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IN THE NEWS

<div>New Dickey’s Barbecue Pit franchisee, Leonard McEnery plans to open his first Dickey’s location in Joliet, Illinois. McEnery, a Dickey’s brisket lover and long-time business owner, is excited to bring delicious barbecue to the business park in South Joliet.</div><div><br></div><div>McEnery, an owner of several food and fuel locations in the Chicago suburbs, knew Dickey’s low and slow, Texas-style barbecue would be a great fit for his newest location in Joliet. “I’m excited to bring Dickey’s barbecue to the employees in the area, as well as others traveling along the highway,” says McEnery. “Everyone needs food and fuel, and I knew Dickey’s Barbecue Pit would be the perfect fit because of its authenticity and convenience.”</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>“We are excited to welcome Leonard McEnery to our Dickey’s family,” says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “At Dickey’s we are proud to have experienced franchisees such as McEnery in our family bringing authentic, Texas-style barbecue to the Joliet community.”</div>        
      

QSR: Dickey's Barbecue Pit Expanding in Illinois

        Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has expanded its popular Family Pack offerings to target the tailgating crowd. Its limited-time Tailgate Party Pack is a bigger version of the XL Family Pack the chain currently offers, featuring an extra pound of meat as well as larger quantities of sides and rolls. Rather than needing to order ahead, customers can order the Tailgate Party Pack on demand, both directly from Dickey’s or through one of more than 50 partnering third-party services, including GrubHub, DoorDash and UberEats.        
      
      

Restaurant Business: Operators Tackle Tailgate Season With Off-Premise Offers

<div>Dickey’s Barbecue: Old Fashioned Pit Barbecue for Wherever You Roam</div><div><br></div><div>In 1941, Travis Dickey came home from the war and opened a small barbecue restaurant in Dallas, Texas. The menu was small then: brisket, ham, barbecue beans, potato chips, milk and beer. Dickey’s has since grown from that humble barbecue stop to the nation’s largest barbecue chain. Today, all meats are still slow smoked on-site in each of its nearly 600 restaurants across 44 states. The family-run organization still serves the classics with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included.</div><div><br></div><div>View the full article <a href="https://www.fooda.com/our-food">here</a>.</div>        
      

Fooda: Old Fashioned Pit Barbecue for Wherever You Roam

<p>View the full segment <a href="https://www.ktbs.com/news/web-extra/members-of-dickey-s-barbecue-pit-stops-by-the-ktbs/article_4733e2ae-841d-11e7-a1ab-ebdf59fd1ddf.html">here</a>.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Today we have a couple of special guest here to teach us a thing or two about cooking barbecue.</p><p><br></p><p>Roland Dickey and Catherine Long from Dickey's Barbecue are here with the know how towards better BBQ.</p>

KTBS 3: Members of Dickey's Barbecue Pit stops by the KTBS 3 studios

        <div>She doesn’t cook and she’s not a blood relative to the founders of Dickey’s Barbecue, but Laura Rea Dickey is running the show at the nation’s largest barbecue chain.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier this year, Laura Rea Dickey was named CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. — not all that startling until you realize that Rea is her maiden name.</div><div><br></div><div>She’s the 38-year-old wife of Roland Dickey Jr. and daughter-in-law of Roland Dickey Sr., the iconoclastic patriarch of the nation’s largest barbecue chain, which operates a location in Erie’s Liberty Center.</div><div><br></div><div>Her ascension to mistress of the barbecue pit is an anomaly on another front: She’s a terrible cook.</div><div><br></div><div>“That is not the part of the business that I impact, I promise,” she said. “It’s a Dickey’s family tradition that the men cook. So I got on board with that really fast. I can make reservations and a martini, and that’s it.”</div><div><br></div><div>That may be true for the kitchen, but Laura Dickey holds considerable sway when it comes to technology, big data and marketing. In her previous role as Dickey’s chief information officer, she built an eight-year road map for bringing the family’s slow-smoked barbecue business into the lightning-speed digital age.</div><div><br></div><div>Such advanced technology is a must for a company that’s in a torrid expansion mode.</div><div><br></div><div>Four years into it, every restaurant operator can tap into point-of-sale analytics, study data heat maps and market directly to customers via the proprietary Smoke Stack system that Dickey’s codeveloped with iOlap, a Dallas-area big data provider.</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey’s and franchisees can spot what’s working in the 565 stores and what’s not to make adjustments on the fly.</div><div><br></div><div>Customers can order online and have their food delivered by third-party services, such as GrubHub and Doordash. Come September, a customer app will use beaconing technology so that you can pick up your order curbside without getting out of your car.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Currently, the five company-owned Dickey’s Barbecue Pits, including the original in Dallas, are test driving Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service before it’s rolled out to all of its stores by the end of the year.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Not that long ago, the original flagship was still using a cash register and faxing in sales reports.</div><div><br></div><div>At the beginning of the year, the family formed Dickey’s Capital Group, an umbrella company that owns its various investments including the barbecue company.</div><div><br></div><div>Roland Dickey Jr., 43, moved into the holding company’s top slot and Laura Dickey moved into his.</div><div><br></div><div>“Laura’s a perfectionist. She makes sure all of the details are tended to,” her husband said. “She brings high energy, creative vision that is absolutely remarkable.”</div><div><br></div><div>She’s hardly the lone female running the barbecue business. Twelve of its 14 top execs are women.</div><div><br></div><div>“We’re not a bunch of fat guys grilling meat,” Roland says.</div><div><br></div><div>Last year, Dickey’s opened 87 restaurants, bringing the total to 508 at year end, and it reported systemwide sales of $421 million.</div>        
      
