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IN THE NEWS

From <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/dickeys-holiday-feast-sales-jump-25-percent" target="_blank">QSR</a>  <br>
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<div class="note-statusbar">
  This year, approximately 25,000 American households enjoyed Dickey’s turkey or ham at their Thanksgiving celebration, and more than 6,000 of those households celebrated with Dickey’s full holiday
  feast, including traditional home-style sides. That’s over 250,000 pounds of holiday meats that traveled from Dickey’s Barbecue Pits into homes across America.
</div>
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  <br>
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  Dickey’s Barbecue Pit increased Thanksgiving sales this year by 17 percent and exceeded its full holiday feast sales by 25 percent. With the record year of holiday sales, Dickey’s is slated to sell
  approximately 365,000 pounds of holiday turkey and ham by the New Year.
</div>
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  <br>
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  Over 33 million American households looked to restaurants to provide at least a portion of their Thanksgiving meal this year, and Dickey’s works to exceed its guests’ expectations by providing
  quality home-style meals ready to heat and serve.
</div>
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  <br>
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  “Folks like to take the hassle out of the holiday by pre-ordering a delicious holiday feast including Cajun-Fried and Smoked Turkey or Barbecue Honey Ham complete with traditional holiday sides,”
  says CEO Roland Dickey Jr. “Sales numbers indicate that this continues to be a growing trend for our guests so they can relax and enjoy the holiday rather than spending it preparing and cooking
  meals.”
</div>

Dickey's 'Holiday Feast' Sales Jump 25 Percent

<p>
  From <a href="http://www.fastcasual.com/news/dickeys-breaks-thanksgiving-sales-records/" target="_blank">Fast Casual</a>  <br>
</p>
<hr>
<div class="note-statusbar">
  Nearly 25,000 Americans served Dickey’s turkey or ham at their Thanksgiving celebration, and more than 6,000 of those households celebrated with Dickey’s full holiday feast, including traditional
  homestyle sides, according to a company press release, That’s over 250,000 pounds of holiday meats that traveled from Dickey’s Barbecue Pits into homes across America.
</div>
<div class="note-statusbar">
  <br>
</div>
<div class="note-statusbar">
  Dickey’s Barbecue Pit increased Thanksgiving sales this year by 17 percent and exceeded its full holiday feast sales by 25 percent, said Roland Dickey Jr., CEO. With the record year of holiday
  sales, Dickey’s is slated to sell approximately 365,000 pounds of holiday turkey and ham by the new year.
</div>
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  <br>
</div>
<div class="note-statusbar">
  "Folks like to take the hassle out of the holiday by pre-ordering a delicious holiday feast including cajun-fried and smoked turkey or barbecue honey ham complete with traditional holiday sides,"
  Dickey Jr. said. "Sales numbers indicate this continues to be a growing trend for our guests so they can relax and enjoy the holiday rather than spending it preparing and cooking meals."
</div>
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  <br>
</div>
<div class="note-statusbar">
  Over 33 million American households looked to restaurants to provide at least a portion of their Thanksgiving meal this year.
</div>

Dickey’s breaks Thanksgiving sales records

<p>
  From <a href="http://grocerants.blogspot.com/2015/12/dickeys-grocerant-holiday-meals-drive.html" target="_blank">Grocerant Guru</a>  <br>
</p>
<hr>
<p>
  Grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared meals have been driving success in every sector of foodservice since 2009 according to Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru®. Chain
  restaurants are getting into the act as well joining the likes of Wawa, Sheetz, Rutter’s, Whole Foods, and HEB.  
</p>
<p>
  <br>
</p>
<p>
  Roland Dickey, Jr. CEO, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, stated that  “This year, approximately 25,000 American households enjoyed Dickey’s turkey or ham at their Thanksgiving celebration, and
  more than 6,000 of those households celebrated with Dickey’s full holiday feast, including traditional homestyle sides. That’s over 250,000 pounds of holiday meats that traveled from Dickey’s
  Barbecue Pits into homes across America.”
</p>
<p>
  <br>
</p>
<p>
  Now this was not the first year that Dickey’s Barbecue Pit offered the Thanksgiving meal; however this Dickey’s increased Thanksgiving sales this year by 17 percent and exceeded its full holiday
  feast sales by 25 percent according to Roland Dickey Jr.
</p>
<p>
  <br>
</p>
<p>
  The National Restaurant Association reports that “over 33 million American households looked to restaurants to provide at least a portion of their Thanksgiving meal this year”  The is a huge
  shift in share of stomach away from traditional grocery stores and a growing trend according to our own Grocerant Guru®
</p>
<p>
  <br>
</p>
<p>
  Rolland Dickey went on to say  “Folks like to take the hassle out of the holiday by pre-ordering a delicious holiday feast including Cajun-Fried and Smoked Turkey or Barbecue Honey Ham
  complete with traditional holiday sides,…Sales numbers indicate that this continues to be a growing trend for our guests so they can relax and enjoy the holiday rather than spending it preparing
  and cooking meals.” Up 25% I would say that is a great growing trend.
</p>
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Dickey’s Grocerant Holiday Meals Drive Growth

<div>
  From QSR  <br>
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<div>
  <span style="font-style: italic;">The Big Business of Big Data  <br>
  <br></span>
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  In April, Josh Patchus began his new job at Cava Grill, the upstart Washington, D.C.–based fast casual.
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  <br>
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  In a world of cooks and cashiers, marketers and managers, Patchus acknowledges that his title—chief data scientist—is an odd one, seemingly out of place at the emerging 14-unit Mediterranean
  concept best known for dishing out bowls, pitas, and hummus. But in the modern restaurant world, Patchus’s responsibilities are anything but out of place. In fact, some argue a guy like Patchus is
  downright necessary in a world hurling data at restaurant chains from both in-house (structured, as they say in the business) and public (unstructured) channels.
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  Big data, after all, is big business.
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  “Quick-service chains recognize just how competitive and fast-paced the world is, and, subsequently, just how much big data matters,” says Brad Marg of Clutch, a Pennsylvania-based firm offering
  advanced customer management platforms.
</div>
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  <br>
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  Charged with breeding a data culture at Cava Grill, Patchus shares data with leaders throughout the six-year-old organization, piecing together large volumes of insights to propel informed decision
  making.
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  “It’s a sign of where our brand wants to go,” Patchus says. “And we recognize just how much data can drive performance.”
</div>
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  <br>
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<div>
  Once a trendy catchphrase, big data has hit the mainstream, with restaurant concepts around the country utilizing the ever-accelerating mounds of data—those digital fingerprints extracted from
  point-of-sale systems, customer relationship management programs, social media, Internet searches, sensors, and more—to fuel efficiencies and profit.
</div>
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  “The more information you have, the more you can analyze and aggregate and the more you can make quantitative decisions to move the business forward,” says Laura Rea Dickey, chief information
  officer at the 500-plus-unit Dickey’s Barbecue Pit.
</div>
<div>
  <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span>
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<div>
  <span style="font-weight: bold;">Big data’s rise</span>
</div>
<div>
  Using data to drive decision making isn’t new in the restaurant space. Traditionally, however, restaurants leaned on trailing data. Leadership reviewed things that had happened to inform current
  and future planning, and that information was often handled in silos with little collaboration between different departments, such as marketing, development, or operations.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
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<div>
  But now a rising number of restaurant enterprises are focusing on leading indicators, eager to gain a window into what’s happening at the present moment—near real-time results regarding things such
  as a marketing offer, pricing changes, or weather’s impact on traffic.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
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<div>
  “That’s a significant mind shift and one capable of providing a more holistic view into the business,” says Paul Konkel, CEO of Actus Data, a provider of business analytics solutions. “You can
  better understand the events that are most relevant to the restaurant, customer response, inventory needs, and more.”
</div>
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  <br>
</div>
<div>
  The classic example, Konkel adds, is the ice cream shop that
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  <br>
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  opens early on hot days to sell more ice cream.
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  “That’s the holy grail: turning data into information and then action,” Konkel says. “You take a big bucket of data and transfer it into usable info that can drive restaurant improvements. It’s
  about how I can impact my day now and, ultimately, impact the bottom line.”
</div>
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  <br>
</div>
<div>
  While big data remains a daunting, complex process on the technological side, particularly as data floods in from a variety of angles at an increasingly rapid pace, more restaurants are investing
  in third-party software or devising their own systems to shatter the traditional silos and fuel performance. Such software synthesizes data and produces accessible insights—charts and color codes,
  text notifications and graphs—for restaurant leadership.
</div>
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  <br>
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  “Now it’s a more fluid exercise,” Konkel says. “We extract the complexity of technology so you can run your business better, and big data becomes a business issue and not a technological issue.”
</div>
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  <br>
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<div>
  As a result, big data has moved beyond a restaurant company’s IT department and dropped into the hands of others throughout a restaurant organization, informing decisions around site selection,
  marketing, staffing, menu development, operations, inventory, and more.
</div>
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  <br>
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<div>
  “Data isn’t just for the analysts anymore,” says Jim Boswell, director of financial planning and analysis for the 650-unit Marco’s Pizza chain. “All business leaders need data at their fingertips
  to answer questions instantly.”
</div>
<div>
  <br>
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<div>
  When Boswell arrived at Marco’s three years ago, he says, the Toledo, Ohio–based chain was already moving down the path of being a more data-driven enterprise. The company had a data warehouse and
  was beginning to leverage data to make decisions.
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  “It’s become apparent to everyone in our organization that technology is a partner to every function of our business,” he says.
</div>
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  Marco’s efforts have only intensified of late, including the creation of a proprietary system that brings data into a singular place so leaders can review and respond. “That’s helped us turn a
  corner,” Boswell says.
</div>
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  <br>
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  To wit, Marco’s is riding six consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth, and the average ticket in 2014 was up nearly 5 percent compared with 2013.
</div>
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<div>
  <span style="font-weight: bold;">Big data at work</span>
</div>
<div>
  Though big data is not a new term, many limited-service brands are still in the early days of learning exactly how to leverage millions of data points to improve results. Here are nine ways
  restaurant brands are turning data into action:
</div>
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  <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span>
</div>
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  <span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Stronger site selection</span>
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  The right location can contribute mightily to a store’s success or failure.
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  Marco’s marries key market data—such as the number of competitors in a given market, population density, household income, and psychographics—from a third-party provider to its own store
  performance figures, creating a robust site selection model that optimizes each eatery’s shot at success.
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  “Data is the starting point and helps us determine the right locations for our restaurants,” Boswell says.
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  <span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Labor efficiency</span>
