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Read more at: [Hottytoddy.co](https://hottytoddy.com/2016/06/17/eatingoxford-dickeys-barbecue-pit-opens-in-oxford-2).

Eating Oxford: Dickey's Barbecue Pit Opens in Oxford

<div>See the full video and blog post on Foodable <a href="http://www.foodabletv.com/blog/2016/6/15/on-foodable-insight-series-restaurant-technology-trends-today" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>

Foodable TV: How Are Restaurants Using Technology Today?

<div>In honor of National BBQ Month, Owner/Operator Jared Katzenbarger fills in for Mr. Dickey on Good Day Sacramento to share his top grilling secrets!</div><div><br></div><div>Watch <a href="http://gooddaysacramento.cbslocal.com/video/3406578-dickeys-bbq-secrets/" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>        
      

Good Day Sacramento: Dickey’s BBQ Secrets

        In addition to Dickey’s being named number one on Fast Casual’s Top Movers &amp; Shakers, Laura Rea Dickey was also announced as one of the top 25 executives on the list. The CIO of Dickey’s, she has innovated new technologies which allow the Dickey’s brand to respond to real data in real time. <br><br>See her feature on page 35 in the full report, <a href="http://nmgprod.s3.amazonaws.com/media/filer_public/f4/2b/f42bc7c5-25f0-48ae-bccf-f72358b51090/fast_casual_top_100_-_2016.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.        
      
      

Laura Rea Dickey Named Top Executive in Fast Casual's Movers

<div>From <a href="http://said.simon.com/memorial-day-bbq-recipe/?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=content" target="_blank">Simon Said</a>:</div><hr id="[object Object]"><div>Grilling season is officially upon us! As much as Memorial Day weekend is about taking some time off and celebrating the new season, it is also synonymous with eating— preferably something that requires piles of napkins and a paper plate. Since our mouths are already watering for some good ‘ol American BBQ, we tapped one of the country’s most experienced and passionate experts in the field to chat all things meat and sauce. Mr. Dickey has been in the barbeque business since he was a child, working alongside his father who opened the first Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Dallas in 1941. Today, with over 550 locations nationwide and 75 years in business it’s safe to say Mr. Dickey knows a thing or two about making this your best Memorial Day BBQ yet. Check out his tips below and visit Dickey’s Barbecue Pit at Simon!</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">What’s your favorite cut to put on the grill for the holiday?&nbsp;</span></div><div>Many outdoor setups now include smokers as well as grills, and home cooks are discovering the great smoky flavor in their own backyards. When cooking outdoors, my favorite cut to cook is a bone-in 14 to 16 ounce ribeye. It’s the tastiest cut of meat.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">When it comes to pre-grill prep, what’s the best way to marinate our cuts?&nbsp;</span></div><div>The Dickey family has spent 75 years perfecting our recipes and we found that rubs are more useful for large cuts of meat, such as brisket and pork butt. When there’s a good presence of salt in the rub, the salt allows surface and interior fats to melt while the meat is cooking, helping to keep the meat moist.</div><div>For a great juicy steak the solution is easy. Create a marinade using soy sauce, inexpensive red wine, and raw garlic or garlic powder. Let the steak marinate for a few hours or overnight. Once you’ve gotten the flavor to lock in, remove the steaks from the marinade, pat dry, season well with salt and pepper, and lightly coat each side with olive oil.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">How do you source your meat? What are the most important things to look out for when buying meat?</span></div><div>It’s important that we serve our guests at Dickey’s high quality cuts of meat. We source the best product in the country and track it from the field to the table ensuring a tender and juicy selection for our guests. We consistently work to deliver the highest quality product for the best price in all our stores nationwide. The best cuts of meats can also be found at your local butcher shop.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">In our opinion, it’s all about the sauce. Any unconventional flavors or varieties you recommend?</span></div><div>There has been a rising trend in fusion-type sauces where alcohol, fruits, and sriracha are being used, bringing a fresh approach to the traditional way barbecue has been served. Dickey’s has remained true to my family’s recipe for our sauce. We have also stayed ahead of the curve by offering our guests more than one flavor option. All of our locations provide guests the option of pairing their meats with an original, sweet or spicy sauce.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tell us a little bit of the Dickey’s backstory, you’ve been around since 1941! That is quite a history.</span></div><div>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is a true American success story. It was started in 1941 by my father, Travis Dickey, Sr. in Dallas, Texas. I worked from childhood to adulthood alongside my Dad and brother at the original location, which is still open for business and serves as one of the oldest operating restaurants in Dallas, Texas. It was my senior year in college when my brother and I took over the business after my father’s passing, evolving it from a barbecue stand on the corner to a franchised business. In 2006, my son Roland Dickey, Jr. became CEO. He worked his way from general manager to Dickey’s first vice president and now is at the company’s helm as chief executive officer.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fact or fiction: the best BBQ started in Texas…&nbsp;</span></div><div>Hands down that’s a fact. We appreciate the other barbecue styles around the country, but believe that you really can’t beat dry rubbed, slow-smoked Texas barbecue.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you have a favorite recipe from your cookbook?</span></div><div>Since I live in a high-rise and I’m not allowed to smoke or grill at my home in Dallas, one of my favorite and easiest recipes brings really good barbecue pork ribs from the oven. Most people don’t know you can also make great ribs using an oven — it’s one of my wife’s favorite meals I make for her.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Oven Pork Ribs with Barbecue Sauce</span></div><div>Yields one rack (11 to 13 ribs)</div><div>Temperature: 350 degrees F</div><div>Cooking Time: 2 to 2 ½ hours</div><div><br></div><div>1 rack St. Louis-style pork ribs</div><div>3 ounces Rib Ticklin’ Rib Rub</div><div>Barbecue sauce</div><div>Rib Ticklin’ Rib Rub</div><div><br></div><div>Yields about 2 cups</div><div><br></div><div>½ cup of salt</div><div>1 cup of sugar</div><div>¼ cup of paprika</div><div>1 ½ tablespoons granulated garlic</div><div>½ tablespoons ground cumin</div><div>1 ½ tablespoon lemon pepper</div><div><br></div><div>Thoroughly combine all ingredients. You can store this run in an airtight container for up to three months.</div><div><br></div><div>Set your oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle rib rub over the entire rib rack and use your hands to rub it in. Place your rack of ribs in tin foil in the oven for between 1 hour and 1.5 hours. Remove the ribs from the oven and place sauce over the entire rib rack. Place the ribs back in the tin foil in the oven bone-side down for up to 30 minutes.</div><div><br></div><div>I suggest performing what’s called a “break test” for doneness. &nbsp;Grab the rib rack with a pair of tongs. &nbsp;If they immediately begin to “break,” (not bounce) they’re ready. &nbsp;If they are still “bouncy” let them cook for another 20 minutes. Once all of the ribs have passed the “break test,” remove them from the oven, set aside and let them rest for 5 to 7 minutes.</div><div><br></div><div>To cut and serve, flip the ribs bone-side up to get a cleaner cut and allow the bones to be more visible. Make a clean cut between the bones. &nbsp;You should get 11 to 13 ribs from one rack. &nbsp;Flip the ribs over and glaze them with barbecue sauce and serve hot. &nbsp;</div>        
      

