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<p>View the full article <a href="http://www.fesmag.com/editor-picks/15155-dickey%E2%80%99s-barbecue-hits-the-road-with-delivery">here</a>.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>A space once dominated by pizza, deliver is now as diverse as ever. As fewer people walk thru restaurants’ front doors, operators are using delivery to take their products to consumers. Of course doing so is easier said than done. Before getting into the fast lane known as foodservice delivery, operators need to weigh a variety of factors including how to process orders without compromising the in-store guest experience, packaging and more.</p><p><br></p><p>Dickey’s Barbecue represents one of the most recent restaurant concepts to enter the delivery game. The company includes both company and franchisee operated locations throughout the company. Here, Renee Roozen, president of Dickey’s Barbecue, discusses this fast-growing barbecue chain’s approach to delivery.<br></p><p><br></p><p>FE&amp;S: Why is Dickey’s getting into delivery? What’s the company’s goals?<br></p><p><br></p><p>RR: The needs and wants of consumers are changing. People want things when they want them and how they want them. We needed to change to stay relevant in the mind of the consumer. And barbecue travels so well. It stays warm and fresh.</p><p><br></p><p>FE&amp;S: Will this rollout by system wide?</p><p><br></p><p>RR: Right now about 80 percent of our system is signed up with delivery partner. And we are developing our own delivery system in the form of curbside delivery and direct delivery.</p><p><br></p><p>FE&amp;S: How are delivery orders getting to the stores? Via a Dickey’s app? The company’s website? Third-party delivery providers?</p><p><br></p><p>RR: The orders come in a couple of different ways. Consumers that are loyal to third-party vendors like GrubHub can order through there and those orders arrive in our stores via their tablets. And we have links from our website to the third party vendor sites. And if you order from our website it will go directly to our stores. And we are developing an app. We want to be anywhere we can.</p><p><br></p><p>FE&amp;S: Once a delivery order arrives, how does it get processed? Some restaurants prepare the food on the same line, while others have a second line for overflow/catering orders/delivery orders. How’s Dickey’s handling this?</p><p><br></p><p>RR: We use one line no matter how the order comes in to ensure we have fresh, quality food. When the orders come in, when know what time we need to prepare it. It gets shuffled into our regular process.</p><p><br></p><p>FE&amp;S: How do you avoid production bottlenecks?</p><p><br></p><p>RR: It’s all about scheduling and preparation. Any items we can prepare and organize ahead of time we do. In general, you will have a regular business flow. We get great analytics which allows us to plan accordingly. It’s also important for the team members on the line to remain friendly and keep chopping while they interact with customers.</p><p><br></p><p>FE&amp;S: Is Dickey’s using different or special packaging for delivery orders?</p><p><br></p><p>RR: Right now we have not found the need for special packaging. We use high quality packaging but we look at it every couple months to ensure the product remains hot, fresh and looks good.</p>

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies: Dickey’s Barbecue Hits the Road with Delivery

<div>With its incredibly strong winds and seemingly relentless rain and flooding, it does not take very long for a hurricane to devastate an area. But the cleanup and restoration of any form of normalcy can take months or even years and will require continued acts of kindness and support. Such is the case for those members of the foodservice industry affected by Hurricane Harvey.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Kommercial Kitchens, a Beaumont, Texas-based foodservice equipment and supplies based dealership experienced about six feet of flooding that kept its owners away from the business for roughly 10 days, according to Shannon Woodard, a company vice president.</div><div><br></div><div>Given the extensive nature of the flooding, Woodard used an airboat to visit his business to assess the damages before the waters receded. Last week he and others from the business, including his father who founded the company in 1991, finally were able to get inside the dealership.</div><div><br></div><div>“We just accessed our building two days ago,” Woodard said during an interview with FE&amp;S late last week. “So we are in the process of emptying it out and setting up temporary offices.”</div><div><br></div><div>Kommercial Kitchens had dealt with flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in 2008. But even then, the flooding only came to the front door. “I could still drive in back then,” Woodard recalled.</div><div><br></div><div>Even getting to the business is an adventure these days. Normally, it takes Woodard 20 minutes to drive to his business. Due to the roadblocks, flooding and other storm-related detours, Woodard had to take the back roads to get to his business, lengthening his trip considerably. “I could not leave the area I live in for five days because a bridge had collapsed and the river had flooded,” Woodard said.</div><div><br></div><div>The timing of Hurricane Harvey could not have been worse for Kommercial Kitchens, which supplies paper and disposable items, among other things, to a number of schools in the area. “School was starting that Monday (Aug. 28), so our whole warehouse was filled and ready to deliver. Now it looks like a bomb went off,” Woodard said. “We had about $770,000 in inventory and, best case scenario, about $75,000 of that is salvageable. All of your inexpensive stuff sits up real high.”HKommercial-Kitchen4A</div><div>The flood waters ravaged the warehouse at Kommercial Kitchen.</div><div><br></div><div>The dealer has 17 employees, 7 of which were helping with the cleanup. “We have a driveway filled with little forks and cups,” Woodard said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Some of the dealers’ employees had evacuated prior to the storm and had yet to return to the Houston area. In addition, the homes of seven Kommercial Kitchens’ employees flooded. “They have to deal with their personal issues as well as professional issues,” Woodard said.</div><div><br></div><div>As the cleanup continues, Kommercial Kitchens strives for some form of normalcy. “First thing, is to get our offices up and running. We installed a job Friday night before the storm and have yet to bill that job,” Woodard said. By the end of last week, Kommercial Kitchens had restored its computer systems, a significant step toward resuming business operations.</div><div><br></div><div>Over the weekend Woodard was planning on installing a job. Of course, that was going to be more challenging than usual given that he lost many of his tools in the flooding. Luckily one of the dealer’s delivery trucks survived the flooding.</div><div><br></div><div>What’s the future hold for this first-generation family business? It’s too early to tell. “We had bought some land and were going to build a building at the end of this year,” Woodward said. “But we hope to stay open.”</div><div><br></div><div>Good Deeds Done</div><div><br></div><div>Like so many others affected by Hurricane Harvey, Woodard was grateful for the help other members of the foodservice industry offered not only to him but his employees, too. “One rep group just left. They helped us clean up and brought us lunch,” he said. “Another group came down the first weekend and helped us clean up our employees’ homes.”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Indeed, emerging from natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey is a torrent of good deeds done by folks representing all segments of the foodservice industry. Take, for example, David Montoya and Shaun Martin. Both are Dickey’s Barbecue franchisees from La Junta, Colo., and Garland, Texas.</div><div><br></div><div>The duo got to know one another while attending Dickey’s Barbecue University classes. By attending these classes they also learned of Barbecue, Boots and Badges, Dickey’s non-profit arm that works with first responders like police and fire departments.</div><div><br></div><div>Martin also has a 30-foot barbecue trailer that includes everything an operator would need to feed a crowd, including a smoker, fryers, refrigeration and even hand sinks. “It’s a self-contained barbecue kitchen,” said Nathan Wheeler, executive director for charitable activities for Dickey’s Barbecue.</div><div><br></div><div>So Martin and Montoya headed to the Houston area to help feed those affected by the storm and the first responders helping them. And they brought along a few of their team members to assist. The net result: they are feeding roughly 5,000 people a day, including 500 first responders. They plan to remain in Houston through at least the end of the week — Sept. 22, according to Wheeler.</div><div><br></div><div>Being able to feed a large number of people on a daily basis does not happen by accident. “It’s a conglomeration of a lot of efforts,” Wheeler said. For example, team Martin and Montoya set up shop outside of the Dickey’s location in the area that was closed for a while due to the storm. This provided a fixed point from which to work that had access to essential utilities.</div><div><br></div><div>Then there was identifying the best way to get the food to those who needed it. “We worked closely with a number of organizations in Houston, including the Red Cross, to make sure we are helping as many people as possible,” Wheeler said. “We try to set up shop where we can do the most good. We have not spent more than two days in the same spot. We have to make sure to get everybody fed.”</div><div><br></div><div>This approach allowed the crew to not only feed people from Houston but also those in coastal towns such as Rockport and Port Arnasas, also devastated by the storm. “We have been able to feed some people in those areas by working with the Red Cross,” Wheeler said. “We are feeding those victims but we are doing it North of where they were.”</div><div><br></div><div>Another key factor fueling Martin and Montoya’s efforts was the continued cooperation of Dickey’s supply chain partners and others in the community. For example, some suppliers have donated product, Wheeler said, while others have been flexible when it comes to shipping food. In addition, several businesses along the highway between Dallas, home of Dickey’s headquarters, and Houston, have donated refrigerated storage space, which helps. “We have refrigeration at the site and off site refrigeration locations, too,” Wheeler added.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey’s Barbecue, Boots and Badges organization is examining the logistical issues that surround doing something similar to help support the victims of Hurricane Irma. The chain did report that all of its Houston locations had reopened, although some may still be serving a limited menu.</div><div><br></div><div>Indeed, these are bitter sweet times for those assisting with the cleanup of Hurricane Harvey. The devastation of the storm is still startling but the foodservice industry response remains inspirational. “It’s the saddest and happiest part of my job at the same time,” said Wheeler.</div><div><br></div><div>He’s learned one important lesson from all of this: “Never under estimate the power of a community,” Wheeler said. “It’s a powerful thing when a community rallies together behind a specific cause. Our guests are a reflection of our communities and our country and everyone is pitching in.”</div>        
      