      

Erie Times: She’s the leader of the pit

View the full segment <a href="http://www.kvoa.com/clip/13601365/news-4-cooks-brisket">here</a>.&nbsp;

KVOA: Dickey's Barbecue Pit Brisket

<div>Dickey's Barbecue Pit franchisees can manage their businesses from the kitchen via Alexa, thanks to the chain's incorporation of iOLAP's Enterprise Voice Platform.</div><div><br></div><div>"In working with iOLAP to customize this technology for our restaurants, we are giving each of our franchisees a way to carry out key business functions hands-free in their kitchens," CEO Laura Rea Dickey, said in a company press release. "At Dickey's, we are constantly looking for new ways to better our business along with our slow-smoked barbecue. This new technology means our franchisees can retrieve key data without having to stop smoking ribs."</div><div><br></div><div>This new software gives Dickey's franchisees the opportunity to have store information a voice-command away, and is the second phase of Dickey's big data initiatives, Dickey said.</div><div><br></div><div>"Smokestack, our proprietary data platform makes data accessible and actionable in our restaurants," she said. "By layering in this new enterprise voice platform, we hope to make data even more restaurant friendly. We've worked a lot with iOLAP to optimize Alexa for the kitchen from the data integration to the right placement in the back of house. We've also been thankful for franchisees that have opted in to further test the technology."</div><div><br></div><div>Operators can ask Alexa for daily sales metrics, KPI analytics or even when the brisket in their smoker should be finished smoking. That — coupled with the platform's ability to perform inventory analysis, food safety reminders and waste management controls — will help manage their business, Dickey said.</div><div><br></div><div>"I have been with Dickey's for over 20 years, and I never would have thought we would be using an Alexa to carry out parts key (to) the business," said Owner/Operator Dale Smith. "I can continue to do what is important, which is smoking meats, while Alexa can easily give me the business metrics I need."</div>        
      

Fast Casual: 'Look, Ma. No hands.' Dickey's franchisees using Alexa to track operations

<div>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit locations will begin incorporating iOLAP’s new Enterprise Voice Platform to carry out daily business functions in the store. Dickey’s, a known technology leader in the restaurant industry, is adopting this new platform accelerating the development, deployment, operations, and monitoring of Alexa Skills in the business environment.<br></div><div><br></div><div>“In working with iOLAP to customize this technology for our restaurants, we are giving each of our franchisees a way to carry out key business functions hands-free in their kitchens,” says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. “At Dickey’s, we are constantly looking for new ways to better our business along with our slow-smoked barbecue. This new technology means our franchisees can retrieve key data without having to stop smoking ribs.”</div><div><br></div><div>This new software gives Dickey’s owner-operators the opportunity to have store information a voice-command away, and is the second phase of Dickey's big data initiative.<br></div><div><br></div><div>"Smokestack, our proprietary data platform makes data accessible and actionable in our restaurants," Dickey says. "By layering in this new enterprise voice platform, we hope to make data even more restaurant friendly. We've worked a lot with iOLAP to optimize Alexa for the kitchen from the data integration to the right placement in the back of house. We've also been thankful for franchisees that have opted in to further test the technology."</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey's owner-operators can ask Alexa for their daily sales metrics, KPI analytics or even when the brisket in their smoker should be finished smoking. That, coupled with the platform’s ability to perform inventory analysis, food safety reminders, and waste management controls will help owner-operators better manage their business.</div><div><br></div><div>“I have been with Dickey’s for over 20 years, and I never would have thought we would be using an Alexa to carry out parts key of the business,” says owner-operator Dale Smith. “I can continue to do what is important, which is smoking meats, while Alexa can easily give me the business metrics I need.”</div><div><br></div><div>View the article <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/dickeys-incorporates-voice-platform-business-metrics">here</a>. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div>        
      

QSR: Dickey's Incorporates Voice Platform for Business Metrics

<div>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, a popular Texas-based restaurant with locations throughout the Central Valley, is integrating new technology to enhance its daily business operations.</div><div><br></div><div>The restaurant’s locations will begin incorporating a new enterprise voice platform from iOLAP, a data and analytics company, to operate hands-free and accelerate operations.</div><div><br></div><div>“In working with iOLAP to customize this technology for our restaurants, we are giving each of our franchisees a way to carry out key business functions hands-free in their kitchens,” said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s, in a statement. “At Dickey’s, we are constantly looking for new ways to better our business along with our slow-smoked barbecue. This new technology means our franchisees can retrieve key data without having to stop smoking ribs.”</div><div><br></div><div>The new software, Alexa Skills (the same used in Amazon’s Echo), gives owner/operators the ability to retrieve data via voice command.</div><div><br></div><div>“Smokestack, our proprietary platform, makes data accessible and actionable in our restaurants,” Dickey said. “We’ve worked a lot with iOLAP to optimize Alexa for the kitchen from the data integration to the right placement in the back of house. We’ve also been thankful for franchisees that have opted in to further test the technology.”</div><div><br></div><div>It’s Dickey’s hope that the technology will make data more “restaurant friendly.”</div><div><br></div><div>Franchisees can ask Alexa for daily sales metrics, KPI analytics or when brisket should be finished being smoked. The platform also allows for inventory analysis, food safety reminders and waste management control.</div>        
      

Central Valley Business Journal: Dickey’s Barbecue integrates Alexa technology into restaurant operations

<div>GARLAND, Texas, Aug. 16, 2017 : Dickey's Barbecue Pit opens their newest location in Garland this Thursday with four weeks of specials and giveaways, including free barbecue for a year for three lucky guests. The new store will be owned and operated by Texas native Shaun Martin and his father Gene.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;"The Dickey family congratulates Shaun Martin on opening his first Dickey's Barbecue Pit location in the north Texas area," says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. "We are always proud when we are able to expand Dickey's presence in our home state."&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey's will offer the following specials and giveaways for the next four weeks:&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Thirsty Thursdays: Guests will receive a free Big Yellow Cup with free refills all day.</div><div><br></div><div>Philanthropy Fridays: "You Give, We Give" - Guests who donate to Dickey's charitable foundation, Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges, will receive a gift card as a thank you for their donation. All uniformed first responders also receive 50 percent off their meal.</div><div><br></div><div>Giveaway Saturday: Guests can register for a chance to win free barbecue for a year.</div><div><br></div><div>Kids Eat Free Sundays: Kids eat free with an adult purchase of $10 or more.</div><div><br></div><div>To join Dickey's Big Yellow Cup Club and receive members-only specials and discounts, click here.</div><div><br></div><div>With years of restaurant experience, and a love for authentic barbecue, Martin and his father decided to research franchising opportunities and found a home in Dickey's. After opening their first location in Garland, the duo plans to open five more locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. "We are looking forward to opening our first Dickey's location and having the opportunity to serve our community Dickey's slow-smoked barbecue," says Martin.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The new Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Garland is located at 4441 Bass Pro Drive #700 Garland, TX 75043. The phone number is 972-203-7338.</div>        
      

New Kerela: Dickey's Barbecue Pit Opens New Location in Their Home State

<div>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has formed partnerships with more than 50 vendors to provide delivery services for the fast-casual chain’s franchises. GrubHub, UberEats, Postmates and Amazon are among the service providers.</div><div><br></div><div>“Folks’ idea of convenience has evolved to mean on demand, making delivery a guest expectation for most restaurants,” Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Pit, said in a statement. “We are taking measures to ensure its success for our brand and franchises. By offering third-party delivery through dickeys.com as well as our partner’s sites, we’ve extended our barbecue base. Third-party delivery isn’t revolutionary, but integrating it seamlessly into our business is unique.”</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey’s new website hosts third-party delivery vendors which enables consumers to easily place online orders for delivery or in-store pickup. The company said more than 20 new delivery services have been added since the beginning of 2017, and new partnerships with additional providers are being formed weekly.</div><div><br></div><div>“Third-party delivery vendors allow our owner/operators to continue to focus on Texas-style barbecue and keep delivery costs low, while providing our guests ease in order and delivery,” Renee Roozen, president of Dickey’s, said in a statement.</div>        
      

Meat + Poultry: Dickey's Barbecue Pit Delivers

        <div><a href="https://hospitalitytech.com/secrets-cios-unmasked">Hospitality Technology</a> wrote an amazing article about the importance of CIOs in today's restaurant industry highlighting Laura Rea Dickey.</div>        
      
      

Hospitality Technology: Secrets of CIOs Unmasked

<div>Dickey's Barbecue Pit is now offering a Tailgate Party Pack to kick off tailgate party season, according to a press release.</div><div><br></div><div>The pack costs $99 and includes four pounds of meat as well as topping, enough to feed twelve adults.</div><div><br></div><div>"Barbecue and big games are a perfect match. We think folks will find our Tailgate Party Pack is a win for parties and a much higher quality alternative to wings or pizza for a similar price," said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, in the release. "Plus, the Tailgate Party Pack can be ordered for delivery, so no one misses any football. We're excited to bring slow-smoked barbecue into the delivery space, giving guests more time to enjoy the season."</div><div><br></div><div>The concept is also promoting its Rack N' Roll Platter for $26, according to the release.</div><div>&nbsp;</div>        
      

Fast Casual: Dickey's debuts $99 tailgate food pack

<div>View the segment <a href="http://www.kvoa.com/story/36082562/dickeys-barbecue-st-louis-style-ribs">here</a>.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>On News 4 Cooks, Owner Daryl Weaver from Dickey's Barbecue talked about St. Louis style ribs.</div><div>Chef Micaela Boaz showed us how to season a whole rack, half rack or quarter rack of ribs with Dickey's Rib Rub, which you can buy at Dickey's Barbecue Pit.</div><div><br></div><div>Just take 4 tablespoons of the Rib Rub, rub it on both sides of the ribs.</div><div><br></div><div>Heat smoker to 275 degrees F.</div><div>Smoke ribs for 3-3.5 hours until tender.</div><div>Pair with favorite barbecue sauce and side items.</div>        
      

KVOA 4: Dickey's Barbecue St. Louis style ribs

<div>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, the largest barbecue chain in the nation, is ready to change the game when it comes to tailgate parties. What better way to kick-off the 2017-2018 football season than with low and slow-smoked barbecue delivered for game day? On August 7, the new Tailgate Party Pack will be available to order at your local Dickey’s Barbecue Pit offering guests a more convenient way to order, deliver, set-up, clean-up and of course keep their crew satisfied beyond kick-off.</div><div><br></div><div>For just $99, the Tailgate Party Pack easily feeds up to 12 adults, boasting four pounds of Dickey’s most popular slow-smoked meats and enough classic barbecue sides to satisfy a defensive line. The Tailgate Party Pack includes:</div><div><br></div><div>2 lbs Brisket</div><div>2 lbs Pulled Pork</div><div>64 oz Potato Salad</div><div>64 oz Coleslaw</div><div>64 oz Barbecue Beans</div><div>12 Buttery Rolls</div><div>Serving utensils &amp; plates</div><div><br></div><div>Fans can also order or add Dickey’s new Rack N’ Roll Platter ($26), which includes a full rack of ribs and six buttery rolls, to satisfy your crew well into overtime.</div><div><br></div><div>Both the Tailgate Party Pack and the Rack N’ Roll platter, along with Dickey’s full menu, can be ordered at dickeys.com. The majority of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit locations are also launching delivery directly through the restaurant or through a third party delivery partner. Orders may also be placed by calling 866-Barbecue.</div><div><br></div><div>“Barbecue and big games are a perfect match. We think folks will find our Tailgate Party Pack is a win for parties and a much higher quality alternative to wings or pizza for a similar price,” says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “Plus, the Tailgate Party Pack can be ordered for delivery, so no one misses any football. We’re excited to bring slow-smoked barbecue into the delivery space, giving guests more time to enjoy the season.”</div>        
      

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