Simon Said: BECOME A GRILL MASTER JUST IN TIME FOR MEMORIAL DAY

<div>From <a href="http://www.fastcasual.com/news/dickeys-barbecue-pit-expanding-in-texas-louisiana-california/" target="_blank">Fast Casual</a>:</div><hr id="[object Object]"><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>With over 30 years in the restaurant industry, Marshland Foods partner Robert Ray will operate the stores in Texas and Louisiana.</div><div><br></div><div>"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.</div><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>"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."</div><div><br></div><div>"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."</div><div><br></div><div>FastCasual recently named Dickey's as its No. 1 brand in the 2016 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers &amp; Shakers.</div>        
      

Dickey's Barbecue Pit Announces Expansion in Three States

        <div>From <a href="https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/dickeys-signs-eight-unit-texas-louisiana-deal?utm_campaign=20160531&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=jolt" target="_blank">QSR</a>:</div><hr id="[object Object]"><div>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has partnered with Marshland Foods LLC to open eight new locations along the I-10 Corridor. The first store will open in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and two new store openings will follow in Beaumont, Texas. Other new stores will open in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Pearland, Sugar Land, Cypress, and Baytown, Texas. All stores will open within the next five years.</div><div><br></div><div>With more than 30 years in the restaurant industry, Marshland Foods partner Robert Ray will operate the new stores. "I am excited to move my career into an owner/operator role of a multiunit operation and partner with the largest barbecue chain in the country,” Ray says. After researching the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit franchise opportunity for a year, Ray and Marshland Group Founder and managing partner Rick El-Mogazi were impressed with Dickey’s innovative and successful business model. “We concluded that Dickey’s Barbecue Pit was the best investment for our group after speaking with other franchisees and observing Dickey’s high-tech innovations in customer experience,” El-Mogazi says.</div><div><br></div><div>Marshland Foods, LLC is an affiliate of the Marshland Group LLC. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Marshland Group seeks to combine financial assets and expertise with operating partners who have a long track record of success in food service and other industries.</div><div><br></div><div>Currently there are 139 Dickey’s locations in Texas and eight in Louisiana.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are proud to further expand our brand’s presence in Texas and Louisiana,” says Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. “We congratulate Robert Ray along with Marshland Foods on their development agreement and look forward to their store openings.”</div>        
      