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies: Hurricane Harvey Part III

<div>Kansas City Chiefs fans Sunday not only celebrated opening day with a win against the Philadelphia Eagles at Arrowhead Stadium, they also got their share of barbecue from Dickey's Barbecue Pit.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>"We are excited to have this opportunity at Arrowhead Stadium," franchisee Ryan Wenrich, said in a company press release. "Nothing goes better with football than delicious barbecue and we are proud to offer this to the fans at Arrowhead stadium this season and hopefully many seasons in the future."</div><div><br></div><div>The concession stand offers Dickey's slow-smoked barbecue sandwiches, ribs, frito Pie and waffle fries. Wenrich said a second location will open soon inside the NFL stadium, and Pit Bosses Kip McVey and Michael Meade will run both units.</div><div><br></div><div>"At Dickey's Barbecue Pit, we are proud to have franchisees like Ryan Wenrich, that take Dickey's Barbecue Pit to a new level by being innovative in location selection and embracing serving our traditional barbecue in a new way," said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants in the release. "It is ideas such as these, that will continue Dickey's growth now and in the future."</div>        
      

Fast Casual: Dickey's hopes to score with KC Chiefs fans

<p>View the full segment <a href="http://www.kvoa.com/story/36393559/news-4-cookssmoked-turkey-green-beans">here</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: Smoked Turkey &amp; Green Beans</p><p>Ingredients:<br></p><p>Smoked Turkey:<br></p><p>1.5 lbs turkey breast.&nbsp;</p><p>Hickory wood chips</p><p>Green Beans:<br></p><p>1lb fresh green beans</p><p>½ lb bacon, diced</p><p>1 small yellow onion or ½ large yellow onion, diced</p><p>½ cup chicken broth</p><p>Salt &amp; Pepper to taste</p><p>Preparation Instructions:<br></p><p>Smoke turkey breast with hickory wood at 275 degrees for 90 minutes, until internal temperature is 145 degrees. Slice and serve to order.&nbsp;<br></p><p>In a large sauté pan on cook bacon on medium heat. When bacon is half way cooked, add diced onion. &nbsp;Once bacon is golden brown and onion is translucent, add cleaned green beans and chicken broth and mix all ingredients together with tongs. Cover sauté pan and reduce temperature to simmer. Simmer on low until green beans are steamed at desired doneness. Al dente to soft, it is up to you. Season with salt and pepper to taste.</p>

KVOA: Smoked Turkey and Green Beans

<p><a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/dickey-s-barbecue-pit-open-kcs-arrowhead-stadium">QSR </a>covered Dickey's new concession stand in Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp;</p><p>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Owner/Operator Ryan Wenrich ventured out from the typical Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location and has set up shop at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.</p><p><br></p><p>Wenrich, a Kansas City football fan for as long as he can remember, was thrilled when Arrowhead Stadium approached him about sharing Dickey’s slow-smoked, Texas-style barbecue with patrons of their venue. His first concession location opened during preseason and a second location will be opening soon.“We are excited to have this opportunity at Arrowhead Stadium,” says Wenrich. “Nothing goes better with football than delicious barbecue and we are proud to offer this to the fans at Arrowhead stadium this season and hopefully many seasons in the future.”</p><p><br></p><p>The concession stand will offer Dickey’s delicious, slow-smoked barbecue sandwiches, fall off the bone ribs, Frito Pie and crispy waffle fries. Though Wenrich is the owner of these locations, they will be run by Pit Boss’ Kip McVey and Michael Meade.</p><p><br></p><p>“At Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, we are proud to have franchisees like Ryan Wenrich that take Dickey’s Barbecue Pit to a new level by being innovative in location selection and embracing serving our traditional barbecue in a new way,” says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “It is ideas such as these, that will continue Dickey’s growth now and in the future.”</p>

