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Hot off the pit! Here’s where you’ll find Dickey’s latest news!

IN THE NEWS

Dickey's new First Responder Tribute Cup is featured in an article by Katy Trail Weekly. The publisher also highlights Dickey's international expansion, history and number of locations.

Click [here](https://katytrailweekly.com/dickeys-barbecue-to-honor-first-responders-p7003-117.htm) to read the full article.

Dickey's Barbecue To Honor First Responders

Dickey's Barbecue Pit CEO and VP of IT Carissa De Santis share insight into the barbecue brand's tech improvements during the coronavirus pandemic including contactless delivery, curbside,  online ordering, menu updates and more. 

Click [here](https://hospitalitytech.com/dickeys-tech-investments-pay) to read the full article.

Dickey’s Tech Investments Pay Off

Restaurant industry news outlet Fast Casual reports Dickey's Barbecue Pit is posied for  a busy third quarter given six store openings and expanding franchise agreements across the U.S.

Click [here] (https://www.fastcasual.com/news/dickeys-barbecue-franchise-growth-stays-on-robust-path/) to read the full article.

Dickey's Barbecue franchise growth stays on robust path

QSR reports on how franchisors are helping their franchisees untangle a web of rules and regulations that exist post-coronavirus. Franchisors, like Dickey's Barbecue Pit cut royalties for their franchisees and provided other educational resources to assist them during the difficult time. 

Click [here] (https://www.qsrmagazine.com/franchising/restaurant-franchising-new-covid-19-frontier) to view the full article.

Restaurant Franchising in the New COVID-19 Frontier 

Market Insider reports Dickey's is maintaining its long-standing status as the world’s largest barbecue franchise with a robust roster of new store openings and new franchise agreements across the U.S.

Click [here] (https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/dickey-s-barbecue-pit-begins-q3-with-dozens-of-new-development-deals-1029384061#) to view the full article.

 Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Begins Q3 With Dozens of New Development Deals

<a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/content/15-young-restaurant-leaders-watch" target="_blank" style="">See how our own Shayla Partusch, VP of Purchasing and Retail, was nominated by QSR.com as a young restaurant leader to watch</a>&nbsp;
"I am helping our local business owners by securing the most competitive prices in each of their markets," Partusch says. "Ultimately, their success is my success."
"Shayla's dynamic understanding of our bottom line, coupled with her approach to vendor relationships, makes her a force to be reckoned with in the highly competitive quick-service procurement space," says Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of Dickey's Capital Group. "Her unwavering tenacity for excellence pushes our brand and others around her to new heights."

Shayla Partusch - 15 Young Restaurant Leaders to Watch

<a href="https://hospitalitytech.com/dickeys-barbecue-pit-adds-individually-packaged-meals-catering-program" target="_blank" style="">Read more about Dickey's Barbecue Pit catering on HospitalityTech.com</a>&nbsp;
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit – is rolling out a new line-up of catering options for guests looking to safely feed large groups as more states reopen.
To provide an alternative to its popular communal delivery buffet or to feed large groups on-the-go, Dickey’s is now offering an expanded variety of boxed meals that come packaged individually. Orders also feature new item labels for accuracy and more individualized sauce options.
“Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, we’ve seen a huge demand from big-box retailers, grocery stores and government offices to cater our comfort food to their frontline workers,” said <a href="https://www.dickeys.com/company/meet-our-team" target="_blank" style="">Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.</a> &nbsp;“Our extended catering options give businesses and organizations who are beginning to reopen an easy, affordable way to feed all of their employees a variety of slow-smoked meals without going off-site.”
Guests can now upgrade their boxed lunch experience with Dickey’s Westerner Sandwich, Chicken Caesar Salad, or Loaded Baker for events of any size. At participating locations, guests can add one of Dickey’s Southern favorite sides to their boxed lunch order for an additional $1.
Catering orders can be placed online at dickeys.com or by calling 866-BARBECUE (866-227-2328) to speak to a catering expert and receive a customized free quote.
The world’s largest barbecue concept offers catering set-ups for groups of all sizes, including party platters, full-service buffets and delivery buffets. Dickey’s catering experts are all ServSafe certified and wear masks and gloves both in-store and off-premise when handling and preparing authentic, Texas-style barbecue.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Adds Individual Meals to Catering Program

<a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/dickeys-extends-free-delivery-through-june" target="_blank" style="">View the QSR news article on Dickey's Barbecue Pit extending free delivery through June</a>&nbsp;
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is reporting unprecedented off-premises sales and is meeting demand trends by extending its free delivery offer through the end of June.
The Dallas-based franchise is up 93.8 percent in delivery sales alone compared to January. In addition, Dickey’s digital sales continue to climb with the barbecue brand reporting a 110.8 percent increase week-over-week.
“Although many states are beginning to reopen, we want guests to take comfort in knowing they can still have their favorite barbecue delivered for free as some folks continue to shelter at home,” says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.
Guests can order any of Dickey’s slow-smoked classics for free contactless delivery at dickeys.com and through the Dickey’s app. For a limited time, guests can add ribs to any plate for just $2 each and the deals continue every Monday with Dickey’s $3 Classic Sandwich, $6 Westerner Sandwich and $9 Westerner Plate.
Larger groups can save big when they use the code 10offcatering to receive 10% off their barbecue catering order at dickeys.com or call 1-866-BARBECUE (866-227-2328) to speak to a catering expert and receive a customized free quote.

