How One Chef Made This Western Gas Station Chain A Cult Favorite For Burritos And Street Tacos

Embarking on a road trip certainly doesn't mean you're doomed to suffer in the food department. From chef-approved travel snacks to intentional foodie side quests, your cross-country journeys can be fueled by tasty meals from start to finish. Even many U.S. convenience stores have good food, thanks to stops like Maverik. What looks like a typical gas station has become known for its customizable grub and drinks, from street tacos and burritos to uniquely flavored beverages. If you haven't stopped at this regional Western gas chain, then this is your sign to do so.

These surprising food options are largely due to the work of Kyle Lore, who used his experiences as a gourmet chef to turn up the dials of taste on what once might be regarded as passable options. Now the BonFire Grill brand tempts visitors with punchy flavors and satisfying food choices. Lore revamped the menu to include steak-topped breakfast nachos and bacon-egg-and-cheese tacos. Flavors of Tex-Mex cuisine permeate recipes, with ingredients like cilantro, guac, pepper jack, and smoky meats packed into every bite. Lore's efforts worked, and social media feeds are full of travelers sharing their on-the-go snacks and meals collected at Maverik.

Lore's work on Maverik's food offerings resulted in fresh dishes that could be made to order, instead of food items quickly grabbed off a shelf during a frenzied road stop. He made it a point to create a food program that could be efficiently prepared while delivering a consistent, reliable taste. To Lore's credit, the burritos at Maverik leave little to be desired. Barbecue steak, carnitas, chicken, eggs, bacon, and chorizo are wrapped up into convenient portable servings. For those who can't decide on any one order, the M.O.A.B., the "mother of all burritos," piles every kind of meat into one order along with eggs and hash browns.

Lore also replaced frozen cookies with freshly made recipes and looked to promote other meals like simple street tacos that don't require much culinary expertise to put together. In addition to the tacos, sandwiches and pizzas are found alongside baked goods and a variety of drinks, and loaded nachos are slid across counters to keep weary travelers energized for the road ahead. With over 800 stops servicing 21 different states — including California, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Utah, and more — the options at Maverik certainly make these gas stations ones to look forward to.