QSR: Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Open at KC's Arrowhead Stadium

<p>View the full segment <a href="http://www.kvoa.com/story/36361503/news-4-cooks-polish-sausage">here</a>.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: Polish Sausage</p><p><br></p><p>Ingredients:</p><p><br></p><p>5 links Kielbasa Sausage found at most grocery stores</p><p><br></p><p>Preparation Instructions:</p><p><br></p><p>Smoke sausage links at 275 degrees for 20 minutes and verify internal temperature of 145 degrees. Slice and serve with your favorite sides (Goes well with Cole Slaw &amp; Mac and Cheese)</p>

KVOA: Dickey's Polish Sausage

<p><a href="https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/dickey-s-barbecue-pit-scores-arrowhead-stadium-kansas-city-mo">The Daily Meal </a>covered Dickey's opening a concession stand in Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Owner/Operator Ryan Wenrich ventured out from the typical Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location and has set up shop at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.</p><p><br></p><p>Wenrich, a Kansas City football fan for as long as he can remember, was thrilled when Arrowhead Stadium approached him about sharing Dickey’s slow-smoked, Texas-style barbecue with patrons of their venue. His first concession location opened during preseason and a second location will be opening soon.</p><p><br></p><p>“We are excited to have this opportunity at Arrowhead Stadium,” says Wenrich. “Nothing goes better with football than delicious barbecue and we are proud to offer this to the fans at Arrowhead stadium this season and hopefully many seasons in the future.”</p><p><br></p>

The Daily Meal: Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Scores at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO

<p><a href="https://www.abqjournal.com/1065119/rustic-star-to-fill-burger-vacancy-in-nob-hill.html">Albuquerque Journal</a> covered Dickey's expansion in New Mexico.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, a Texas-based restaurant franchise, is planning to expand its presence in New Mexico with the help of franchisees David Montoya and Soleille Lopez. Dickey’s has five locations in New Mexico under different franchise owners.</p><p><br></p><p>Montoya and Lopez have one location in Colorado but have been eager to open Dickey’s locations in their home state, they said in a news release.</p><p><br></p><p>They are planning three locations, but addresses have not been determined. The first is slated to open in Albuquerque next spring, with another in Albuquerque by late 2018 and the third to open in Santa Fe in early 2019.</p>

Albuquerque Journal: Dickey's Expands in New Mexico

<p><a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/dart/2017/09/07/paralyzed-dart-detective-takes-wheel-reclaims-independence-custom-car">Dallas Morning News</a> covered the Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges presentation of Detective Ellis with a new car.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Detective Justin Ellis has had to rely on others for transportation since a crash last year left him paralyzed, but a special car donated to him Thursday will let him zip around town on his own.</p><p><br></p><p>As vice president of the Dallas Transit Police Association, Ellis said he’s used to caring for others. A chief told him now it’s his turn to receive help, and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police detective said he’s grateful to get it. Ellis and his wife, Rachel, were presented with a gleaming new silver Toyota Camry outside DART Police headquarters in East Oak Cliff on Thursday morning.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>“You’ve given me more independence to be back to where I was before my wreck and that actually means a great deal to me,” Ellis said. “To get out and just drive and go do something on my own without having to be dependent on other people.”&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Ellis was on a motorcycle patrolling near the State Fair of Texas last October when a driver ran a red light and struck him, breaking his pelvis, a foot and some toes.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Once he came out of a coma and returned home, Rachel and his brothers and sisters in blue began to drive him everywhere he needed to go.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The family had a rental van with a wheelchair ramp until workers’ compensation stopped paying for it. Then, the Assist the Officer Foundation and The Russ Martin Show covered another rental, Rachel said.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>“It wasn’t a shock to see them rally,” she said of their law enforcement family. “It was more shocking to see them financially surround us. It was overwhelming and unexpected.”&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>But in order to drive himself, to really reclaim his independence, Ellis needed a wheelchair-accessible sedan with hand controls.&nbsp;<br></p><p><br></p><p>That’s where the community came in again: Toyota of Rockwall; Dickey’s Barbecue Pit; the Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges foundation; AOF and The Russ Martin Show raised the money to buy him a customized car.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Several leaders from the organizations praised Ellis as they handed over the keys.&nbsp;<br></p><p><br></p><p>"I look up to you because of what you do," said Charles Pankey, general manager of Toyota of Rockwall. "So, thank you for what you do."</p>

