Katy.

Ultimately, it seems there may never be enough gas pumps to combat the popularity of Buc-ee’s though, as people still get frustrated by the number of shoppers inside parked at a fuel station.

While there isn’t any rule or official policy change dissuading customers from shopping inside while their gas pumps, the rule requiring card payment at the pump certainly seems to discourage it. In fact, going inside with a card to pay can even get you turned away from the register, according to one shopper who told MySA he was left “stranded” at a Buc-ee’s.

“Using a card for fuel? Please pay at the pump,” signs read in bright yellow, black and red above each pump at Buc-ee’s fueling stations now.

This new policy doesn’t prohibit people from starting the fueling process and running inside for Beaver Nuggets, a famous brisket sandwich or utilizing those notoriously clean bathrooms. But leaving your car unattended while gas flows is highly discouraged by Texas officials.

While the policy change was supposed to mean gift cards, credit cards and debit cards were used at the pump, one frustrated visitor to Buc-ee’s told MySA he was left unable to pay for gas when the pump wouldn’t accept his gift card and staff inside said they couldn’t process cards for gas.

It’s a rule that has sparked ire among shoppers used to a way of doing things. Who wants to wait to peruse the aisles containing an overwhelming selection of snacks and bucktoothed merchandise?