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SPOTLIGHT 1

Favorite BBQ Chains

Which of these 50+ BBQ (Barbecue, BAR-B-Q, Bar-b-que) chains are your favorites… and why?

FranBest.com is putting together the definitive guide to BBQ and related restaurant franchise opportunities, and we need your input.

We know some BBQ aficionados and purists out there may turn up their noses at chain barbecue joints, but we want to know which chains have been able to successfully duplicate great bbq taste and atmosphere across multiple locations and operators.

Leave a comment, accolade and/or endorsement for your favorite(s) below.  Franchise owners, franchisees & employees are welcome to brag on their own chain (after all, you eat it all the time).

Here’s our list so far.  Have we missed any?

BBQ CHAIN Headquarters Info
Bad Bob’s BBQ Dyersburg, TN
Baker’s Ribs Dallas, TX
Bandana’s BAR-B-Q Chesterfield, MO
Bar-B-Cutie Brentwood, TN
Bar-B-QSA Saratoga Springs, NY New concept from PJ’s Bar B Q
Beach Pit BBQ Irvine, CA
Billy Sims BBQ Tulsa, OK 12 locations in OK, MO. Franchises available.
Bonos Pit Bar-B-Q Jacksonville, FL
Brock’s Bar-B-Que Chester, VA Franchised?
Brother’s BBQ Madisonville, KY Franchised?
Buddy’s Bar b q Knoxville, TN
Cecil’s Texas Style Bar-B-Q Orlando, Florida Franchised?
City Barbecue Dublin, Ohio Franchised?
Colter’s Texas BBQ Dallas, TX
Coopers BBQ Llano, Texas Franchised?
Corky’s BBQ Memphis, TN
Damon’s Grill Columbus, OH
Dickey’s BBQ Dallas, TX
Dinosaur BBQ Syracuse, NY 3 NY locations. 42K+ Facebook fans.
Dreamland BBQ Vestavia, AL
Famous Dave’s Minnetonka, MN 52 company & 125 franchise locations in 36 states
Fat Jack’s Williamstown, NJ
Fire Fresh BBQ Louisville, KY
Golden Rule BBQ Miramar Beach, FL
Gyu-Kaku Gardena, CA
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Honolulu, HI
Hickory River Smokehouse Tipp City, OH
Hole in the Wall BBQ Eugene, OR
Hook’s BBQ Opp, Alabama
Jack’s Old South Dyersburg, TN
Joey’s Smoking BBQ Torrance, CA
Love’s BBQ Diamond Bar, CA Jakarta?
Maurice’s BBQ West Columbia, SC Franchised?
Melvin’s BBQ Charleston, SC Franchised?
Moe’s Original BBQ Vail, CO
Ono Hawaiian BBQ Walnut, CA Not franchising
Original Thai BBQ Los Angeles, CA
Pee Wee’s Pit BBQ Scottsville, VA
Pigman Kill Devil Hills, NC
PJ’s Bar B Q Saratoga Springs, NY
Red Hot & Blue Winston-Salem, NCn-Sa, NC
Rib City Fort Myers, FL
Rib Crib Tulsa, OK
Rudy’s Bar-B-Q Austin, TX
Shane’s Rib Shack Atlanta, GA
Smithfield’s Chicken ‘n Bar-B-Q Cary, NC
Smokey Bones Orlando, FL
Smoking Joe’s BBQ St. Louis, MI
Sonny Bryans Dallas, TX
Sonny’s BAR-B-Q Maitland, FL 139 restaurants in 9 SE states. Franchises available.
McGhin’s Southern Pit Bar-B-Que Griffin, GA
Squealer’s Barbeque Indianapolis, IN
Stonewall’s BBQ Picayune, MS
The Little Dooey Cornelius, NC
The Shed BBQ Ocean Springs, MS “The Original Shed in Ocean Springs, Ms , the Mobile, Alabama location and our vending cart, affectionately known as the “Rollin’ Joint” are family owned. The rest of our locations, Scott, La. Gulfport, Ms. Destin, Fl. are franchises.”
Three Little Pigs BBQ Kansas City, MO Franchised?
Tony Roma’s Plano, TX
Virginia BBQ Beaverdam, VA
Viteks BBQ Waco, Texas
Voodoo BBQ & Grill Baton Rouge, LA
Whitt’s Barbecue Nashville, TN
Whole Hog Cafe Little Rock, Arkansas
Willie Jewell’s Jacksonville, FL
Woody’s BBQ Jacksonville, FL

LOVE BARBECUE?  WHICH CHAIN DO YOU RECOMMEND AND WHY?

BBQ franchisors, for advertising info on the upcoming guides, please email Sean Kelly at info[at]franbest.com.

27 replies on “Favorite BBQ Chains”

Hi Everyone! The Shed would like to Thank you for putting us on this prestigious list of BBQ Goodness! The Original Shed in Ocean Springs, Ms , the Mobile, Alabama location and our vending cart, affectionately known as the “Rollin’ Joint” are family owned. The rest of our locations, Scott, La. Gulfport, Ms. Destin, Fl. are franchises. Those hand picked franchisees have been adopted into the family too! Hope this doesn’t kick us off the list because we’re not a chain! Best of luck to all these fine restaurants! There’s enough bbq lovers in the world to spread the goodness!
Sincerely,
The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint

The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint is absolutely fantastic! GREAT BBQ, GREAT MUSIC, COLD BEER, and a GREAT ATMOSPHERE

The Pulled Pork, the St. Louis style Ribs all SLOW Smoked and of course the Potato Salad from Red Hot and Blue are the B E S T !!!!!!!!! and All Blues the Time.