      

QSR: Dickey's Signs Eight-Unit Texas-Louisiana Deal

<div>From <a href="https://texasrestaurantnews.com/dickeys-barbecue-pit-inks-development-deal-eight-stores-texas-louisiana/" target="_blank">Texas Restaurant News</a>:</div><hr id="[object Object]"><div>The eight new stores will be located on the I-10 Corridor and will all open within five years</div><div><br></div><div>Lake Charles, LA (TexasRestaurantNews.com) Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has partnered with Marshland Foods, LLC to open eight new locations along the I-10 Corridor. The first store will open in Lake Charles, LA, and two new store openings will follow in Beaumont, TX. Other new stores will open in Baton Rouge, LA, Pearland, TX, Sugar Land, TX, Cypress, TX and Baytown, TX. All stores will open within the next five years.</div><div><br></div><div>dickies-Robert-Ray</div><div><br></div><div>With over 30 years in the restaurant industry, Marshland Foods partner Robert Ray will operate the new stores. “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 says. After researching the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit franchise opportunity for a year, Ray and Marshland Group Founder and Managing Partner Rick El-Mogazi were impressed with Dickey’s innovative and successful business model. “We concluded that Dickey’s Barbecue Pit was the best investment for our group after speaking with other franchisees and observing Dickey’s high-tech innovations in customer experience,” El-Mogazi said.</div><div><br></div><div>Marshland Foods, LLC is an affiliate of the Marshland Group, LLC. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Lake Charles, LA, Marshland Group seeks to combine financial assets and expertise with operating partners who have a long track record of success in food service and other industries.</div><div><br></div><div>Currently there are 139 Dickey’s locations in Texas and eight in Louisiana.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are proud to further expand our brand’s presence in Texas and Louisiana,” says Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “We congratulate Robert Ray along with Marshland Foods on their development agreement and look forward to their store openings.”</div><div><br></div><div>To learn more about franchising with Dickeys, visit www.dickeys.com/franchise or call 866-340-6188.</div><div><br></div><div>To find the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit nearest you, click here. Find Dickey’s on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.</div>        
      

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Signs Deal for 8 Stores in Texas and Louisiana

From <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/hillsboroughs-first-dickeys-barbecue-pit-restaurant-opens/2278932" target="_blank">Tampa Bay Times</a>:<hr id="[object Object]"><div class="note-statusbar">RIVERVIEW — Dickey's Barbecue Pit, a Dallas barbecue chain that is the largest in the nation, has opened its first location in Hillsborough County.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Riverview residents Darryl and Angela Sookoonsingh decided to bring the authentic Texas-style barbecue restaurant to their hometown after Darryl Sookoonsingh acquired a taste for it during his military career.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Originally from Grand Cayman, Army veteran Sookoonsingh managed his own Trinidadian restaurant in the capital city of George Town prior to his enlistment.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">"I fell in love with Dickey's post- service in North Dakota and I'm excited to share my passion for their barbecue with the residents of Riverview," he said. "I felt Riverview was missing out on Dickey's down-home experience with slow-smoked meats, a family-friendly environment and enthusiastic staff. My wife and I look forward to welcoming guests to our newest location."</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">The Dickey's Riverview Town Center store is located at 10463 Gibsonton Drive in the Lowe's plaza. The fast-casual eatery offers home-style sides, tangy barbecue sauce and free kids' meals every Sunday. There are more than a dozen locations throughout Florida.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">"We are steadily growing our presence in the sunshine state," said Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants. "We are proud to partner with Sookoonsingh on his newest journey."</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Dickey's Barbecue was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey and all meats are still slow-smoked on-site in more than 540 locations in 43 states.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Dickey's offers catering and is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Call (813) 333-1773.</div>