Dallas Morning News: Paralyzed DART detective takes the wheel, reclaims his independence with custom car

<p><a href="http://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/news_home/Business/2017/09/Slideshow_Sampling_Kansas_City.aspx?ID=%7BDD058D03-4342-4454-B631-ADC8B95AF48C%7D">Meat + Poultry</a> covered Dickey's opening a concession stand in Arrowhead Stadium.&nbsp;</p><p>KANSAS CITY, Kan. — At the 2017 American Royal World Series of Barbecue, held Labor Day weekend, attendees were given the opportunity to sample offerings from eight different vendors of Kansas City-style barbecue.</p><p>By purchasing a barbecue “passport,” meat lovers were invited to a designated tasting area, where they sampled low-and-slow meats made by participating foodservice companies, caterers and barbecue competition teams. Some of the restaurants included were:</p><p><br></p><p>Zarda Bar-B-Q</p><p>Famous Dave’s</p><p>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit</p><p>Wild Frontier BBQ</p><p>MadMan’s KC BBQ</p><p>Blind Box BBQ</p><p>KCQ BBQ</p><p>Smoke ‘n Babes</p><p><br></p>

Meat + Poultry:  Slideshow: Sampling Kansas City's barbecue

Watch the full segment&nbsp;<a href="http://us.vocuspr.com/ViewNewsOnDemand.aspx?ArticleID=3414397_21425_43750462">here</a>.&nbsp;        
      

FOX 4: Barbecue, Boots & Badges presentation 

<p><a href="https://dartdallas.dart.org/2017/09/07/injured-dart-detective-enjoying-new-ride-thanks-to-local-support/">Daily Dart</a> covered the presentation of a new car to Detective Ellis.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>After suffering life-threatening injuries from an on-duty motorcycle crash in October 2016, DART Police Detective Justin Ellis received a customized new car, today at DART Police Headquarters.</p><p><br></p><p>The new, hand controlled Toyota Camry allows the Rockwall resident, husband and father to two young children to regain some of the freedom he lost with the crash.</p><p><br></p><p>Assist the Officer Foundation, Toyota of Rockwall, Dickey’s BBQ, the Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges foundation and The Russ Martin Show all raised funds to purchase the vehicle.</p>

Daily Dart: Injured DART Detective Enjoying New Ride Thanks to Local Support

<div>Hundreds soaked up the sun at Peace Memorial Park and the Eagles Club in Lake Hallie on Saturday at the Third Annual Hallie Block Party.</div><div><br></div><div>Organized and hosted by the Lake Hallie Eagles Club, the combination Block Party and Food Fest hosted popular Chippewa Valley summer entertainment: food cooked outside, classic cars and a rousing game of kickball.</div><div><br></div><div>Several food trucks, including Toppers, Big Girl Street Foods, Rosy’s and Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, offered summer themed snacks in Peace Memorial Park, along with live music later in the night.</div><div><br></div><div>In the parking lot of the Eagles Club, a dunk tank, a classic car lineup and a superheroes-versus-military game of kickball kept the community entertained.</div><div><br></div><div>The evening concluded with a raffle drawing, with a first prize of $5,000.</div><div><br></div><div>Proceeds from the event benefited the VFW Unmet Needs Program.</div>