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  Labor remains a key driver to success at every restaurant, especially amid rising labor rates and Affordable Care Act mandates. The restaurant enterprise that takes its eye off the labor ball does
  so at its own profitability peril.
</div>
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  <br>
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<div>
  Wanting to better understand how its business model fits within changing labor laws, Cava Grill reviewed historical clock-in and clock-out data to understand individual employee hours. Patchus’
  team then ran simulations to understand which stores were at the greatest risk of higher-than-necessary labor costs, a key step in aligning expenses with profitability.
</div>
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  <span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Menu development</span>
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  In 2013, Tropical Smoothie Café released its Island Green Smoothie, the chain’s first vegetable smoothie.
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  “We just thought it was a great idea,” Tropical Smoothie CEO Mike Rotondo says. But the decision was also prompted by consumer data points.
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  The green smoothie rushed to the top of the chain’s most beloved smoothies. Soon after, the company debuted other vegetable smoothies, including beet, ginger, and carrot, broadening a category
  Tropical Smoothie leadership learned carried substantial consumer interest. The chain even saw when the vegetable smoothies were selling, which prompted marketing efforts to capture added traffic
  during those dayparts.
</div>
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  “We were able to identify more smoothies we could create and learned how we could best present those to the consumer,” Rotondo says.
</div>
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  <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span>
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  <span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Answering customer needs</span>
</div>
<div>
  Historically, restaurants leaned on surveys to better understand their customers. But surveys, while valuable, can often be flawed by perception; data, on the other hand, delivers an objective look
  at what’s selling and to whom. That allows operations to segment their business, producing offers from a general awareness campaign to specific promotions for specific people.
</div>
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  <br>
</div>
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  For example, Clutch built a mobile app for upstart fast casual Elevation Burger that enabled customers to order in advance and then receive their meal immediately upon entering the restaurant. The
  app has produced faster service and greater satisfaction for those customers desiring that convenience.
</div>
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  “It’s about knowing what your customers need and then being willing to invest in the things that create a new reality for them,” Marg says. “Marrying the product to the person is the real
  convenience of big data.”
</div>
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  <br>
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  <span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Highlighting consumer preferences</span>
</div>
<div>
  From its POS data, Cava Grill noticed an increasing number of people moving away from pitas as their meal’s base, choosing rice or salad instead. That recognition sparked the fast-casual chain to
  place a greater emphasis on the appearance of its salads in stores as well as in promotional materials.
</div>
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  “We saw the long-term investments we needed to make and how we needed to treat salads,” Patchus says.
</div>
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  Similarly, when Cava Grill offered sodas as its lone beverage option, Patchus says, many consumers bypassed a beverage purchase, a drain to the average ticket and margins. When the eatery tested
  juices, however, drink purchases increased. Those findings spurred Cava Grill to introduce handcrafted juices and teas into its stores.
</div>
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  “With the metrics in hand, we were able to make the investment into juices with a lot more confidence,” Patchus says.
</div>
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  <br>
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<div>
  <span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Optimizing operations</span>
</div>
<div>
  Rather than looking at data at day’s end or the following morning, Dickey’s Smoke Stack, the company’s proprietary data platform, pulls data from each of the chain’s stores every 15 minutes in a
  stock-ticker style format for local, regional, or corporate leaders to review.
</div>
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  <br>
</div>
<div>
  “This gives us an opportunity to impact the moment,” Dickey says. “It’s been a huge shift for us from asking, ‘How did yesterday go?’ to asking, ‘What do we need to do for today’s dinner based on
  today’s lunch?’”
</div>
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  <br>
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  Similarly, Marco’s creates a robust balance scorecard using transaction counts, customer service input, sales, store audits, and performance metrics such as out-the-door times to measure and rank
  unit performance at several different levels.
</div>
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  <br>
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  “This allows us to target performance issues and get ahead of them,” Boswell says.
</div>
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  <span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Arrangement of the products</span>
</div>
<div>
  Formerly, Cava Grill placed bags of pita chips at the end of its meal assembly line. Patchus and others wondered if pita chip sales might increase if the chips sat elsewhere. Testing that theory,
  the chain discovered customers were more likely to purchase the pita chips when presented in the middle of the meal-building process.
</div>
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  <br>
</div>
<div>
  “In the line, while customers are building their meal, their thoughts are on the meal; at the cashier, their thoughts turn to payment, and selling the pita chips became more difficult,” Patchus
  says. “The data helped us understand the psychology of people going through the line and their ordering process.”
</div>
<div>
  <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span>
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<div>
  <span style="font-weight: bold;">8. Store design</span>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey’s Smoke Stack allows the barbecue chain to optimize customer feedback, squeezing together information from social media, the company’s loyalty program, and its online feedback program to see
  a holistic view of the customer experience.
</div>
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  <br>
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  That information informed Dickey’s latest store prototype, allowing the chain to turn “customer care-abouts” into tangible elements of its store design, such as upgraded sound systems broadcasting
  acoustic tunes and smoking pits visible to guests.
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  “We learned just how much these dining-room elements mattered, even for our take-out customers,” Dickey says.
</div>
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  <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span>
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  <span style="font-weight: bold;">9. Business benchmarking</span>
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  Each year, Tropical Smoothie Café requests profit and loss statements from all of its 400-plus units. The corporate office then takes those numbers and crunches them into a database segmented by
  store sales performance and distributed systemwide.
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  <br>
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  This effort, Rotondo says, helps store operators benchmark themselves against data from the entire system as well as stores capturing the same revenue, helping operators spotlight potential areas
  for improvement.
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  “We’ve seen profitability improve year over year because of this,” Rotondo says.
</div>

