While some fans of Buc-ee's love the shopping experience; it's the brisket that's gotten the most buzz. From heaping whole brisket portions to strategic planning to get exactly what you want – there's a method to the madness of Buc-Ee's brisket.
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00:00Put away your phone, learn your brisket, and be ready to stand for 8 hours with no lunch break.
00:07It takes more than just making sure those bathrooms are spotless to work at Buc-ee's.
00:13Are you friendly and eager to lend a helping hand?
00:17Then you should have no trouble getting a job at your neighborhood Buc-ee's.
00:21Welcome to Buc-ee's!
00:23Welcome to Buc-ee's!
00:27According to Klein, applicants aren't required to have much experience in order to secure employment.
00:32Besides maybe a high school diploma, potential candidates can woo the recruiter
00:37with a few simple traits, an upbeat attitude, a strong work ethic, and plenty of flexibility.
00:44Many Buc-ee's alumni who've posted on Indeed agreed that the hiring process is fairly routine for a service gig.
00:51Applicants are contacted by management to set up an interview to determine if the individual is a good fit for the team.
00:58If selected, they'll complete a background check and drug test.
01:02Depending on the particular circumstances, candidates might even go through multiple interviews before finding out if they got the job.
01:10Like most entry-level positions, going from the interview to wearing the badge is also quick.
01:16Klein reports a couple of days on average, but some employees allege scoring the role in 24 hours.
01:22With a gift associate writing on Indeed,
01:31A single Buc-ee's location can house as many as 250 team members under its roof
01:37to keep up with the influx of customers and daily tasks, as general manager Floyd Freeman tells Alabama Living.
01:44It takes an army to keep Buc-ee's operating 24-7.
01:48While it can be overwhelming, the plus side is that it can also be rewarding, since there are constantly co-workers around.
01:55If expanding your social circle is a goal, it'll definitely happen at Buc-ee's.
02:00Taking into account the convenience store's astronomical measurements,
02:04it's no wonder the chain maintains a fleet of hired hands to perform the necessary,
02:09if not adrenaline-packed, tasks that a bustling theme park-esque rest stop like Buc-ee's is capable of demanding.
02:17In this economy, the federal minimum wage is downright paltry at $7.25 per hour.
02:24As listed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Buc-ee's workers, on the other hand, can make double that amount.
02:31In 2021, Ostonia reported that wages started at $14 an hour for cashiers or gift associates,
02:39complete with opportunities for advancement to higher-paying roles, and that figure increased to $15 or $16 in 2022.
02:48Buc-ee's takes pride in its attractive compensation,
02:51as evidenced by the signs hanging throughout the store advertising each position's hourly expectations,
02:57To keep current workers on board as well as draw new faces into the hiring pool,
03:02General Counsel Jeff Nadallo emphasizes the importance of keeping wages competitive,
03:08saying,
03:18Clearly, a good paycheck matters to just about any worker in any field,
03:23and plenty of Buc-ee's employees cite the high pay as a prime incentive to work there.
03:29If there's one thing that might make you reconsider working at Buc-ee's, it's the high turnover rate.
03:35According to the Washington Post,
03:46People who have worked at Buc-ee's express more than just indifference upon leaving their jobs.
03:51Take this account from a former cashier posting on Indeed,
04:08They definitely have a higher expectation, and that probably ties into why they do pay a little bit more.
04:16Even after boasting generous wages and a 401k plan,
04:20Buc-ee's struggles to match its employee-friendly image
04:23when its evident hirees would much prefer taking their labor elsewhere.
04:28The retailer's Indeed profile shows a 2.7-star average from over 800 reviews.
04:35According to a merchandise team leader,
04:37Don't expect any lulls or low peaks at this 24-7 rest stop.
04:42As they wrote on Indeed,
04:47As anyone who visits Buc-ee's can confirm,
04:50a normal part of the experience is seeing employees hard at work in their respective departments.
04:55Keeping the store's metaphorical engine running means there's not a minute for workers to spare or let up on their duties.
05:02Remaining open for long stretches of time essentially demands a nonstop stream of labor.
05:07As such, workers endure a lot of pressure while on the job.
05:11To give outsiders a sense of just how much staff members hustle around the clock,
05:16take this little fact nugget from Alabama Living,
05:25Although Buc-ee's is one of the few retail establishments that advertises 40-hour work weeks,
05:31the chain isn't exactly consistent with scheduling.
05:34One Indeed review revealed employees often work past their shift when there's not enough staff to cover the load.
05:40However, Buc-ee's will shave off the extra time from their next shift
05:44to keep their hours below the threshold for providing full-time benefits.
05:48It's also not unheard of for Buc-ee's employees to clock in more than just the standard eight hours.
05:54One individual who posted Buc-ee's work schedule wrote,
05:58These shift guidelines are never followed, and you can guarantee that you'll be there for more than 10 hours at a time.
06:04Eight hours doesn't seem so bad in a vacuum, but multiplied by seven consecutive days of standing on your feet nonstop?
06:11Well, you can bet even the most chipper busy beaver would be wiped out.
06:17Former and current employees alike have attested to receiving as little as five minutes to collect themselves during a whole shift.
06:24According to one Reddit commenter, the chain doesn't provide restroom breaks, lunch breaks,
06:29or even a break room for employees to temporarily kick their feet up.
06:34Eight hours of work in exchange for a lunch break is a widely accepted norm in retail work these days.
06:40However, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration writes that employers don't have to provide these benefits,
06:47or at the very least won't face trouble from the federal government for refusing.
06:52So technically, Buc-ee's is able to get away with skimping on time off.
06:56In addition to short breaks, Buc-ee's does not allow its employees to sit down.