The Chippewa Herald: Lake Hallie Block Party draws a crowd

<p><a href="http://www.great-taste.net/tidbits-kudos/industry-news/dickeys-barbecue-pit-contributes-hurricane-harvey-relief-efforts/">Great Taste </a>covered Dickey's contribution to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.&nbsp;</p><p>Throughout the month of September, long-standing Texas brand, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. will lend a hand to their Houston neighbors affected by Hurricane Harvey. Dickey’s Barbecue Pit locations nationwide, along with the Dallas-based Home Office, are working together to make the largest impact possible for those in need.</p><p><br></p><p>From September 1 through 15, all Dickey’s Barbecue Pit locations nationwide will be accepting donations through Dickey’s charitable foundation Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges. Guests will have the opportunity to donate to an amazing cause while also enjoying Dickey’s Texas-style barbecue. Along with in-store donations, the Dickey’s Home Office will be collecting donations from all employees. Roland Dickey, Jr. and Laura Rea Dickey will personally be matching up to 25,000 dollars for relief efforts as well.</p><p><br></p><p>“We can and will respond the best we can as a brand and a family to help all folks affected by Hurricane Harvey,” says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.</p><p><br></p><p>Dickey’s will also be hosting a blood drive with Carter BloodCare on September 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All donations from this drive will be sent to Houston area hospitals. The event will be hosted at the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit location on Wycliff Ave. in Dallas. The location will also be offering $2 pulled pork sandwiches to all who participate in the drive.</p><p><br></p><p>Lastly, Dickey’s will be partnering with national relief organizations to send available Home Office employees to Houston to help with the rebuilding after this great tragedy.</p><p><br></p><p>For more information on Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, visit www.dickeys.com.</p>

Great Taste: Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Contributes to Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts

<p><a href="https://www.fastcasual.com/blogs/restaurants-aiding-hurricane-harvey-victims-part-2/">Fast Casual</a> covered Dickey's contribution to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.&nbsp;</p><p>Restaurant brands are working hard to help their communities recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, which has left at least 60 people dead and thousands of homes and businesses destroyed.</p><p><br></p><p>The industry, once again, is proving it's resilient and will always step up when needed. Below is a partial list of recovery efforts. To see part 1 of this story — which focuses on several other brands' donations — click here.</p><p><br></p><p>Pei Wei</p><p><br></p><p>Pei Wei has been providing food to first responders and victims and delivering free meals to shelters. The chain has also invited all Houston-area first responders to eat free through Sept. 8.</p><p><br></p><p>In addition, Pei Wei is making a $10,000 direct donation to The JJ Watt Foundation, provide after-school opportunities for middle-school aged children in the community to become involved in athletics.</p><p><br></p><p>Dickey's Barbecue Pit</p><p><br></p><p>Throughout Sept. 15, Dickey's Barbecue Pit locations will accept donations through Dickey's charitable foundation Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges. Along with in-store donations, the Dickey's Home Office will collect donations from all employees. Roland Dickey Jr. and Laura Rea Dickey will personally match up to $25,000, according to a company press release.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>"We can and will respond the best we can as a brand and a family to help all folks affected by Hurricane Harvey," said CEO Laura Rea Dickey.</p><p><br></p><p>Dallas-based Dickey's will also host a blood drive with Carter BloodCare from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sept. 8 at the Dickey's Barbecue Pit location on Wycliff Avenue in Dallas. with all donations going to Houston area hospitals., and the unit will offer $2-pulled pork sandwiches to all who participate in the drive.</p><p><br></p><p>Lastly, Dickey's is partnering with national relief organizations to send available Home Office employees to Houston to help with rebuild the city.</p><p><br></p><p>Salata&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>With its headquarters and 33 restaurants located in the Houston area, Salata has experienced the horrific effects of Hurricane Harvey firsthand. Beginning today, the salad chain is encouraging guests to join it in raising funds for the hurricane victims. Participating restaurants system-wide will collect monetary donations through Sept. 30 with 100 percent of the proceeds going to The JJ Watt Foundation.</p><p><br></p><p>"We are proud to call Houston home, but it's been truly shocking and heartbreaking to see the extreme loss caused by Hurricane Harvey in our neighborhoods and the surrounding areas," Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Bythewood, said in a company press release. "Houston is America's fourth-largest city and nearly six million people live in the counties most affected by the storm. We know that The JJ Watt Foundation will use these donations in the best way possible to help rebuild our community."</p><p><br></p><p>In appreciation for their tireless work, Salata provided free meals for first responders in uniform at 24 of its Houston-area locations over the Labor Day weekend.</p><p><br></p><p>Tijuana Flats</p><p><br></p><p>Tijuana Flats is hosting an in-store fundraising campaign today to benefit hurricane victims. Guests can donate to the cause at any location, and the chain's Just in Queso Foundation — established “just in case you need us" — will automatically match up to $15,000 raised by patrons.</p><p><br></p><p>"We understand the amount of work that is required of businesses and individuals to come back from a catastrophe like this," CEO Larry Ryback said in a press release. "While the people of Houston and the surrounding areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey undoubtedly face a long road to recovery, we hope that the funds raised during this campaign provide some relief in the challenging weeks and months ahead."</p><p><br></p><p>Panda Express&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Panda Express' Panda Cares is doing a variety of things to help victims, including donating $500,000 to be split evenly between the American Red Cross and The Tzu-Chi Foundation. It has also added in-store donation boxes in hopes of raising $1 million, according to a press release.</p><p><br></p><p>Of the few Panda Express locations that remain open in the area, operators have been coordinating efforts to provide food to the American Red Cross and to four shelters. Food will also be provided to hospital staff, doctors and patient families at Texas Children's Hospital's satellite location in Katy, Texas, according to the release.</p><p><br></p><p>Lastly, Panda Express will continue to pay associates who cannot work due to closures of their restaurants. This has impacted 831 associates.</p><p><br></p><p>Sysco</p><p>Houston-based Sysco Corp. will donate at least $1 million for relief efforts in Houston and the Gulf Coast region, including an immediate donation of $500,000 to the American Red Cross, according to a press release.</p><p><br></p><p>"One of Sysco's top priorities continues to be making deliveries to critical customer locations," CEO Bill DeLaney said in the release. "We have been working diligently to get water, food and other supplies to our valued customers in Houston and other areas along the Texas Gulf Coast."</p><p><br></p><p>In addition to the donation to the American Red Cross, the company has established the Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation to provide funds directly to Sysco associates to help with the storm's aftermath. Sysco will match dollar-for-dollar each donation made by associates and business partners to this foundation. Funds will be used for shelter, food, clothing, transportation and other items needed by affected associates.</p><p><br></p><p>"More than 10 percent of our 3,000 Houston-area associates have already been directly impacted by Harvey, and as the storm's aftermath continues to be assessed, this number could rise," DeLaney said in the release. “Over $350,000 has already been collected for the Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation, which Sysco is matching, dollar-for-dollar. We established this foundation to support associates who incur significant financial and personal hardships as a result of natural disasters."</p><p><br></p><p>Jason's Deli</p><p><br></p><p>Although 26 of the 30 Jason's Deli units in Gulf Coast locations have reopened, the chain is still in recovery mode. This week it deployed two trucks from the Dallas-Fort Worth area with more than 74,400 bottles of water to two locations in Beaumont and delivered 1,404 gallons of soup to the Houston Food Bank. It has also provided 17,695 boxed meals and more than 100,000 bottles of water to those in need and will continue to send boxed meals and bottles of water for the foreseeable future.