Fast Casual: Dickey's Barbecue Pit expanding in Texas, Louisiana, California

From Fast Casual:

Dickey's Barbecue Pit has partnered with Marshland Foods to open eight locations along the I-10 Corridor in Texas and Louisiana. It also signed a deal to open four units in California, according to a company press release.

The first store will open in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and two openings will follow in Beaumont, Texas. Other stores will open in Baton Rouge, along with Texas units in Pearland, Sugar Land, Cypress and Baytown. All stores will open within the next five years, according to the release.

With over 30 years in the restaurant industry, Marshland Foods partner Robert Ray will operate the stores in Texas and Louisiana.

"I am excited to move my career into an owner/operator role of a multi-unit operation and partner with the largest barbecue chain in the country," Ray said.

The chain is opening is 100th California unit under Owner/Operators Michael and Margarita Tucker, who own the Dickey's Barbecue Pit location in La Quinta. They also signed a development agreement to open three others Indio, Moreno Valley and Redlands in California.

"I have been a business owner for most of my life, but the support I receive from Dickey's makes all the difference," said Tucker, who ows several franchises with Dallas-based convenience store 7-Eleven. "Dickey's is not only a fun and happy place to work, it has systems and processes in place to support franchisees and is committed to our success."

"The brand experienced rapid growth from 2015 to 2016 and much of that growth took place throughout the West Coast," said CEO Roland Dickey Jr. "We are proud to announce our 100th store in California and plan to continue our expansion nationwide and abroad in the future."

FastCasual recently named Dickey's as its No. 1 brand in the 2016 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers.