Grilling or slow-cooking meat over an open flame is as ancient as humanity's first encounter with fire – evolving over time into a true art form. Americans are particularly devoted to the practice, with regional styles throughout the country fiercely competing for the title of the world’s best BBQ. And meeting the massive nationwide demand for barbecued meat are dozens of chains proudly showcasing their slow-cooked specialities.
We took a look at the location analytics data for large and small barbecue chains to understand how the segment is faring.
A Smoking Success
Barbecue restaurants come in all shapes and sizes, from casual counters near smoky pits working overtime to more formal sit-down establishments offering a polished dining experience. And analyzing overall monthly visits to top U.S. barbecue chains reveals that since May 2024, the segment has generally outperformed the wider dining industry: BBQ chains saw a 4.3% increase in year-over-year (YoY) visits in November 2024, compared to just 0.5% YoY growth for the dining industry as a whole.
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Regional Fire
Barbecue flavors vary considerably across the country – and though a few brands, including Famous Dave’s and Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, have succeeded in building a nationwide presence, most chains are regional, reflecting distinct local preferences.
Mapping the most-visited chains in CBSAs nationwide (core-based statistical area) reveals the highly regional nature of the segment. For example, Mission BBQ, which offers diners a choice of three regional BBQ styles, leads in parts of the Midwest and East Coast, while Texas-style Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q dominates in parts of Texas, Arizona, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
Expanding the Pit
Recently, however, many of the analyzed barbecue brands have been looking to expand and bring their home-grown styles to a larger audience. And the data suggests that diners nationwide are responding positively to these efforts.
Analyzing visitation data for three chains that have expanded in recent years – Smokey Mo’s, Jim ‘N Nick’s, and City Barbeque – reveals that both overall visits and average visits per location increased YoY for all three chains in Q3 2024. Smokey Mo’s, which added locations in 2024 and has plans for more in 2025, saw its visits grow by 15.1% YoY, with visits per location rising 9.1%. Jim ‘N Nick’s, which added several new stores this year, experienced a 13.5% YoY increase in visits and a 6.8% rise in visits per location. And City Barbeque saw YoY growth of 13.7% in visits, while visits per location increased modestly by 0.8%.
Part of the success these chains are enjoying may be tied to their strong appeal among suburban families. According to the Spatial.ai: PersonaLive, all three chains had high shares of “Upper Suburban Diverse Families” in their captured markets. With interest in suburban living remaining strong in recent years, focusing expansion efforts on these areas could be a winning strategy for BBQ chains looking to grow their audience.
The Sauce for Success
A smoked-to-perfection brisket is something that may never go out of style – and barbecue chains are thriving as a result. As some chains continue to expand to new markets, will they continue to meet with home-grilled success?
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