Woman goes to Kentucky Buc-ee’s and notices one quintessential name missing in the soda fountain: ‘What the buck?’

Buc-ee’s is shaking up its famous soda fountains, and loyal road-trippers are noticing that a major staple is disappearing from the lineup, BroBible reported. If you have recently stopped at a location in Smiths Grove, Kentucky, you might have been as surprised as TikTok user Kylee Francescon to find that your favorite name-brand cola is nowhere to be found.

Francescon shared her experience in a TikTok video that has already racked up over 58,000 views. As she pans across rows of fountain drink dispensers, she highlights that while options like Dr. Pepper, 7-Up, and Sunkist remain available, the Coca-Cola products that fans have come to expect are missing. The overlay text on her video sums up the frustration felt by many, stating, “80 Frickin’ Fountains and NO DIET COKE?!? What the BUCK?!?”

Historically, the Texas-based chain held an exclusivity arrangement with the company dating back to 1997. While most locations have served only Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper products for decades, signs of change have been popping up for some time. Reports of vanishing Coke products date back as far as 2023, and a Reddit user in March 2025 noted that a location in Temple, Texas, had also stopped carrying them in their fountain machines.

It is a significant shift for a brand that has long maintained a strong connection to Coca-Cola

The chain appears to be filling these gaps with its own private label sodas. Buc-ee’s has been expanding its house-brand offerings for years, moving from root beer in 2013 to a wider variety of flavors like cream soda and fruit punch by 2018. When Francescon asked an employee at the Kentucky location about the change, she was told that they no longer carry Diet Coke in the fountain but do offer the store-brand alternative.

The switch has definitely polarized the fanbase. Francescon herself was not a fan of the replacement, noting that it tasted like “weak, flat Diet Pepsi.” She expressed that while she does not mind the chain selling its own sodas, having them take over such a massive number of fountain heads feels like overkill. She argued that the company should prioritize variety, similar to other convenience stores, to better serve customers who are looking for mainstream options.

Not everyone is upset, though. Some fans are surprisingly vocal about their preference for the store-brand sodas, with one commenter even declaring that the chain’s own options are better than the mainstream ones. Others are keeping their cool simply because their personal favorite, Dr. Pepper, is still on tap.

It remains unclear if this is a permanent, company-wide rollout or just a regional experiment. Buc-ee’s has historically been known for its clean bathrooms, high employee wages, and massive selection of snacks, which has earned it a dedicated following. However, the move away from traditional soda giants is clearly sparking a debate about what travelers should expect when they pull off the highway for a quick drink.

For now, if you are planning a road trip, you might want to double-check your expectations before you bank on grabbing your usual fountain soda at every stop.