Air Force Vet Expands Dickey's Franchise in Florida

From QSR 

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.

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.”

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.