The Big Business of Big Data

<div>
  From <a href="http://nrn.com/operations/dickey-s-debuts-new-prototype-restaurant" target="_blank">Nation's Restaurant News</a>  
</div>
<hr>
<div>
  Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. has introduced a new prototype that halves the kitchen size, reduces required equipment and creates other efficiencies, the company said earlier this month.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of the 520-unit, Dallas-based chain, said the company spent a year designing the new prototype, which debuted in October in the makeover of a unit that originally opened in
  2008.
</div>
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  <br>
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  “We took out 700 square feet,” Dickey said. “We wanted to build it to exactly what the prototype would be, so this is 1,500 square feet.”
</div>
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  <br>
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  Square footage for the kitchen was nearly halved, leaving about 500 square feet for food storage and preparation areas, he said. The dining area, which accommodates about 50 seats, and restrooms
  occupy the remaining 1,000 square feet, Dickey said.
</div>
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  <br>
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  The new look and pared-down menu will appear in the 32 restaurants that are under construction, Dickey told Nation’s Restaurant News, as well as some aspects that will be adapted as franchisees
  refresh their units.
</div>
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  <br>
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  One big change that affected the menu is that fryers, ovens and ranges are no longer required in the kitchen package, Dickey said.
</div>
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  <br>
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  “There’s no gas in this building,” he said. Plus, the smoker was changed from whole wood to pellets. “Buying cords of wood, we found the price was going up and up and up,” Dickey noted.
</div>
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  <br>
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  The menu has been pared down as well, with ham, French fries, fried okra and baked potatoes removed. “Before, we had eight meats and 12 vegetables, and now we have seven meats and eight
  vegetables,” Dickey said. “It’s much more streamlined.”
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  <br>
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  “Operationally, it’s set up to be lean and mean,” Dickey said. “We deconstructed it and put it back much more simply than before.”
</div>
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  <br>
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  Another change is the removal of the soft-serve ice cream machine, which had long been a fixture at Dickey’s. While the ice cream was offered as a lagniappe to customers, the maintenance of the
  machines was a large source of complaints among franchisees, Dickey said.
</div>
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  <br>
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  In the prototype Dallas unit, sales of desserts, such as individually wrapped cookies and slices of pecan pie, have increased with the removal of the ice cream machine, Dickey said.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
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  Many of the changes were made to increase service time as well, he said. The standard service time from order-pay to delivery to customer is two minutes. “We had trouble meeting that when people
  had to take time to go to fryers,” he said. “We wanted to do fewer things better.”
</div>
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  <br>
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  Some aspects of the prototype have already been modified. The restaurant opened in October with a communal table, but that has been replaced with four-tops. “We found the individual tables filled
  up faster, so this configuration worked better for us,” he said.
</div>
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  <br>
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  The restaurant also features a specially curated Texas singer/songwriter playlist and an improved surround-sound speaker system.
</div>
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  <br>
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<div>
  Dickey said this fourth-generation, or 4G, prototype was the biggest and “most radical overhaul” the brand had taken.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
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  “We feel like we got this one really right,” he said. Aspects like new training programs will be rolled out in January, he added.
</div>
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  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey’s, which was founded in 1941, has restaurants in 43 states.
</div>