07:01With another Reddit user commenting,
07:03They get a 5-10 minute personal moment where they're allowed to eat standing up at a table in the back.
07:10A cashier alleged that even getting a chance to use the restrooms could be a struggle.
07:14They told The Washington Post,
07:16I've asked some time to go to the bathroom, and it's been a couple hours before I'm allowed to go.
07:22Texas Monthly writes that phones are strictly off-limits for employees, and that rule takes effect the moment workers clock in.
07:29It's a long-standing policy that, if violated, could get workers terminated on the spot.
07:34Of course, it makes sense that a retailer would enforce rules surrounding phone usage.
07:39But at the same time, banishing phones from the premises has been a hassle for employees who need to make childcare arrangements or tend to personal responsibilities.
07:48As one food service associate wrote on Simply Hired,
07:52Your family has no means of contacting you the entire time you are at work, even if it's a life-or-death emergency situation.
07:59Surprisingly, workers aren't the only ones expected to grind off the grid.
08:04Per Buc-ee's, it axed phone lines from stores years ago due to the inconvenience caused by workers answering the calls,
08:11and customer inquiries are now taken through the website.
08:15As the Nashville Ledger writes,
08:17Employees are hired specifically to clean, scrub, and polish every toilet bowl at Buc-ee's until it sparkles.
08:24Furthermore, according to the St. Augustine Record,
08:27Workers are assigned to monitor the restrooms on a 24-hour basis,
08:32ensuring that the cleanliness the chain successfully markets is always on display.
08:37You know, we try real hard to keep the bathrooms as clean as we can keep them, and I think we do a pretty good job.
08:43When Buc-ee's won Cintas' coveted Best Bathroom in America back in 2012,
08:49it was the hard-working Buc-ee's staff who received a shout-out for a well-deserved victory,
08:54with market development official Gary Gonzaba raving,
08:58Whenever I go here, there's always someone, seemingly right behind me, cleaning up.
09:04Buc-ee's is adamant that its workforce presents a clean-cut image,
09:08which is why when walking into one of its locations, you won't see body piercings or ripped jeans on anyone wearing a name tag.
09:15Strict dress codes aren't unusual in the world of retail,
09:19but Buc-ee's enforces some staggeringly rigid rules on personal appearance that might not register to visitors passing through.
09:26Buc-ee's dress code is posted on its website, listing open-toed footwear, unnatural hair dyes,
09:32and disheveled attire as being firmly prohibited by the company.
09:36According to Texas Monthly, male employees can't grow out their hair,
09:40and Indeed reports that ear piercings are the only valid body modification,
09:45assuming that they're single studs in the earlobe.
09:48The store bars tattoos that are visible, and as far as facial hair goes, it's better to play it safe.
09:54According to another commenter on Indeed,
09:56Beards are acceptable, but keep it neat.
10:00From the moment you approach Buc-ee's Texas Roundup,
10:03you'll see pitmasters wearing cowboy hats while wrangling slab after slab of smoked meat,
10:08while the chain keeps the process under wraps.
10:11The Nashville Ledger reports that there's plenty of evidence to suggest
10:15the standards are astronomically high for any worker wielding the knife.
10:19Food Network reports that Randy Pauly, the company's director of barbecue
10:23who oversees the Daytona Beach store, has a resume that includes eight world championship wins,
10:30a telling sign that Buc-ee's takes its barbecue extremely seriously.
10:35Fries! Chopped brisket on the board! Oh, look at that!
10:40By that logic, the company isn't afraid to invest time into employees to truly let their skills marinate.
10:47Even with lots of practice, become the reigning kings of the grill.
10:52Austonia writes that Buc-ee's has been known to promote workers from within,
10:56encouraging retention by making the store atmosphere a place team members can enjoy long-term.
11:02Simply put, there's a lot of potential for lower-rung hires seeking out a higher station at the company.
11:08Operations District Manager Mandy Carlisle reveals that it took six years as a cashier
11:14to eventually land the corporate role they're in today.
11:17With Mandy writing in a testimonial for the company's website,
11:20I believe I am an example of what job opportunities are available to all employees at Buc-ee's.
11:26Even with these rosy promises of career advancement, the reality isn't always so pretty.
11:32One Indeed comment attests to management favoring certain people for promotions,
11:36while another claims job growth is a rare occurrence.
11:40In fact, some employees accuse the chain of choosing to hire outside the company,
11:45rather than granting an existing worker a new title.
11:49Should you violate the terms of your Buc-ee's contract, you just might land in a heap of legal trouble.
11:55In 2016, a former assistant manager was sued by Buc-ee's for over $67,000 after breaking their agreement early.
12:05The Houston Chronicle writes that because the employee quit a year prior to the original agreement,
12:10they would need to pay the company back the retention pay that was included in their salary.
12:16Hence the lawsuit's eye-popping sum.
12:19Retention pay is a method of compensation provided by a company to motivate long-term employment,
12:25according to the McKinney law firm, P.C.
12:27For a business like Buc-ee's, to mandate such strict conditions is unusual.
12:31Not only did the employee's contract demand six months' advance notice for leaving before the agreed-upon time frame,
12:38but the chain expected a refund of the retention pay accrued during their tenure if they bailed prematurely.
12:44Initially, the employee lost the case and was handed a $100,000 bill for Buc-ee's side.
12:51However, the Texas Court of Appeals reversed the ruling in 2017,
12:56forcing Buc-ee's to cough up the amount to the affected employee instead.
13:00Considering they were hired on an at-will basis,
13:03the San Antonio Employment Law Blog argues the original agreement was out of bounds with the employee's role,
13:10and therefore unreasonable for Buc-ee's to enforce.