The convenience store/gas station chain is an obligatory stop for any road trip, and its reputation is well-deserved (have you tried the brisket?). The rest stop has even become one of the staple topics touring artists bring up any time they roll through Texas.
But, such widespread fame doesn’t come without drawbacks. It’s not uncommon for other business owners to try to mimic the magic behind Buc-ee's and pass off their own version of the beloved beaver.
Latin parents have long been hilariously changing the names of Texas businesses, but we're pretty sure the latest Buce-ee's ripoff is just an attempt at passing off some fake-furred beaver as a close alternative to our Texas commerce mascot.
@realsamuelmorin Every single time! 🤦🏻♂️ #walmart#gualmar#mom#mexicanmom#mama#mexican#hispanic#humor#funny#realsamuelmorin#paratiii#fypツ#DrPepperTuitionContest#hispanicheritagemonth ♬ original sound - Samuel Morin
The latest look-alike is a raccoon named Luc-ky, and, for the record, he's not half as handsome as Buc-ee. Buc-ee has a striking red hat and an original design, but Luc-ky looks like someone threw a sombrero on Pocahontas’ pet raccoon, Meeko.
The locations don’t resemble each other, either. Buc-ee's has a library's worth of shelves stocked with snacks, fresh meat and pastries ready to go, and as many toilets as they could cram into a room (which is still remarkably clean, by the way.)
@belensitaa01 Mexican Luc-ky's 🦫 #bucceestexas #ontheroad #fy #luckys #ebano #vaycay #tiktokshopbacktoschool #mexico #viral ♬ Adivina donde estoy - AntooWitteveen
Luc-ky’s, located in Estacion Manuel, Mexico, looks like it has one restroom that you'd have to buy something to use. You'd probably get a dirty look just asking for the key.
“Buc-ee’s will not be idle spectators while others infringe the intellectual property rights that Buc-ee’s has worked so hard to develop,” Buc-ee’s officials told WFAA after the location's discovery.
Founded in 1982 in Clute, Brazoria County, Buc-ee's began expanding outside Texas in 2018 and now has 15 stores spread across eight other states and 35 operating in the Lone Star State. This rapid growth has put pulled pork in the hands of more people across the nation, but the beaver's brisket hasn't moved far or fast enough to stop knockoffs from trying to make a buck off the back of everyone's favorite buck-toothed buddy.
A similar situation arose last year when another Buc-ee's clone was spotted just 10 minutes south of the Texas-Mexico border. This “BUK-II'S” Super Mercado sported an emaciated version of the beloved rodent and was quickly addressed by the legit, well-nourished Buc-ee's.
“The Buc-ee’s brand represents clean restrooms, freshly prepared food, and great service,” Buc-ee’s officials told WFAA at the time. “Buc-ee’s has invested heavily in innovation across the company to create and maintain these award-winning guest experiences. Accordingly, Buc-ee’s will not stand as an idle spectator while others use without permission the intellectual property that Buc-ee’s has cultivated for decades.”
Indeed, Buc-ee's has shown no aversion to pursuing legal action in the past in similar situations. In 2021, the chain filed a lawsuit against a convenience store in Sugar Land named “Bukys” because of its similar name and logo. The company won a trademark lawsuit in 2018 against the Choke Canyon chain in San Antonio over its logo, which was a cartoon alligator over a yellow background — apparently any gas station with a circular animal logo is fair game for Buc-ee's to mow down in court.
We like to imagine that for every “BUK-IIS” or “LUC-KYS” that social media unearths there are hundreds more out in the wild just waiting to be discovered. These dupes might piss off Papa Buc-ee, but they're funny as hell to us.