Hillsborough’s First Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Opens

<div>From <a href="http://theadvocate.com/news/15909475-128/dickeys-seeks-seat-at-baton-rouge-barbecue-table" target="_blank">The Advocate</a>:</div><hr id="[object Object]"><div>The Baton Rouge barbecue market could soon add another competitor.</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, which has 550 locations in 43 states, has partnered with Lake Charles-based Marshland Foods LLC to open eight stores along the Interstate 10 corridor, including one in Baton Rouge.</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey’s franchisee Marshland will open its first Dickey’s in Lake Charles, with two to follow in Beaumont, Texas. In addition to Baton Rouge, Marshland plans locations in Pearland, Sugar Land, Cypress and Baytown, all in Texas. All of the stores are expected to open within five years.</div>        
      

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Plans Baton Rouge Store, Expands I-10 Locations

From <a href="http://newsok.com/article/5500365" target="_blank">NewsOK</a>:<hr id="[object Object]"><div class="note-statusbar">CATOOSA — Dickey's Barbecue Pit has opened a new location at Catoosa Hills Shopping Center.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">"We are proud of Owner/Operators Cliff and Charlene Strong as they open their newest location and Dickey's fourth store in Oklahoma," Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. said in a statement. "The new location highlights Dickey's expansion in growing markets like Tulsa and we look forward to the opportunity to introduce authentic slow-smoked barbecue to the surrounding community."</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">With recent development including a Walmart and the Hard Rock Hotel &amp; Casino nearby, the Strongs were enticed by the growing area outside of Tulsa in Catoosa and saw an opportunity to bring another dining option to the area, Dickey said.&nbsp;</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Dickey's Catoosa location is at 19361 Robson Road.&nbsp;</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Dickey's Barbecue was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey with the goal of authentic slow-smoked barbecue. The fast-casual concept has expanded to 550 locations in 43 states.</div>

NewsOK: Dickey's Barbecue opens store

<div>LAS VEGAS - Dickey’s Barbecue Pit cut a deal with Benderson Development Co. on Tuesday for a new restaurant at Lockwood Ridge Road and State Road 70 in Manatee County.</div><div><br></div><div>The barbecue joint expects to be serving in the Publix-anchored shopping center within the next five to six months, according to Chad Cione, real estate manager for Dallas-based Dickey’s.</div><div><br></div><div>The deal was facilitated by regional brokerage Michael Saunders &amp; Co. at the annual International Council of Shopping Center’s three-day 2016 ReCon event in Las Vegas.</div><div><br></div><div>The State Road 70 location will be the Dallas-based chain’s second in the Southwest Florida. Dickey’s launched its first Sarasota restaurant on Clark Road in late 2015.</div><div><br></div><div>The chain expects to open other restaurants in the Sarasota area, Cione said.</div><div><br></div><div>The intersection of State Road 70 and Lockwood Ridge Road has boomed in recent months and welcomed both an ALDI and a Walmart Neighborhood Market.</div><div><br></div><div>A Wawa is also expected to open there later this year.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier this week, Benderson confirmed that iPic, a luxury dining and movie experience, is slated for an development on the east portion of the Mall at University Town Center development.</div><div><br></div><div>Mark Chait, executive director of leasing for the Manatee County-based Benderson, confirmed iPic's arrival. The theater also is visible in a rendering Benderson is displaying of that project at ReCon.</div>        
      

Herald-Tribune: Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opening State Road 70 restaurant

<p>From <a href="http://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/sales-finance/top-40-fast-casual-chains#page=25" target="_blank">Restaurant Business</a>:<hr id="[object Object]">Dickey's Barbecue Pit&nbsp;wins #16 on Restaurant Business’ Top 40 Fast Casual Chains.&nbsp;</p><p><hr id="[object Object]"></hr><hr id="[object Object]"></p>