Dickey’s debuts new prototype restaurant

<div>
  Dickey's Barbecue Pit is slated to open four new stores in Virginia over the next year, according to the most recently executed development agreement. Two of the new stores will be located in
  Alexandria and Thornburg, and the last two sites are to be determined.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  "Dickey's is expanding at a rapid pace throughout the United States,” said Roland Dickey Jr., CEO. "Especially on the eastern seaboard, Texas-style barbecue is becoming known and loved as a
  different and delicious way to do barbecue."
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  An accountant of 27 years, Owner/Operator James Wright started his career with Dickey's when he purchased super majority ownership in the Fredericksburg store in May of 2015. He immediately
  attended Dickey's four-week training course in Dallas, then assumed ownership of the store in June.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  "Dickey's has provided training tools at every step of the process, which makes the learning curve much more manageable," Wrights said. "With Dickey's, I know I can build a successful business that
  I will one day pass on to my son, all the while helping people in my community by providing employment opportunities."
</div>

Dickey's sets franchise sights on Virginia

<p>From <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/dickeys-plans-four-new-virginia-locations" target="_blank">QSR</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is slated to open four new stores in Virginia over the next year, according to the most recently executed development agreement. Two of the new stores will be located in Alexandria and Thornburg, Virginia, and the last two sites are to be determined.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>“Dickey’s is expanding at a rapid pace throughout the United States,” says Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. “Especially on the Eastern Seaboard, Texas-style barbecue is becoming known and loved as a different and delicious way to do barbecue.”</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>An accountant of 27 years, owner-operator James Wright started his career with Dickey’s when he purchased super majority ownership in the Fredericksburg, Virginia store in May 2015. He immediately attended Dickey’s four-week training course in Dallas, then assumed ownership of the store in June. “Dickey’s has provided training tools at every step of the process, which makes the learning curve much more manageable,” Wrights says. “With Dickey’s, I know I can build a successful business that I will one day pass on to my son, all the while helping people in my community by providing employment opportunities.”</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Dickey’s works with each franchisee throughout the opening process, from real estate to training to in-house marketing support. Future owner-operators can learn more about a Dickey’s franchise, including the low franchise fees and multi-store discounts. Additionally, Dickey’s offers franchising discounts to military veterans.</p>

Dickey's Plans for Four New Virginia Locations

<div>
  From <a href="http://nrn.com/people/dickey-s-names-diana-larocca-cmo" target="_blank">Nation's Restaurant News</a> 
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants Inc. has promoted Diana LaRocca to the newly created position of chief marketing officer, the company said Friday.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  LaRocca most recently served as vice president of marketing for Dallas-based Dickey’s. A company spokeswoman said the new CMO title was created to complement the existing chief brand officer
  position at the company
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  “We know [LaRocca] is the right fit to fulfill the role of CMO, and we look forward to her lending her talents in creating innovative and effective campaigns," Roland Dickey Jr., Dickey’s CEO, said
  in a statement.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  In her new role, Diana will oversee the barbecue brand’s research, digital media, communications and the company’s recently expanded local-store marketing department.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Prior to Dickey’s, LaRocca served in leadership roles directing marketing, communications and training for Capital One, Legacy Texas Bank and Guaranty Bank.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  “This is an exciting time for the fast-casual industry, and especially for Dickey's, as the chain continues to rapidly expand,” LaRocca said in a statement.
</div>
<div>
   
