Full Breakdown
Buc-ee’s Debuts First Arkansas Travel Center in Benton
8/19/2026, 1:56:48 AM
Opening Details
Buc-ee’s opened its inaugural Arkansas location in Benton, a 74,000-square-foot travel center with 120 fueling positions. The store began serving customers at 6 a.m. Central Time and the company announced that the facility will create more than 200 jobs. The site, situated at 1400 Highway 229, offers the chain’s signature Texas barbecue, homemade fudge, kolaches, Beaver Nuggets, jerky, fresh pastries, and the famously clean restrooms that have become a hallmark of the brand.
Expansion Background
Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Texas, Buc-ee’s has grown from a single roadside stop to 58 locations nationwide. The chain now operates in Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and, with the Benton opening, Arkansas. Earlier this year the company entered Ohio (Huber Heights) and Arizona (Goodyear), and five days after the Benton launch it opened a new travel center in San Marcos, Texas. Plans announced by the company project additional openings through 2029, including sites in Louisiana, Kansas, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and further Arkansas locations.
Data & Statistics
- Facility size: 74,000 sq ft
- Fuel pumps: 120
- Jobs created: >200
- Total Buc-ee’s locations: 58 across 14 states
- Upcoming sites slated for 2027–2029: Ruston (LA), Kansas City (KS), Gallaway (TN), St. Lucie (FL), Boerne (TX), Monroe County (GA), Mebane (NC), Lafayette (LA), West Memphis (AR), Ocala (FL), Oak Grove (KY), Hardeeville (SC)
Official Statements & Responses
Stan Beard, a representative of Buc-ee’s, explained that Benton was chosen as the “Heart of Arkansas” to serve travelers heading to destinations such as Hot Springs and Little Rock. He highlighted the brand’s Texas-style barbecue, the “cleanest restrooms in the universe,” and the expectation that the new center will exceed typical pit-stop experiences.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We obviously picked Benton, the ‘Heart of Arkansas,’ to be the first Buc-ee’s in the Natural State,” — Stan Beard, of Buc-ee’s
- “Folks on their way to or from Hot Springs or any number of beautiful destinations around Benton and Little Rock will stop in for our great Texas BBQ, the cleanest restrooms in the universe, and a pit stop beyond their wildest expectations,” — Stan Beard, of Buc-ee’s
