America's 15 best gas stations for food, according to online reviews
Gas station food often gets a bad rap — but for many travelers on a road trip, there may not be much of a choice.
Pit stops across the U.S. provide options that go far beyond processed and packaged snacks, instead offering healthy smoothies, specialty doughnuts, sushi and more.
Many are family-owned and operated, have stood the test of time — and some even donate a portion of their proceeds to charities.
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The food website Chowhound put together a list of 15 gas station chains with the best food, based on online reviews.
Check it out.
A family-owned convenience store founded in 1965, Kwik Trip is based in Wisconsin but has over 850 stores across the Midwest, according to its website.
It is known for all-day breakfast sandwiches, a hot food bar and its specialty "Dunkers" and "Glazers" – doughnuts baked in-house.
"It's a five-star restaurant that happens to also sell gas," one person said in a review, as Chowhound noted.
QuikTrip has over 1,000 stores across 17 states, including its headquarters in Oklahoma.
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Fans love "QT" for its craft coffee and signature QuickShakes, which come in seasonal flavors like caramel apple, candy corn and strawberry kiwi.
Other favorites are roller grill options, twists on the grilled cheese – such as a chicken, bacon and ranch option – and pulled pork sandwiches.
"Very stuffed, beautifully flavored, nice tangy sauce – and for $5," one man wrote in a Yelp review.
With 800 locations across Utah and 20 other western states, Maverik features its own brand of food named BonFire, in keeping with its adventure theme that includes burritos, salads, wraps, pizzas and sandwiches.
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Maverik's fountain drinks offer a wide variety of brands and flavor mix-ins like coconut, lime and cream.
The family-owned Kelley's Market, founded in 1926, has 50 locations across Illinois and Wisconsin.
Travelers can refuel with Kelley's beloved cappuccinos and grab smoothies, tacos and burritos.
Some locations also offer Noble Roman's craft pizza and Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, home of the "Elvis Wich" — packed with peanut butter, bacon, bananas and honey.
Founded in 1968 as a general store in Boone, Iowa, Casey's has since grown to over 2,900 locations across 20 states.
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The spot is famous for its breakfast pizza, which has scrambled eggs, cheese and a choice of cheese sauce or sausage gravy on top. It also offers thin crust and cauliflower crust options.
"At Casey's, it all comes down to the pizza," spokesperson Katie Petru told Fox News Digital. "We've been making it for over 40 years, and our fans know us for our made-from-scratch dough, whole milk mozzarella cheese and abundantly topped pies."
This is said to be the place to stop for fried chicken when traveling through Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and North Carolina.
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The chicken is lightly breaded and pressure-cooked in trans-fat-free cooking oil, while the fries are hand-cut and hand-breaded from fresh Idaho potatoes, its website says.
"It definitely tastes like it was cooked with some soul," one TikToker said in a review.
Wawa began in 1902 as a Pennsylvania dairy farm. It's now known along the East Coast with over 1,100 locations.
Its cult-favorite coffee and frozen, house-made energy drinks offer a pick-me-up, while its seasonal sandwiches and specialty sides are praised by reviewers.
"This is the best flavor combination I've quite literally ever had," one TikToker said about the garlic aioli mac and cheese.
Hy-Vee first opened as a market in 1930, later expanded to include gas stations and has since branched out into full-service restaurants.
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Hy-Vee's 240 locations across the Midwest are a one-stop destination for fuel, snacks, seafood, groceries and more.
Popular options are its breakfast pizza, salad bars and sushi counters – which dole out unexpected rolls like a Cheetos "Flamin' Hot" version.
A Tennessee-based chain with just over 85 locations, Weigel's also owns and operates Broadacre Dairy Inc, which processes milk, tea, juices and eggnog for its convenience stores, as well as its own bakery, Red Barn Foods.
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Weigel's is known for its pizza and flavored milk, in particular the horchata and orange creamsicle variations.
Founded in 1972 in Greenville, South Carolina, Spinx has 84 locations throughout the Carolinas. The destinations are for foodies in search of comfort foods like fried chicken, fried pork chops and sausage croissants.
Other southern favorites include chicken gizzards, patty melts and corn dogs.
Pennsylvania-based Rutter's has over 90 locations that offer local produce, like watermelon, blueberries and sweet corn in grab-and-go cases.
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"Out of all the not-really-a-truck-stop truck stops, Rutter's is easily the best," one Reddit user wrote in a review.
Buc-ee's, founded in Texas, has since expanded to 54 locations across nine states. It boasts having the "cleanest restrooms in America" – winning a contest in 2012.
Additionally, it's renowned for its extensive food offerings, particularly its brisket, "Beaver Nuggets" cheese puffs, breakfast tacos, fudge, jerky and more.
Love's began as a single truck stop in Oklahoma and has grown to over 600 locations nationwide.
Love's sells hot-and-ready items like tacos, hot dogs and egg rolls, plus a lighter menu of healthier options like fruit cups and parfaits.
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"We always love to hear that our customers say they love Love's," spokesperson Tracey Budz told Fox News Digital. "We focus on flavor, freshness and crave-ability, as well as making sure the food offerings are portable and easy to eat on the go."
The list would be remiss without 7-Eleven, the largest convenience store chain, according to NACS Magazine, with over 85,000 stores worldwide.
Home of the Slurpee and Big Gulp, 7-Eleven has a private label, 7-Select, that includes premium sandwiches, salads, snacks and fruit cups.
Its varying hot food offerings typically include hot dogs, pizza, chicken wings and taquitos.
Yesway, which acquired the Allsup's convenience store chain in 2019, has over 400 locations across the Southwest and Plains states.
It's known for its "world-famous" burritos, particularly the deep-fried beef and bean iteration.
Other varieties include a new pepperoni pizza burrito, plus the "Chicken Chimmy with Hatch Chili," "Chili Rueno Hatch Green Chili and Cheese" and the "Chimmy Chimmy Chonga."