Dickey's Barbecue Pit Extends Free Delivery Through June

<a href="https://video.foxnews.com/v/6159091525001#sp=show-clips" target="_blank" style="">VIDEO: Dickey's Barbecue Pit was featured on Fox News Channel on the Your World with Neil Cavuto segment</a> &nbsp;
We are reopening dining rooms at 50% capacity in Texas over Memorial Day weekend and at other levels in various areas worldwide. Learn how we kept a consistent supply chain of meats, our strength in online ordering, and how we are navigating the state-by-state changes to ensure the safety of our guests.

Dickey's Barbecue Pit was featured on Fox News Channel

<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-18/u-s-fast-food-chains-are-in-no-hurry-to-reopen-dining-rooms">Read the full article on Bloomberg.com</a>&nbsp;
While some U.S. states have given the green light for restaurants to reopen their dining rooms, some fast-food restaurants are in no big rush to do so.
That’s because there’s a lot of effort and expense involved in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Inc. has reported a return to positive sales recently. The chain has opened one-fifth of its restaurants in eight states. Though it could open more of its roughly 500 locations, it says it’s being “extremely conscientious in opening dining rooms” and is working with each restaurant to make sure the time is right. In the meantime, those locations are still doing carryout and delivery.

U.S. Fast-Food Chains Are in No Hurry to Reopen Dining Rooms

Bloomberg reports on the restaurant industry during the coronavirus pandemic and finds that restaurants such as Dickey's Barbecue Pit are finding success in maximizing their off-premise channels.

Click [here] (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-13/restaurants-are-rebounding-at-least-those-with-carryout) to view the full article.

Restaurants Are Rebounding - At Least Those With Carryout

<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-13/restaurants-are-rebounding-at-least-those-with-carryout">Read the full article posted on bloomberg.com</a>&nbsp;
The switch from negative to positive came so fast that it took the CEO of Dallas-based Dickey’s Barbecue Pit by surprise.
<a href="https://www.dickeys.com/company/meet-our-team">Laura Rea Dickey</a>, who helms the chain of about 500 locations that serves spicy kielbasa sausage, pulled pork and chopped brisket, said sales plunged 38% from recent levels in March amid commerce restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19. It was a rapid descent that she described as a “shock to the system.” But this “basement” has turned around faster than she expected.
“People are just breathing maybe a sigh of relief,” Rea Dickey said in an interview. “Whether that’s permission -- or comfort -- to go back to some of their normal.”
With some U.S. states reopening their economies, there’s growing evidence that cooking-at-home fatigued consumers are eager to order from restaurants again -- at least those that have social distancing built in via takeout or drive-thru. Some restaurants are also adapting their offerings -- think more family packages, fewer lunch specials -- to meet diners’ needs.
To be sure, the situation remains dire for many restaurants that are built around the dining experience, which are facing the double whammy of nearly empty dining rooms and lost liquor sales. And any gains could quickly evaporate if Covid-19 cases take a turn for the worse.
But companies that have built their business around delivery, at least, are seeing the payoff.&nbsp;
‘Cabin Fever’
Michael Halen, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, said April’s complete collapse -- casual-dining same-store sales fell more than 75%, according to MillerPulse data -- improved as the month wore on, “signaling better results in May.”
“Restaurant same-store sales bottomed in April and will improve in May due to dining room reopenings, cooking fatigue and cabin fever,” Halen said in a report. However, growth on a year-on-year basis isn’t expected until 2021 because of the spike in U.S. unemployment, he said.
Following the rapid changes in consumer behavior, restaurants have shifted gears by changing their offerings with an eye on keeping people fed beyond just one meal at a time.
Dickey’s, for example, has seen a big boost in selling meat by the pound and family-pack meals, which are now 22% of sales, compared with 11% pre Covid-19. In fact, they sold so many half and whole briskets that they had to ramp up their supply to meet the jump in demand.
“They wanted to be able to stretch that whole meat for the whole week or the weekend,” Rea Dickey said.

Restaurants Are Rebounding -- At Least Those With Carryout

Entrepreneurs including Dickey's Barbecue Pit CEO Laura Rea Dickey share their tips for mental health. 