</p><p><br></p><p>Jersey Mike's Subs</p><p><br></p><p>More than 1,300 Jersey Mike's Subs locations nationwide are partnering with the Houston Food Bank and Corpus Christi Food Bank to help Texas residents, according to a press release.</p><p><br></p><p>This two-part program provides needed donations to the two local food banks:</p><p><br></p><p>From Monday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 17, participating Jersey Mike's locations will donate $1 for every regular sized No. 7 Turkey Breast and Provolone sub sold.&nbsp;</p><p>Through a grassroots program in September, Jersey Mike's will hand out special cards in local communities nationwide offering a free sub for a $2 donation to the food banks. Cards can be redeemed in participating restaurants from Friday, Sept. 15, through Friday, Dec. 1.</p><p>"We want to let people know about the fundraiser so they can come together and join us in this national effort to help all those affected by the devastation in the greater Houston and Corpus Christi areas," Peter Cancro, founder and CEO, Jersey Mike's Franchise Systems, said in the release. "We are grateful to our local owners, managers, and crews who dropped everything to make sub sandwiches for thousands of people in need as well as for fire departments, EMS and other first responders."</p><p><br></p><p>John Enterline, Houston area director, Jersey Mike's, who is heading up local efforts, said, "Our focus at the local level is on feeding as many people as possible who are in need and in shelters, as well as providing sustenance to first responders so they can continue their life-saving work. We appreciate the support from our customers across the country as well as from the Jersey Mike's system as we start to rebuild as a community."</p><p><br></p><p>All franchisees and team members are safe, and all locations are now open, Enterline said.</p><p><br></p><p>Jersey Mike's has 16 locations in the Houston area and two in Corpus Christi. The company expects to raise at least half a million dollars for the food banks.</p><p><br></p><p>"There are a lot of people down here in Texas who have lost homes and livelihoods," said Dalton Stewart, a Jersey Mike's area director in Dallas, who brought down a team to help colleagues make subs in Houston. "It doesn't surprise me that the Jersey Mike's family would step up in these difficult times to make a difference."</p><p><br></p><p>Stewart added that Jersey Mike's locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area are feeding evacuees at local shelters as well as at the Red Cross Command Center there.</p><p><br></p><p>Tyson Foods</p><p><br></p><p>Tyson Foods sent teams to prepare meals for those affected by and responding to the disaster. The team set up a cooking site Friday at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Conroe, Texas, to provide free, hot meals to anyone in need, according to a press release. In addition, the company is establishing a distribution network with local authorities and disaster relief organizations to deliver meals to flood victims in the Houston metro area.</p><p><br></p><p>Teams from Tyson Foods' operations in Clarksville, Dardanelle, Scranton and Texarkana, Arkansas, arrived Thursday, along with the company's Meals that Matter mobile relief truck. The company also sent three tractor trailer loads of product totaling nearly 100,000 pounds, one tractor trailer load of bulk ice, one tractor trailer load of bagged ice and one tractor trailer load of bottled water.</p><p><br></p><p>Tyson is working closely with its disaster relief partners, Bimbo Bakeries USA, Harris Baking Co., Hugg &amp; Hall Equipment Co. and Peppersource to maximize relief efforts, according to the release.</p><p><br></p><p>Team Rubicon, another disaster relief partner comprised of military veterans, is deploying its Mobile Command Center, which was donated by Tyson Foods in 2014, and includes sleeping quarters and office and storage space for Team Rubicon's staff and volunteers.</p><p><br></p><p>The company has also announced $50,000 donations to the American Red Cross and Salvation Army to assist in disaster relief efforts in Texas.</p><p><br></p><p>"With nearly 12,000 team members throughout the state of Texas and a facility in Houston, the damage left by Hurricane Harvey hits close to home," Debra Vernon, senior director, corporate social responsibility, said in the release "This deployment wouldn't be possible without the support of our team members, disaster relief partners and customers who are all volunteering time and resources to make sure our response is as successful as possible."</p><p><br></p><p>Church's Chicken</p><p><br></p><p>There was a line out the door Aug. 31 in Beeville, Texas, when the local Church's Chicken opened for "Pay What You Can" day. The event was organized to provide meals to those impacted by hurricane and flooding conditions in the southeast Texas area. Over 6,000 pieces of chicken were served — the equivalent of 2,200 meals — for a restaurant that typically serves about 250 meals during a morning shift under regular circumstances, according to a press release.</p><p><br></p><p>"Some people told us Church's was the first hot meal they'd had in nine days — since the very start of storm conditions," CEO Joe Christina said in the release. "People are living in shelters and motels with no idea of when, or even if, they'll return home," he continued. "For them, this meal was a return to normalcy, if only for a brief moment, and a chance to restore hope for the days ahead."</p><p><br></p><p>The "Pay What You Can" event also functioned as a fundraiser for the American Red Cross. In all, the restaurant raised $1,750 — of which Church's intends to contribute another $3,250 for a total $5,000 donation to the American Red Cross.</p><p><br></p><p>In addition to making sure people are fed and have safe places to stay, Church's is working with police, the mayor and city council members in Beeville to coordinate additional relief efforts for the greater Corpus Christi area. Many towns just outside Beeville have yet to recover from storm damage and flooding, leaving local businesses closed and residents with fewer resources. One of the more pressing challenges is a lack of school supplies for students who had to evacuate or who suffered losses.</p><p><br></p><p>"We're very pleased to be able to remedy this issue through our Church's Foundation — which already has a strong focus on education," Christina said. "Local officials are working to let us know what students need to return to the classroom and we stand ready to support them."</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

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