Barbecue is one of those foods that's fiercely regional. In Texas, it's all about the beef; in Carolina, the focus is pork; and so on. Thankfully, there are great barbecue restaurants all across the country with multiple locations that are spreading the barbecue gospel far and wide. We surveyed nearly 10,000 folks from across the country, and these are the 25 chains that received the most votes.
Click Here to see America's 25 Best Barbecue Chains
Chains tend to get bad raps, because (for the most part) they rely on production lines and cost-cutting measures to deliver food that's as inexpensive and quickly-made as possible (think pizza chains versus an actual pizzeria). But when it comes to barbecue, there's really no way to cut corners. Because if you cut corners with barbecue -- by using low-grade meat, for example, or employing artificial means to give it smoky flavor -- people will know. And not only will they know, they'll get angry. You can screw around with burgers or pizza, but you can't screw around with 'cue.
All the owners of the restaurants on our list keep this fact close to heart, and it comes through in the food they serve. In order to assemble our ranking, we created a survey with 67 chain barbecue joints and asked the public to weigh in and vote for their favorites. Nine thousand, six hundred, and seventeen votes later, there was a clear champion.
Choosing a favorite type of barbecue is a subjective matter, but I think we can all agree that when done right, there's nothing on earth that's more delicious. And while some of these chains specialize in Texas-style barbecue and others focus on St. Louis, we should be mighty thankful that they've decided to expand and grace parts of the country that might otherwise not have access to great barbecue. So loosen your belt and read on to learn which 25 barbecue chains are America's best.
Photo Credit: Dickey's
With more than 470 locations in 42 states, Dickey's, founded by Travis Dickey more than 70 years ago, is the world's largest barbecue franchise. Each location pit-smokes its meat on the premises, and free kids' meals are still offered every Sunday. While it's certainly old-fashioned, that's more the result of an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy. Meats are served by the pound, and include Southern-style pulled pork, hickory-smoked brisket, honey ham, spicy Cheddar and Polish sausages, pork ribs, chicken, and turkey breast. There are no frills at Dickey's, just solid, honest-to-goodness barbecue.
Photo Credit: City Barbeque
With six Ohio locations, two in Kentucky, and one each in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Indianapolis, City Barbeque has been dishing up award-winning craft barbecue since 1999. Meats are smoked upwards of 18 hours, and while the owners don't claim to hew to any particular region's style, they're really representing the best of all worlds -- and doing it well. Brisket, pulled pork, pulled pork with slaw, turkey, pulled chicken with Alabama white sauce, and smoked sausage are sold on a bun, on their own, or by the pound, and St. Louis-cut ribs come slathered in their classic barbecue sauce. Sides and desserts are scratch-made daily; don't miss the gumbo, hush puppies, or banana pudding.
#23 Moe’s Original Bar B Que
With 35 locations mostly in Alabama and Colorado (but some in California, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and even Maine), Moe’s is doing barbecue right. It was founded by three friends who met at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and since 2001, it has grown from a small slopeside catering operation to a barbecue destination. They still offer catering, but a trip to any of their restaurants is sure to be a good time, and is also a great primer in Alabama-style barbecue. Pork and chicken are their showcased items, topped with the signature Alabama white sauce, but the Angus beef brisket, hot links, St. Louis spare ribs, and fried catfish are also worth saving room for. Photo Credit: Flickr/ bhamsandwich
Click Here to See More of America’s 25 Best Barbecue Chains#22 Billy Sims BBQ
If the name Billy Sims sounds familiar, it’s probably because he was a Heisman Trophy winner, All-American, the No. 1 draft pick, Rookie of the Year in 1980, and spent four and a half seasons as running back for the Detroit Lions. The St. Louis native has put just as much energy into his barbecue as he did football, and his
eponymous chain of more than 40 restaurants, mostly in Oklahoma, is a winner. Brisket, ribs, pulled pork, sausages, turkey, chicken, and bologna (don’t knock it till you try it) are all smoked low and slow, and have developed a rabid following across the region. Save room for a chili cheese dog if you can. Photo Credit: Billy Sims BBQ
#21 Old Carolina BBQ Company
Old Carolina was inspired by the roadside shacks you’ll find in the Carolinas, and the menu at their nine (soon to be 10) locations in Ohio (plus one in Ann Arbor, Michigan) reflects just that, with Carolina-style pulled pork as a menu highlight, along with beef brisket, ribs, pulled chicken, and turkey. All meats are smoked for up to 14 hours over hickory wood, and the no-frills menu is rounded out by Southern classics like hush puppies, Brunswick stew, banana pudding, sweet tea, and Cheerwine, the Carolina classic soft drink. Five sauces are available to go. Photo Credit: flickr/ reynolds james
Click Here to See More of America’s 25 Best Barbecue Chains #20 Red Hot & Blue
Founded 25 years ago in Arlington, Virginia, by a group of Southern transplants (including the late former RNC chairman Lee Atwater, from Atlanta, and former Tennessee governor and House member Don Sundquist) looking for good barbecue in D.C.,
the chain today has additional locations in Maryland, Texas, New Jersey, Missouri, and North Carolina. The restaurants have a distinctly Southern vibe, with menu items including fried Delta catfish and chicken-fried steak, but it’s the barbecue that’s been the secret to its success. St. Louis-style ribs are served wet, dry-rubbed, or sweet; pulled chicken and pork are hickory-smoked low and slow; brisket is served sliced or chopped; housemade sausages are smoked and grilled; and, thankfully, sampler platters are available so you can try a little bit of everything.Photo Credit: Facebook/ Red Hot & Blue
#19 Woody's Bar-B-Q
Woody’s got its start in Jacksonville, Florida more than 30 years ago, and today there are 28 franchised locations in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Colorado. The baby back ribs fall off the bone, and other specialties include smoked prime rib, Carolina pulled pork, beef, turkey breast, and chicken. Don’t miss the fried squash, Brunswick stew, or corn nuggets, either. Photo Credit: Woody's Bar-B-Q
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