</div>
<div>
  Dickey’s, founded in 1941, has about 520 locations in 43 states.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Contact Ron Ruggless at Ronald.Ruggless@Penton.com.
</div>
<div>
  Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless
</div>

Dickey’s names Diana LaRocca CMO

<div>
  From <a href="http://www.shelbyfoodservice.com/2015/11/16/dickeys-names-new-cmo-inks-deal-for-southeast/" target="_blank">Shelby Food Service</a> 
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. has appointed Diana LaRocca to the role of chief marketing officer. LaRocca previously served as the VP of marketing for Dickey’s.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Originally from San Antonio, LaRocca is a seasoned marketing, communications and sales professional with nearly 30 years of experience. In her new role, LaRocca will lead the national barbecue
  chain’s marketing team, driving the overarching brand and marketing strategy to support the quickly growing franchise, now at more than 520 locations in 43 states. Her responsibilities include
  creating and implementing effective national marketing campaigns, expanding the brand through innovative digital and social media campaigns, and supporting the franchise network through the newly
  expanded local store marketing department. LaRocca will also oversee marketing research, business segment profitability and public relations.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  LaRocca previously served in leadership roles directing marketing, communications and training for companies including Capital One, Legacy Texas Bank and Guaranty Bank. She received her degree from
  Stephen F. Austin State University with a master’s certification from the University of San Francisco.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  “The Dickey family is thrilled to welcome Diana to the role of CMO,” says Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. “Diana is highly qualified for this role and after joining
  Dickey’s as the VP of marketing, we know she is the right fit to fulfill the role of CMO and we look forward to her lending her talents in creating innovative and effective campaigns.”
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  “This is an exciting time for the fast casual industry and especially for Dickey’s as the chain continues to rapidly expand. I have been a fan of Dickey’s for over 25 years and I’m looking forward
  to my role as CMO for the nation’s largest barbecue chain,” said LaRocca.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
   
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Signs Five-Store Development Agreement Across Three States
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. has signed its newest development agreement for five new stores. Two stores will open in Mississippi, with two other locations coming to Tennessee and one in
  Georgia. Owner/operators Ray Smith and Jim Rogers will open their first store in spring of next year.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  “Dickey’s is seeing an influx of multi-store development agreements nationwide,” said Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “These development deals are instrumental in
  growing the Dickey’s brand across the country, and we are happy to support these owner / operators who have invested with us.”
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. has over 520 locations in 43 states.
</div>

Dickey’s Names New CMO, Inks Deal For Southeast

<div>
  From <a href="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2015/11/12/dickeys-barbecue-eyeing-2016-growth-in-japan-south-korea-philippines/" target="_blank">D Magazine</a> 
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey’s Barbecue CEO Roland Dickey Jr., who’s grown the nation’s biggest barbecue restaurant from 20 stores to 538, is cooking up plans to expand next year into Asia. After opening a projected 72
  stores in 2015, the third-generation restaurateur has set his sights on Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines, where he says there’s “absolutely” an appetite for the barbecue fare his grandfather
  began selling in Dallas in 1941.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  “If we don’t get it going, somebody else will,” Dickey said of the international move during an interview Wednesday in Palm Springs, California.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey is one of about 75 business people from Dallas attending the EY Strategic Growth Forum in Palm Springs this week. In June, the 41-year-old was named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 in
  the “family business” category for the Southwest Area North region. National winners of the competition will be announced at an EY awards banquet at the Strategic Growth Forum on Saturday.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  In the interview, Dickey said his Dallas-based company is the nation’s largest fast-casual barbecue chain by far, with franchisees running all but seven of its 538 restaurants in 43 states. Revenue
  is projected to hit $502 million this year, up from $428 million last year, he said.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  The company relies on “energy, speed, and great barbecue” in its operations—”that’s the gasoline in your tank,” he said—and spends much of its time recruiting and retaining the right employees.
  “I’d rather be short-handed than bad-handed,” Dickey said.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  The biggest challenge in a “very dynamic industry” is constantly improving the company’s systems, he said. “We’ve said, let’s continually find new things to do. So we’ve overhauled our training
  systems, added technology, improved our cooking methods. … Now we’re focused on taking our business and making it great.”
</div>