Dreamland BBQ sauce is the finest ever made, period. End of discussion. 🙂

I LOVE ”’MOE’S BBQ”’ I MUST EAT THERE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK…EVERYTHING IS SO GOOD, MY FAVORITE IS THE BBQ SANDWICH WITH THIER SLAW ON TOP…I WOULD LOVE TO GET THIER CORNBREAD RECIPE…BUT MOST OF ALL,,. THE EMPLOYEE’S ARE ALWAYS SO FRIENDLY AND HAVE A SMILE ON THEIR FACE…….I GO TO THE ”MOE’S” IN FAIRHOPE AND DAPHNE IN ALABAMA…….I FORGOT,,,, THE BANANA PUDDING…

MOE’s ORIGINAL BBQ is the most authenic southern BBQ in the land. With stores from Asheville, NC to Vail, CO the influence is far and wide. Great atmostsphere and fast, friendly service. Great meats (pork, chicken, turkey) and fish (mahi, shrimp, and catfish) accompanied by incredible sides. If there is one in your area you better not miss your chance to get some before its gone. ATLANTA store comin soon! ALSO: check out the Moe’s Origninal BBQ app on your iphone for distances, menu, and specials!
“I TELL YOU WHAT”

I tell you what – Moe’s Originall BBQ is the best BBQ ever. I thought our hometown BBQ joint was the best because I never had anything better. Now that I’ve found Moe’s I’ll never go back! The difference is that they make their food fresh EVERY day. You won’t find week old pulled pork here, or chicken that went from smoker to freezer to your sandwich – all fresh and so yummy!

I am a little late to the game, but hands down Buddy’s BBQ in Knoxville! I am biased as I knew the owner & drafted the ops manual way back when, but still, they have the World’s Best Hushpuppies!!!!

I appreciate a place for our customers to nominate their favorite BBQ. Stonewall’s in Picayune, MS is the original and we have 7 franchise locations: Hattiesburg, MS, Poplarville, MS, St Martin, MS, Chalmette, LA, Belle Chasse, LA , Loudon, TN and Braselton, GA.
Come see why our customers say we are the best.

Red, hot ‘n Blue because Memphis style is best. Colters is great for Texas BBQ and the Dallas area based Spring Creek Barbeque chain (primarily in the DFW and Houston metro areas but expanding) wich should be added to your listing.

I just traveled back home to Tennessee from oklahoma and I must say, Whole Hog Cafe in Conway, Arkansas had some of the best BBQ I have ever eaten! The ribs were cooked perfectly and the choice of sauces would satisfy anyone. I loved the potato salad – would love to have the recipe!

Maribeth:
I’ve been to Conway, AR but somehow missed Whole Hog Cafe. I’ll just have to go back.! Thanks for the tip.

Larry: I liked Red, Hot & Blue also. Fun concept.

VooDoo BBQ is the biggest up and coming in the group. Great product, Great New Orleans feel, and strong growth plan.

Creekers BBQ in Elizabethton Tn. is one of the best BBQ joints I have ever eaten!!! They have been judged by magazines and newspapers to have the best ribs from Chattanooga to Ashville, NC. They have created there own sauces from scratch. Its only been open for little over a year and a half, and it has taken Northeast Tennessee by storm. If your in the area near the Bristol Motor Speedway, this place is a must for all the BBQ lovers!!! Oh almost forgot, You can sample any meat for $1.99. Burntends are a must!!!! Yum!

Are Looking For Your Next Great BBQ Franshise Location?

I need a great tasting well run BBQ restaurant franchise in my mall in Warrenton Missouri. Kansas City style BBQ preferred but not mandatory.

The Warrenton Outlet Center (WOC) is situated virtually curbside on I70 in the far west St. Louis metro. Almost adjacent to the WOC will be a new $31M, I70 east/west interchange which breaks ground at the end of the year. Over 43,000+ vehicles virtually come face to face with the WOC stores each day. Hundreds of travelers from as far west as Arizona, New Mexico, California, and Colorado, and as far east as the Atlantic coast make the Warrenton Outlet Center their enroute destination point. This is not to mention the dozens of couples and families from Columbia MO, St. Louis, Iowa, Southern Missouri and Arkansas who come to spend a few hours or the day, just to hang out.

Bring your business to one of the most famous Missouri locations west of the Gateway Arch. The WOC has become a destination point in itself. You’d be hard pressed to find someone on the streets of St. Louis who didn’t know of the Warrenton Outlet Center.

The Warrenton Outlet Center is the cornerstone to the Warrenton Business Development Zone. This Center once drew 4,000 vehicles on weekends and 6,500 vehicles during the week. Be part of the regrowth of Warrenton Outlet Center. This shopping centers defies retail demographics.

Come view your restaurants next space and reserve an unbelieveable rent rate. At these rates your competitors in a year or two won’t be able to compete with your restaurant.

The Warrenton Outlet Center has an unforgetable night time ambiance that will greatly benefit your night time business.

For a site pictorial proposal send a request to Frank@alexanderforrest.com. or call the number listed below.

Frank Van Dyne
WOC Manager
Office: 636-456-5045
Cell: 816-665-6948

Wow! This list is amazing!!! I never knew that there were so many great BBQ places out there, especially as franchises! I’ve been to Love’s BBQ and it was awesome. I can’t wait to try the others!

I didn’t know many of these were franchise. I had plans to buy a BBQ franchise, but then my friend got almost broke with one. He bought a Franchise in Ontario, canada. The pressure was too much for him. I don’t wish to disclose the franchise. He got released from them after arbitration by a franchise Law Firm, Law Works Corporation. Now, he works with me. But, I’m never against the franchise, many people think buying a franchise is an easy business. I still enjoy eating in these outlets and my favorite one in the list is the Shed bbq

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