with their own family.
Original franchisee still with brand 22 years later
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit original franchisee, Dale Smith, will smoke over 360 pounds of pulled pork in preparation for the big game next weekend. Frank and Dale Smith opened the first Dickey’s Barbecue franchise in Mesquite, TX in 1994. Twenty-two years later, the Smiths have six locations, with plans to continue their growth.
Dale Smith helped create the ‘Pulled Pork and Pigskin’ promotion that entitles coupon holders to a free pound of pulled pork with every XL family pack purchase January 30 – February 5. Smith is an original member of Dickey’s National Franchise Advertising Advisory Council which develops marketing promotions and advises on major decisions for the Dickey’s brand. The ‘Pulled Pork and Pigskin’ promotion coupons can be downloaded from the Dickey’s website on the promo page.
The Smiths’ franchising story began when Dale’s father Frank saw an advertisement for franchising opportunities in the Dallas Morning News. The Smiths’ original location is still open and will double up on staff this week to help support the Big Game promotion.
Dale helped his father Frank open multiple Dickey’s locations in Texas, and in 2008 he bought the locations from his father. Since then, Dale has expanded to six Dickey’s locations across north Texas and plans to continue his expansion in Dickey’s home-state.
“Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has been a part of our family since I can remember and I am proud to continue the tradition with my family today,” says Dale Smith. “I have seen Dickey’s grow from ten locations to 600 locations nationwide and I am proud to have been a part of it every step of the way.”
Smith attributes his success with Dickey’s Barbecue Pit to a great partnership based on delicious barbecue and the fact Dickey’s has stuck to its roots of authentic barbecue even while expanding across the nation. While Dickey’s has grown and adapted to accommodate guests’ tastes, the brand has always kept the focus on Texas-style barbecue, smoked low and slow onsite in every location every day.
“Growing up I heard my father talk about the Smith family’s dedication to Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, and it has been a great pleasure to have the opportunity to work closely with their family through two generations,” says Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Capital Group. “Dickey’s is a family business and we continue to grow with hard working Owner/Operators such as the Smiths, whom we consider family.”
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit hopes families nationwide also continue the tradition of barbecue and the Big Game by enjoying delicious, pit-smoked barbecue during their watch party this year.
To learn more about joining the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit family, go to www.dickeys.com/franchise or call 866-340-6188.
Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the nation’s largest barbecue chain was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey with the goal of authentic slow-smoked barbecue. Today, all meats are still slow smoked on-site in each restaurant living up to the company tagline, “We Speak Barbecue.” The Dallas-based family-run barbecue franchise offers a quality selection of signature meats, savory sides, tangy barbecue sauce and free kids’ meals every Sunday. The fast-casual concept has expanded to 600 locations in 44 states. In 2016, Dickey’s won first place on Fast Casual’s “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” and ranked in the top ten of Franchise Times’ “Fast and Serious.” Dickey’s Barbecue Pit was recognized for the third year by Nation’s Restaurant News as a “Top 10 Growth Chain” and by Technomic as the “Fastest-growing restaurant chain in the country.” For more information, visit www.dickeys.com or for barbecue franchise opportunities call 866.340.6188.