Dickey's Barbecue Eyeing 2016 Growth in Japan, South Korea, Philippines

<div>
  From <a href="http://www.restaurantnewsresource.com/article86533.html" target="_blank">Restaurant News Source</a> 
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Omaha is getting a new Dickey's Barbecue Pit this weekend with a three-day grand opening celebration that will include gift cards to the first 50 guests and many other barbecue giveaways. The 12th
  location in Nebraska, the newest barbecue joint will offer $2 pulled pork sandwich specials on Saturday during the event, and three guests will receive free barbecue for a year! 
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  "Dickey's continues to expand throughout the Midwest," says Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. "We congratulate Steven Swift on the opening of his second store in Omaha
  and look forward to expanding our presence throughout Nebraska."
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  The three-day grand opening includes: 
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Thursday, November 12 kicks off with the first 50 guests receiving gift cards worth up to $50. 
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Friday, November 13 radio station KKCD 105.9 will be on-site from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM and the new store will serve guests a barbecue bargain with $2 pulled pork sandwiches. One lucky winner will be
  chosen for a $500 gift card and three winners will receive free barbecue for an entire year.  
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Saturday, November 14 guests can grab Dickey's Barbecue goodies with all day merchandise giveaways.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Originally from East Texas, Steven Swift is a retired oil field engineer. Having lived overseas for 25 years, the Swift family moved to Omaha in 2014 to open their first Dickey's Barbecue Pit. "The
  people of Omaha love Texas-style, slow-smoked barbecue," said owner Steve Swift. "My wife, daughter and I had a great time opening our first store in Northwest Omaha and look forward to opening the
  second store in the very active Aksarben Village."
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  The new Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Omaha is located at 1914 South 67th Street Aksarben Village Omaha, NE 68106.
</div>

Dickey's Barbecue Pit to Open New Location in the Cornhusker State

<div>
  From <a href="http://www.thedailymeal.com/army-veteran-opens-dickey-s-barbecue-pit-starkville" target="_blank">The Daily Meal</a>
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Owner/Operator John Thomas
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Starkville, MS  (RestaurantNews.com)  The 12th Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Mississippi is slated to open this Thursday in Starkville with a three-day barbecue bash. The celebration will open
  with the first 50 guests receiving gift cards up to $50 and will conclude on Saturday with $2 pulled pork sandwiches. Three guests will win free barbecue for a year! To find the Dickey’s Barbecue
  Pit nearest you, click here.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  “The Dickey family welcomes Owner/Operator John Thomas into our ranks of franchisees,” says Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “Dickey’s is proud to offer many benefits
  to our veterans, including discounted franchise fees and ongoing support.”
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  The three-day grand opening includes:
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Thursday, November 12 kicks off with the first 50 guests receiving gift cards worth up to $50.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Friday, November 13 radio station WMXU 106.1 will be on-site from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, and the new store will serve guests a barbecue bargain with $2 pulled pork sandwiches. One lucky winner will be
  chosen for a $500 gift card, and three winners will receive free barbecue for an entire year.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Saturday, November 14 guests can grab Dickey’s Barbecue goodies with all day merchandise giveaways.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Before going into the barbecue business, Owner/Operator John Thomas was in the United States Army for 12 years, followed by a long stint in the Army National Guard. Thomas was attracted by Dickey’s
  Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.’s franchising benefits for veterans. “Dickey’s is very supportive of veterans, which I have experienced throughout this process,” Thomas says. “I am excited to open my
  first Dickey’s Barbecue Pit so close to Veterans Day.”
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  The new Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Starkville is located at 100 Russell St. in the College Park Shopping Center, Starkville, MS 39759. The phone number is (662) 617-8272.  Find Dickey’s on
  Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  For Dickey’s Barbecue franchise opportunities call (866) 340-6188 or visit www.dickeysfranchising.com.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  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, home style sides,
  tangy barbecue sauce and free kids’ meals every Sunday. The fast-casual concept has expanded to over 520 locations in 43 states. Dickey’s 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.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Contact:
</div>
<div>
  Michelle George
</div>
<div>
  972-248-9899
</div>
<div>
  mgeorge@dickeys.com
</div>

Army Veteran Opens Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Starkville

<div>
  From <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/air-force-vet-expands-dickeys-franchise-florida" target="_blank">QSR</a> 
</div>
<hr>
<div>
  Florida continues to be a hot market for Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc., as a new development agreement has been signed for three stores. Owner-operator Tim Hershberger has already opened one
  of the three in Pensacola, Florida, with plans to open another store in the same city and a third slated to open in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  When both stores open in 2016, they will both cater heavily to military personnel living on and around the local bases. A retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, Hershberger has close ties to both
  the Navy base in Pensacola and the Air Force base in Fort Walton Beach. “After being in the military for 30 years, this has been one of the most challenging things I’ve done on this large of a
  scale,” Hershberger says. “I’ve gotten tremendous support from my area director and other franchisees, and I’m grateful for all the ongoing resources that Dickey’s offers.”
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  There are currently nine Dickey’s Barbecue Pit locations in Florida, and the barbecue brand is growing rapidly in the Sunshine State. Dickey’s offers incentives for veterans looking for their next
  career, as well as multi-store benefits to all potential owner-operators. “We at Dickey’s are dedicated to the success of our franchisees,” says Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue
  Restaurants Inc. “We are especially proud to support our nation’s veterans by offering a discount on franchise fees.” In addition to these incentives, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. also offers
  a specialized training program and ongoing marketing support to give all franchisees the tools for success.
</div>

