World’s biggest barbecue restaurant concept recognized in No. 5 spot of innovative restaurant brands
Fast Casual recently announced the winners of its annual Top Movers and Shakers Award, recognizing 75 brands and 25 leaders who are propelling the fast casual restaurant industry forward. Dickey’s Barbecue Pit won big being named #5 of 75 brands overall, with CEO Laura Rea Dickey being recognized as one of the top 25 fast casual executives. Dickey’s fast casual restaurant has been sharing their authentic Texas-style BBQ menu from generation to generation since 1941.
The Top 100 Movers and Shakers Awards are presented by Networld Media, owner and operator of FastCasual.com, a leading restaurant industry online news publication. The honorees were announced and awarded on Sunday, May 22 during an awards banquet held at the London House Chicago.
“It’s an incredible honor for us to be included in the Top 100 Movers & Shakers list. Like most brands, we’ve faced challenges in 2020 and 2021, but we’ve preserved and found success. I am incredibly proud of our team that works day in, day out to deliver Legit. Texas. Barbecue,” said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “As we look ahead in 2022 and beyond, we will continue to find ways to innovate and bring our 81-year legacy of quality, hickory smoked signature meats and sides to fans across the globe!”
Dickey’s ended 2021 on a high note, reporting a 16.5% increase in same store sales for 22 months of consecutive growth. The 80-year-old Texas-based restaurant chain introduced a digitally focused user experience for mobile ordering, after learning that 90% of guests were visiting its website via mobile devices. Dickey’s executives also revamped internal reporting and resource channels and integrated all third-party delivery partners into Chowly to streamline the online ordering process. That integration resulted in a growth of off premise sales of over 400%.
Dickey’s also continued to upgrade the online training platform at Barbecue University, which features virtual classroom experiences. It also spent the last year upgrading its Big Yellow Cup loyalty program and developing its own USDA craft sausage facility in order to solve supply chain issues triggered by the pandemic. COVID-19 also led to the creation of several virtual brands – Wing Boss, Trailer Birds, Big Deal Burger, and Barbecue at Home were all a result of the pandemic. Each business has provided Dickey’s with increased revenue opportunities without sacrificing health and safety measures. We have shared our authentic family recipes and traditions across all of our brands, creating a little something for everyone and their various food cravings!
Since its creation 17 years ago, the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list has recognized the industry’s most successful brands. The Top 100 is similar in that it’s not always looking for the most profitable or fastest-growing brands, but also recognizing the companies that make this list for their dedication to innovation, leadership, and resilience. These companies and their hard work does not go unnoticed, especially during the last few years.
To learn more about Dickey’s, follow Dickey’s Barbecue Pit on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Download the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the world’s largest barbecue concept, was founded in 1941 by the Dickey family. For the past 80 years, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has served millions of guests in 44 states Legit. Texas. Barbecue. At Dickey’s, all our barbecued meats are smoked onsite in a hickory wood burning pit. Dickey’s proudly believes there’s no shortcut to true barbecue and it’s why our name isn’t BBQ. The Dallas-based, family-run barbecue franchise offers eight slow-smoked meats and 12 wholesome sides with ‘No B.S. (Bad Stuff)’ included. Dickey’s Barbecue has 550 locations across the United States and eight other countries.
Dickey’s was named to Newsweek’s 2022 America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains list and USA Today 2021 readers’ choice awards. Dickey’s won first place on Fast Casual’s “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” list, been named a Top 500 Franchise by Entrepreneur and named to Hospitality Technology’s Industry Heroes list. Led by CEO Laura Rea Dickey, who was named among the country’s 50 most influential women in foodservice in Nation’s Restaurant News, was recognized by Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers and Shakers list and honored by Dallas Business Journal. Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Fox News, Forbes Magazine, Franchise Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine and QSR Magazine. Dickey’s Barbecue is part of Dickey’s Restaurant Brands which has more than 700 restaurants nationwide including brands Wing Boss, Trailer Birds, Big Deal Burger and bbqathome.com. DRB is led by CEO Roland Dickey Jr. For more information, visit www.Dickeys.com.
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