Buc-ee’s customers are debating a new policy requiring card payments at the pump.

While those using cash can still prepay inside, customers with credit or debit cards are no longer able to pay for gas at the register.

One Florida customer, Griffin McCarty, also posted a video on TikTok saying he was not allowed to use a gift card to purchase gas at the St. Augustine location.

Here's what to know.

The company has not yet posted an update to its gift card policies on its website. The FAQ section for its gift cards says simply, "You can use your Gift Card at any Buc-ee's instore location."

But Buc-ee's did kick off a new fueling policy change, starting March 1. The Austin American-Statesman reported that new signs tell customers using a credit or debit card to pay at the pump, while customers paying with cash can still prepay inside the store.

According to new signage in place on March 1:

Fuel cannot be purchased in the store with credit or debit cards

If you're using a credit or debit card, you must pay at the pump

You can prepay for fuel in the store if you're paying with cash

On social media and on Reddit, Buc-ee's fans are coming down on both sides, with some agreeing with the move in the hopes that it speeds up transactions and prevents drivers from parking at a gas pump and leaving their vehicle there while they take their time shopping inside.

Others complained about holds placed on debit cards when used at the pump, pumps running out of register tape and the dangers of card skimming if you don't pay inside.

The move may also cause confusion and extra steps for people shopping inside who also want gas and don't have cash.

If you pay with a card, gas stations authorize the pump for a certain amount depending on the type of card used. The amount is calculated to cover the average amount of fuel needed since the gas station does not know how much the customer will be spending and it needs to ensure the money is available in the customer's account before the gas starts flowing.

That amount, called a "hold," can remain on a person's account for a period of time, preventing them from accessing or using that money until it is cleared.

"For example, if the pump is authorized for $100.00 and $40.00 of gas is pumped then there will be a $40.00 charge and a $100.00 hold," Buc-ee's says on its website. "Holds can last for up to 72 hours."

"This is the decision of the Debit / Credit Card Issuer," the company said.

The popular gas station/convenience store chain also recently took a PR hit when dozens of Buc-ee's locations, including one in Kentucky, got an "F" rating on the Better Business Bureau website. The nonprofit consumer organization says it's because it says the cult-favorite chain failed to respond to 88 customer complaints.

Around 43 locations still show an "F" rating as of April 7.

Two Buc-ee's are currently open in Kentucky. They are located at:

1013 Buc-ee's Boulevard in Richmond

4001 Smiths Grove-Scottsville Road in Smiths Grove

Ohio's first Buc-ee's store is now open in Huber Heights. The location, near Dayton, opened at 6 a.m. on April 6, with the grand opening at noon.

The store is located at the intersection of State Route 235 and Interstate 70 in Huber Heights — about 15 minutes northeast of Dayton. It is also located about 65 miles from Cincinnati and 160 miles from Louisville.

Buc-ee's began in Texas in 1982 and stayed in the Lone Star State for years, but the chain has been making inroads elsewhere. Locations are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and serve as one-stop shops for travelers and locals.

They're known for cheap(er) gas at each location's insane number of gas pumps; a wide variety of hot food, bakery items and fudge prepared on site; a wider variety of store-brand snacks, grocery staples, sauces and an entire wall of jerky; and a large section of home decor, kitchen utensils, clothing, barbecue grills, souvenirs and more.

GasBuddy.com rated Buc-ee's as having the cleanest restrooms of any convenience store chain in the nation. In May 2024, USA TODAY's 10Best chose Buc-ee's as the 10th best for both Best Gas Station Brand and Best Gas Station for Food.

C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. Reach Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What to know about Buc-ee's new gas pump policy