Air Force Vet Expands Dickey's Franchise in Florida

<p>
  From <a href="http://www.fastcasual.com/news/vet-to-expand-dickeys-florida-footprint/" target="_blank">Fast Casual</a> <br>
</p>
<hr>
<p>
  <span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Florida continues to be a hot market for Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, as a new development agreement has been signed for three stores, according to a company
  press release. Owner/Operator Tim Hershberger has already opened one in Pensacola, with plans to open another in the same city and a third slated to open in Fort Walton Beach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br>
</p>
<p>
  When both stores open in 2016, they will cater heavily to military personnel living on and around the local bases, said Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants. A retired Air Force
  Lieutenant Colonel, Hershberger has close ties to both the Navy base in Pensacola and the Air Force base in Fort Walton Beach.
</p>
<p>
  <br>
</p>
<p>
  "After being in the military for 30 years, this has been one of the most challenging things I've done on this large of a scale," Hershberger said. "I've gotten tremendous support from my area
  director and other franchisees and I'm grateful for all the ongoing resources that Dickey's offers."
</p>
<p>
  <br>
</p>
<p>
  There are nine Dickey's Barbecue Pit locations in Florida, and the barbecue brand is growing rapidly in the Sunshine State. Dickey's offers incentives for veterans looking for their next career, as
  well as multi-store benefits to all potential owner/operators, Dickey said.
</p>
<p>
  <br>
</p>
<p>
  "We at Dickey's are dedicated to the success of our franchisees," he said. "We are especially proud to support our nation's veterans by offering a discount on franchise."
</p>

Vet to expand Dickey's Florida footprint

<p>
  From <a href="Restaurant%20Magazinehttp://www.restaurantmagazine.com/dickeys-barbecue-pit-secures-whole-roasted-and-cajun-fried-turkeys-for-thanksgiving-despite-nationwide-shortage/" target="_blank">Restaurant Magazine</a> <br>
</p>
<p>
  <br>
</p>
<p>
  <img src="https://rrbi-dbri-boss-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/public/content/post_files/holiday_turkey_feast-1446854695212.jpg" alt="Holiday Turkey_Feast.jpg" style="width: 25%;"><br>
</p>
<div>
  Online ordering for holiday meals is available until the day before Thanksgiving
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey's Barbecue Pit Secures Whole-roasted and Cajun-fried Turkeys for Thanksgiving Despite Nationwide ShortageDickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. is vigorously preparing for Thanksgiving, so you
  don’t have to. Last year, according to the National Restaurant Association, over 33 million Americans relied on restaurants for at least a part of their Thanksgiving meal. Dickey’s sold 400,000
  pounds of holiday turkeys and hams nationwide in 2014 and that number is projected to increase by more than 20% this year.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  With the recent bird flu outbreak, many Americans have supply concerns when it comes to their holiday turkey. Some chains have even pulled turkey from their menus nationwide due to the shortage
  leading to increased costs. The national barbecue chain worked to secure its holiday supply early, prior to the shortage, which is just another way Dickey’s prepares for the holiday season so you
  don’t have to. Guests can rely on Dickey’s Barbecue Pit to provide holiday meats and complete feasts for an affordable and delicious holiday celebration.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  Dickey’s makes it easy to host a hassle-free holiday gathering through easy and convenient online ordering. Cajun fried and smoked turkeys, barbecue honey hams and full holiday feasts are available
  through Dickey’s online ordering option until the day before Thanksgiving. The full holiday feast includes traditional cornbread dressing and gravy, baked potato casserole, green beans with bacon
  and Dickey’s signature buttery rolls. The holiday feast feeds 10 – 12 people and is sure to be a hit for any Thanksgiving get-together. Guests who are registered for the company’s loyalty program,
  the Big Yellow Cup Club, will receive special holiday discounts.
</div>
<div>
  <br>
</div>
<div>
  “We are proud to serve quality holiday feasts to our guests who love Dickey’s signature slow-smoked meats and homestyle sides,” said Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.
  “With the recent concern over the national turkey supply, Dickey’s has worked to ensure plenty of quality holiday meats for our guests’ celebrations. We’re prepared for the holiday season and look
  forward to setting a new record with holiday sales this year.”
</div>
<p>
  <br>
</p>