Buc-ee's customers declare an underrated favorite the 'best' breakfast item… and debate what's the worst

Buc-ee's is famous for its brisket sandwiches and the endless wall of snacks, but a new ranking of the chain's breakfast menu has customers debating which morning offering truly deserves a stop.

A restaurant critic has crowned one of the travel center's simplest menu items – its crispy Beaver Tots – as Buc-ee's best breakfast, while placing the chain's Brisket and Egg Taco firmly at the bottom of the list.

The ranking has quickly sparked debate online, with some customers agreeing wholeheartedly while others insisted the critic had overlooked some of Buc-ee's breakfast favorites.

One Reddit user agreed that breakfast sandwiches should be avoided altogether, writing: 'The eggs are [gross]. So avoid anything with eggs.'

But others rushed to defend one of the menu's lowest-rated items.

'The dude put BBQ sauce on a brisket and egg taco lol,' one commenter wrote, suggesting the review wasn't a fair reflection of the dish.

Another added: 'Buc-ee's doesn't allow substitutions, so that would never happen.'

The rankings, compiled by food critic Matthew Odam for the Austin American-Statesman, reviewed eight of Buc-ee's most popular breakfast offerings, which are served daily from 4am until 10.30am.

Topping the list were Beaver Tots, earning an impressive 9.5 out of 10.

The crispy potato bites were described as the 'Platonic ideal of a tater tot' – crunchy on the outside, fluffy in the middle and delicious even without ketchup.

The critic even joked he wished Buc-ee's could make breakfast sandwich buns out of them.

Coming in second was the Hot Cinnamon Pull Apart, a gooey, softball-sized pastry that scored 8 out of 10 thanks to its sticky icing and rich cinnamon flavor.

Serving up a tip to diners, Odam noted: 'If you wanna take it to a sicko level, swipe one of the Beaver tots through the whipped frosting.' 

The Beast Breakfast Burrito rounded out the top three with 7.3 out of 10, earning praise for its combination of sausage, eggs, bacon, potatoes and cheese, especially when paired with Buc-ee's avocado tomatillo salsa.

The chain's Sausage, Egg and Cheese Biscuit landed in fourth place with a respectable 6.9 out of 10, although the reviewer wasn't impressed by its processed egg patty.

The bottom half of the rankings proved far less flattering.

The Bacon, Egg and Cheese Croissant received just 4.1 out of 10, with the flaky pastry criticized for lacking both flavor and texture.

Odam mused: 'This is where things start to go sideways with the breakfast options. 

'Maybe if they didn’t call it a croissant. The laminated layers disappear in a smush, and the bread has little flavor, while the bacon is more a broken promise than anything.' 

Close behind was Buc-ee's Sausage and Cheese Kolache, which scored 4 out of 10, with the reviewer suggesting travelers would be better off continuing down the highway to one of Texas' famous Czech bakeries instead.

A kolache is a soft, slightly sweet yeast pastry popular in Texas, typically filled with sausage and cheese, although traditional Czech kolaches are usually filled with fruit or sweet cheese. 

Buc-ee's Mixed Berry Parfait fared even worse than the kolache, receiving 3.9 out of 10 after being described as overwhelmingly sweet.

'It's like a mix between candy and children’s medicine and is as useful as neither,' Odam explained. 

Bringing up the rear was the Brisket and Egg Taco, which earned just 2 out of 10.

The reviewer criticized what he described as an overly sour barbecue sauce that overpowered the brisket.

The rankings have reignited discussion over Buc-ee's breakfast, which often receives less attention than the chain's brisket sandwiches, homemade fudge and famous Beaver Nuggets.

While opinions varied online, many agreed the travel center's breakfast menu has developed a loyal following of its own.

Buc-ee's currently operates more than 50 travel centers across the United States, drawing millions of customers each year with its oversized convenience stores, spotless restrooms and extensive selection of freshly prepared food.

Breakfast remains available daily from 4am until 10.30am, with more than a dozen menu items ranging from breakfast tacos and biscuits to pastries, burritos and parfaits.

And while the debate over the perfect Buc-ee's breakfast is unlikely to be settled anytime soon, one thing appears clear: if you're making an early morning pit stop, the humble Beaver Tots may be the menu item worth ordering first.