Franchise Innovation Awards 2025: Celebrating the Most Disruptive Brands

PJ Patel is really focused on building community in his small town, Blakey. For PJ, opening a barbecue restaurant in Blakely wasn’t just about starting a business. He wants to bring something new and excited to the people of his small town home.&nbsp;As <a href="https://youtu.be/Ob3azylWbPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a member of the Dickey's Barbecue Pit family, PJ</a> is passionate about serving Legit.Texas.Barbecue™ while creating a welcoming place for the community to gather. He hopes to create a space for his local community to enjoy great food and make memories together.<h2>Bringing Something Different to Blakely</h2>PJ and his family always knew they wanted to invest in their hometown in a meaningful way. After exploring different opportunities, barbecue stood out as the perfect fit.“We’re from a small town and we always wanted to bring something different for the community,” PJ shared. “Something our community doesn’t have. I personally love barbecue, so I wanted to bring that to the community as well.”That passion for great food and community connection made Dickey’s the right choice.“Dickey’s Barbecue is a great place to be, with great food, so it’s been a great experience.”<h2>Learning the Recipe for Success</h2>Opening a restaurant takes dedication, preparation, and the right support system. PJ says the training experience played a major role in helping him feel confident and prepared for ownership.“So, I had a good instructor for one, so that helped a lot,” he explained. “Learning how to get things planned and how to start each day with a plan. I think that was the best part.”When we asked PJ was he gained from training, he said that he learned valuable insight into daily operations, leadership, and the systems needed to build a successful business.“Basically, it’s what you need to do to be successful and how it needs to be done to make your own business successful.”<h2>Advice for Future Franchise Owners</h2>For anyone considering franchise ownership, PJ keeps his advice pretty simple:“Plan, plan, plan. That’s the way to keep everything moving like it should.”That mindset of preparation and consistency is already helping shape the future of his restaurant and his role within the Blakely community.<h2>A New Barbecue Destination in Blakely</h2>With a love for barbecue and a commitment to his hometown, PJ Patel is excited to bring authentic slow-smoked flavors and genuine hospitality to Blakely, Georgia. His journey is a reminder that great food has the power to bring communities together — especially when it’s served with passion and purpose.About Dickey’s Barbecue PitKnown for authentic, slow-smoked Texas barbecue, Dickey's Barbecue Pit has been serving guests Legit. Texas. Barbecue.™ for decades with signature smoked meats, savory homestyle sides, and family-friendly hospitality.&nbsp;

Meet PJ Patel - Bringing Big Barbecue Flavor to Blakely, Georgia

CEO Magazine: Secret Sauce: Laura Rea Dickey & Roland Dickey Jr

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is firing up the smoker for its first-ever Texas BBQ Fest, recently featured by Dallas News! Celebrating 85 years of Legit. Texas. Barbecue.™, the event brings together barbecue fans, live entertainment, giveaways, and community fundraising in support of The Dickey Foundation and local first responders.Read the full feature here: <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/things-to-do/?_evDiscoveryPath=/event/3636281-texas-bbq-fest-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dallas News Feature on Dickey’s Texas BBQ Fest</a>