Click [here] (https://www.inc.com/gabrielle-bienasz/mental-health-quarantine.html) to read the full article.


Staying Sane in Quarantine

This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/05/06/2028977/0/en/Dickey-s-Barbecue-Pit-Gives-Back-to-Nurses-Across-the-Globe.html">globenewswire.com</a>
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is saying thank you to nurses from California to Abu Dhabi with free barbecue for their tireless efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in honor of National Nurses Day.
This week, May 6-12, Dickey’s is donating all First Responder Relief Packs to hospital care workers and nursing staff.
In addition, for the next three weeks, the family-owned barbecue joint is giving back to international healthcare workers by feeding all nurses, medical personnel, hospital employees and doctors for free at the Al-Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
“This pandemic is affecting every corner of the globe and we’re thankful to the brave men and women everywhere who are serving others during this difficult time,” said <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=WYNI_SCE-jaHq2x5JmC4dB50kUrBl5pp-7YwRzQxJBWlGkvaQHY-DxX_32qCecYejs5gLbuqyStFFp8wSeuU-0-RaE0XYAZSeja4XjcJZ3u1AMbt_ge7H4mpDcx8CvoNqpFrvG47Zjv9WgvxxbooNPrfGG9nZ1bMMTdt2RdlUHhHm10eAPH0uugBFmYDacxc" title="Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.">Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.</a> “Dickey’s is proud to honor healthcare workers around the world with the gift of comfort food.”
At&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=-b87NhuEo8oWpBx_v_IM77m3iBOsYVwS7DRcoMNyejP9MmwbzfXib9IzKL9A_31Cz0azPP_RwgbOLU8kqYSzcA==" title="dickeys.com">dickeys.com</a>, guests can add First Responder Relief Packs to their order to be donated to first responders in their market. The First Responder Packs include bundles of five or 10 Pulled Pork Classic Sandwiches and guests can also add any desired number of individual sandwiches to their donation. In addition, the Dickey family has pledged to match every sandwich donated to double the efforts to feed first responders.
Learn more about <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=dginPwsw5P57V9mqMRwVbmOKVbMrQ94TSABNpAfloybfMRjZTNGoXmPGYjWaxWQucOGWnpx8KF0bDVkFgdnjbw_jrO5408ikzcC6nhlJN0BLHtqDEuZwh5fZkiXorx69Ru3HH2x1A4XZ_a52ahmYZA==" title="franchising with Dickey’s Barbecue Pit">franchising with Dickey’s Barbecue Pit</a> by visiting classic.dickeys.com/franchise&nbsp;or call&nbsp;(866) 340-6188. Find your <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=8oM6EXdc3gS_KoeLkJYaNxmHCCOkmVhNhklkYItaKuTLleL-lowhHwQ-2o4T7kfUgpCChZ7kpX8sOAZciO-CrX0A7zy0d7RP-sDIUyENS-1-lwVhTRGZQWVGMowdFEyj" title="nearest Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location">nearest Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location</a> by visiting dickeys.com/locations.
Follow Dickey’s on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=NDcpNjQR-1bEVRQGzrE3Ha6arfTKx3lvibFovM9lZTTsIFeDSi9z5qLOe_cAj3QKfD97p0Jr56CfafKoRoOZjNl95OvBNKL45Ltzb7MacqI=" title="Facebook">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=4k7SBssuhTpRUHW_9-KEGwOPWVKhCeYXlaYELqUyv2m-O7BBzsgVurGUZq2v__HUBULWA0hR9rMdJ2X3JKTMq4WNBnKOtEcEwY3ENqeW7eQ=" title="Instagram">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=u_rogskCCg_wpBAaQJLEqTC0niY3_nvazrquV3_1aRd4xdkkNTednZ_nR0CdzRcjNzhuBHxJFmjSZLMTiOeboA==" title="Twitter">Twitter</a>.
Download the Dickey’s App from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=pD7zyAClp90QYSJeGouHtRUk_SkBbn8-QJWBSwI9KHR-eI_L6O0xO5cvCSlCoC6m7d9L2LwkMR1qkTrzPtBZk70lsSyN4qqM7lkmWzvPUkwjkG1Jiyu0W4hsGIAiM3X5NTcIrAFdh1k-tBXhosj3Kg==" title="Apple App Store">Apple App Store</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=wpEXA7Yqf_tm6k2pBfAoml4djSzuwNpHkID1W_gnAZsVJf1jCxRYg19PRy-YiY2zmxutOB4i0o34q8SZzSu_jR-Ie7saWyfH342xO_dreUQl4piEvAuXM2oxU6qQRm1b" title="Google Play">Google Play</a>.
About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.&nbsp;
Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the world’s largest barbecue concept, was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey. For the past 79 years, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has served millions of guests Legit. Texas. Barbecue.™ At Dickey’s, all our barbecued meats are smoked on-site in a hickory wood-burning pit. Dickey’s proudly believes there’s no shortcut to true barbecue and it’s why they never say bbq. The Dallas-based family-run barbecue franchise offers several slow smoked meats and wholesome sides with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included. The fast-casual concept has expanded worldwide with two international locations in the UAE and operates over 500 locations in 44 states. In 2016, Dickey’s won first place on Fast Casual’s “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” list and was named a Top 500 Franchise by Entrepreneur in 2018. Dickey's Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Fox News, Franchise Times, The Wall Street Journal, QSR Magazine, Forbes Magazine and Nation’s Restaurant News. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=kAfqZ4A95bUomLfnkKAnX3qfnH6Xge6Y89EdRXBnPjBcYvxrTEOVNHNSZnwd6tqMxPRU6PP_z7sGkvFMu6-FQQ==" title="www.dickeys.com">www.dickeys.com</a>.&nbsp;