Dickey’s BBQ Fest Celebrates 85 Years in Dallas

National barbecue restaurant chain is ready to serve and support throughout the long holiday weekend with limited-time discount and honorary gold cup benefitting first responders&nbsp;&nbsp;As the sun sets later and the summer heat starts to turn up, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is serving deals to barbecue fans throughout Memorial Day weekend, &nbsp;honoring the military heroes who gave everything for our country, and invites families to gather, remember, and share slow-smoked barbecue together.&nbsp;&nbsp;From May 22 to May 25, Dickey’s guests can enjoy $10 off their order of $50 or more when they use code MEMDAY85 online or with the Dickey’s mobile app. Open on Memorial Day during normal business hours, Dickey’s is encouraging guests to skip the parking and reservation hassle by pre-ordering their barbecue meal at locations nationwide.<img class="image_resized" style="width:75%;" src="https://cms-www-dickeys-com.s3.amazonaws.com/dickeys-banner-7c3fbc8d13.jpg"> Additionally, for a limited- time and available for $3.99 from now through June 30th, Dickey’s is featuring its newest collectible Big Yellow Cup that is a 32-ounce tribute to those who protect and serve. A portion of the proceeds from each cup sold benefits&nbsp;<a href="https://tracking.eu.nylas.com/l/46848cf154c1405b913e6f9a25706809/2/88103a6eb3fe615a1348f0e5a291fcc196ced531bdbc74bdcbe63f1527045831?cache_buster=1778606280">The Dickey Foundation</a>, which is dedicated to supporting first responders across the U.S.&nbsp;“Memorial Day is about coming together with the people we love while also remembering and honoring the brave military personnel who served our &nbsp;country,” said <a href="https://laurareadickey.medium.com/evolve-or-fail-ceo-laura-rea-dickey-on-the-mantra-that-helped-dickeys-barbecue-restaurants-thrive-946cd66c2603">Laura Rea Dickey</a>, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “We’re proud to make it easier for families to enjoy great barbecue over the holiday weekend while also giving back to first responders through The Dickey Foundation.”&nbsp;Whether you’re feeding for two or 200, <a href="https://www.rolanddickeyjr.com/blog/rolanddickey-dickeysfranchise">Dickey’s</a> makes ordering for any size group both customizable and delicious. The catering experts who have been servin’ up smoked deliciousness for parties since 1941 have convenient pre-selected pack options of family size portions featuring classic barbecue favorites such as pulled pork, brisket, cabbage slaw, barbecue beans and potato salad. Alternatively, mix and match this spring with options ranging from chicken wings and fall-off-the-bone ribs focused packs to sandwiches to pack options featuring all sides.&nbsp;Guests looking to take advantage of the limited-time offer can join Big Yellow Cup Rewards through the Dickey’s app while also unlocking exclusive perks year-round, including members-only promotions, surprise birthday treats and points earned on every purchase that can be redeemed for future savings. Signing up is free and gives fans access to special offers like this one just in time to make enjoying summertime barbecue even easier.&nbsp;&nbsp;Limit one (1) redemption per transaction. Offer not valid in combination with any other discounts, promotions or offers. To learn more, follow Dickey’s on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dickeysbarbecuepit/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dickeysbarbecuepit/">Instagram</a>. Download the <a href="https://www.dickeys.com/promos/check-the-app">Dickey’s Barbecue Pit app</a> from the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dickeys-barbecue-pit/id1288151925?mt=8">Apple App Store</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.olodickeysapp">Google Play</a>.<h2>About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.&nbsp;</h2>Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the world’s largest barbecue concept, was founded in 1941 by World War I Veteran, Travis Dickey. For the past 85 years, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has served millions of guests Legit. Texas. Barbecue™ alongside their iconic Big Yellow Cup. The Dallas-based, family-founded barbecue franchise serves slow-smoked meats and home-style sides with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included for dine-in, drive-thru (select locations) and pick-up. ‘Cue the catering experts at Dickey’s by dialing the Catering Hotline at&nbsp;<a href="tel:+18662272328">+1-866-227-2328</a> or visiting Dickey’s website to order or get a quote. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dickeys.com/">www.dickeys.com</a>.&nbsp;

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Shares Memorial Day Weekend Specials

Dickey’s Brisket and Slaw Highlight Texas BBQ Flavor

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit continues to grow its presence across Canada, reinforcing why the Dickey’s franchise model remains one of the most recognized names in authentic Texas-style barbecue. Known for its slow-smoked meats and strong community focus, Dickey’s is expanding in key markets with passionate local owner-operators.A recent example of this growth is the opening of a brand-new location in Edmonton’s Ellerslie neighborhood, marking another milestone for the brand’s Canadian expansion. This latest development highlights the ongoing demand for the Dickey’s experience and the strength of the Dickey’s franchise opportunity.<blockquote><a href="https://www.restaurantnews.com/dickeys-barbecue-pit-edmonton-alberta-expansion-042926/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Read the full news article here</a> &nbsp;</blockquote>

Dickey’s BBQ Fest Celebrates 85 Years in Dallas

MORE ARTICLES