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Gives Back to Nurses Across the Globe

This article originally appeared on r<a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/dickeys-takeout-strategy-paved-way-reopening-locations">estaurantbusiness.com</a>
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has been doing a robust takeout business almost since COVID-19 closed most of the chain’s locations in mid-March. “Online orders took a 38% dip the first five days, then built back up to almost 100% of same-store sales,” says <a href="https://www.dickeys.com/company/meet-our-team">CEO Laura Rea Dickey</a>. “We’ve had continuous operation, and our pitmasters were smoking meat throughout the shutdown.”
So when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that restaurants could <a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/texas-reopen-restaurants-25-capacity" title="reopen for dine-in">reopen for dine-in</a> at 25% capacity on May 1, Dickey’s was prepared. Employees, food supplies and sanitation protocols were in place at the chain’s seven company restaurants in the state, and most Texas franchise locations were ready to reopen last Friday, too, Dickey says.
She was also pretty confident that customers would return. “We did several key things to keep guests engaged during the shutdown,” Dickey says. “First, we kept in touch through social media, discovering what they needed most and meeting those needs.”
For example, Dickey’s always offered a “kids eat free” deal on Sundays to encourage families to come out and dine in the restaurants. The same deal was offered online over the past seven weeks, and the online promotion will continue in the foreseeable future. “This provided comfort and a sense of normalcy for families to continue the Sunday tradition,” says Dickey. “It also avoided a disruption in our Sunday sales.”
Like other chains, Dickey’s also expanded its <a href="https://www.dickeys.com/press/in-the-news/nations-restaurant-news-how-restaurant-chains-are-catering-to-families-kids-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic">family meal packages</a> for contactless takeout and delivery, offering meats by the pound. “But guests indicated there was a gap in our side offerings, because we only offered medium and extra-large sizes. To fill the gap, we added large sides,” says Dickey—a move that spiked orders.
In some neighborhoods, Dickey’s discovered that customers were ordering earlier than in pre-COVID-19 times, so the chain added box lunches to go. “We will continue with these ideas and maintain a lot of what we were doing because we realize that folks will be cautiously coming back to our dining rooms,” she says.
With sales steady, supply hasn’t been an issue—even with the retail meat shortage and decreased production in packing plants. “We contracted with our vendors for 12 weeks of protein products and other supplies at the beginning,” says Dickey, adding that establishing good working relationships with long-term partners has helped the chain through the worst of the crisis. “They helped us forecast demand and shore up our balance sheets,” she says. And this support extended beyond food suppliers. Dickey’s worked with its tech partner to renegotiate pricing to make up for the loss in dine-in business during the shutdown.
May 1 was the start of National Barbecue Month, a promotion that Dickey’s usually ties into with LTOs. “This year, I didn’t want to add another category or SKU, in case a supply issue did develop as stores reopened,” says Dickey. “Instead, we launched ‘Upgrade your Cue,’ introducing six new sandwiches that cross-utilize products and sauces already in inventory.” Guests can choose a Brisket Double Cheese or spicy Wild Westerner sandwich, for example, and get something new and different. “Folks need more options about now. They’re getting a little bored ordering the same thing,” she says.
Dickey’s was already practicing enhanced sanitation protocols at all its company and franchised locations, but visibility is now key as stores reopen. “Before, a welcoming smile was enough of a greeting, but now guests want to see face masks on employees, floor stickers for social distancing and continuous sanitizing of surfaces,” says Dickey.
Most of all, Dickey believes compassion, kindness and community involvement go a long way in bringing business back. The chain has expanded its first responder feeding efforts: Guests can order food to donate, and Dickey’s is matching the donations. “People really want to do good and their support has been amazing,” says Dickey.
In return, the chain is supporting its customers, making sure they know “we’re here to serve you however you want to be served,” she says. “Our loyal guests are actually openly expressing thanks to our pitmasters.”&nbsp;

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