Restaurant Business: TOP 40 FAST-CASUAL CHAINS

<p>From <a href="http://www.fermag.com/features/unit-designs/single-article/kitchen-design-smokin-in-style/2c3aed6cbf2dbae753403ee3bdc83ffa.html" target="_blank">Foodservice Equipment Reports</a>:&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 14px;">When Dickey’s Barbecue Pit’s new prototype cut the kitchen size by 50%, the cost to build dropped and sales skyrocketed. Here’s how the chain’s leaders did it.</span><hr id="[object Object]"><div class="note-statusbar">By: Janice Cha, Senior Contributing Editor</div><div class="note-statusbar">06/01/2016</div><div class="note-statusbar">Design inspiration can come from unexpected sources. For Dallas-based Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, inspiration arrived with the opening of a pared-down corporate restaurant at Dallas Love Field in 2014.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">“The airport gave us only a tiny amount of space to open in compared to our other restaurants,” recalls Trinity Hall, Senior V.P. Development for the more than 500-unit chain. “It had an odd-shaped footprint, limited menu, hardly any storage space and operated under the airport restrictions. But the store did so well we paid off the loan in only seven months. And not a single customer complained about the reduced menu.”</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">When the time came to develop a prototype for future expansion, the Love Field store was the obvious starting point. “We realized we had plenty of room to improve on efficiencies, training, inventory and footprint,” says Hall.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Dickey’s Dallas prototype opened a year and a half later in October ’15. The revamped 50-seat restaurant features a pared-down menu and a new urban-chic décor filled with reclaimed wood, chalkboard walls and rustic metal elements. The kitchen has been nearly halved to about 500 sq. ft., for a resulting total footprint of 1,551 sq. ft. (The extra 800 sq. ft. of space has since been rented to the restaurant’s neighboring tenant.)</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Guests loved the changes, to the tune of a more than 25% increase in sales.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">“Dickey’s restaurants used to range from 1,800 sq. ft. to 2,200 sq. ft., with some as large as 3,000 sq. ft.,” says Hall. “Now we’re at 1,500 sq. ft. with the same number of seats as the larger restaurants. With each generation of prototypes, we get better at paring things down.”</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Dickey’s kitchen equipment package was slashed as well. Gone is all gas equipment, a reach-in and an undercounter freezer and even the popular self-service ice cream machine. The new equipment tally averages about $65,000, down from the $80,000 to $90,000 of earlier stores.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">The company plans to open as many as 100 restaurants using the new prototype by December. In ’17, plans call for the chain’s first international locations.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Open, Urban &amp; Sleek</div><div class="note-statusbar">Dickey’s makeover team included Roland Dickey, CEO; Laura Dickey, CIO; and Hall, with input from franchisees. The team identified three goals for the new prototype:</div><div class="note-statusbar">• Promote Dickey’s roots by up-playing the restaurant’s butcher-shop look and feel.</div><div class="note-statusbar">• Eliminate unused space and items.</div><div class="note-statusbar">• Streamline kitchen equipment and operations.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Dickey’s prototype gives a modern spin to its butchershop heritage. “The front-of-house features a modern, urban-chic look that’s a little rustic but not too much,” Hall says. Reclaimed wood, dark metal fixtures and vintage-looking signage accent the seating area.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">But the real meat-purveyor signals can be found in the food prep area: a 7-ft. x 4-ft. wood butcher-block table near the smoker, and a custom-made walk-in featuring a real wooden door and two front-facing windows, showing briskets, hams and racks of ribs awaiting the smoker.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Next, the team took aim at eliminating non-essential back-of-house spaces, starting with the office.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">“We took away every unused nook and cranny,” Hall says. “The wide open space gives a cleaner, more guest-forward look. There’s nowhere and nothing to hide. We’ve learned that millennials like transparency— they want to see where their food comes from.”</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">The restaurant office was downsized from a room to a bar-height table with a computer in an open alcove, which keeps managers more connected with kitchen activity. Designers also reduced shelving space, a move intended to keep inventory levels to the bare (and cost-effective) minimum.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">“We tested storage needs when we built a mock-up of the first of four prototypes in a warehouse,” Hall says. “Roland kept saying, ‘Make it smaller.’ Reducing storage made sense because people tend to over-buy to fill the space. We took an entire set of empty storage boxes to fill the space to demonstrate what was needed. Even the walk-in was slimmed down, from an 8-ft.-sq. box down to a 6-ft. 9-in.-sq. box.”</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Under the new design, managers will need to order supplies on a just-in-time basis.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Dickey’s 500-Sq.-Ft. Kitchen</div><div class="note-statusbar">Most of all, the team worked to streamline kitchen equipment and operations. The biggest change started with the smoker. Dickey’s prototypes will be anchored by a pellet-fueled, 300-lb.-capacity rotisserie smoker made by Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">“We had been using a wood-burning smoker to give hickory flavor to meats. But the flavor profile varied depending on wood sources,” Hall says. “With the new pellet smoker, which uses compressed wood pellets made of a wood blend specified by Dickey’s, the flavor will be the same no matter where in the world the store is located.” Other benefits for the wood pellet system include a cleaner burning fuel that will make hood maintenance easier (less creosote to clean out), more efficient storage (the 40-lb. pellet bags take up less space than wood) and lower cost-to-operate (pellets cost significantly less than wood).</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">In a major space-and cost-saving move, planners opted for a simplified, all-electric kitchen equipment makeover. They eliminated gas-powered fryers (and the fryers’ supporting undercounter freezer), a stove and a hood in favor of single-hob induction cooktops.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">“The induction units will be used for all the sides—mac and cheese, spinach, green beans,” Hall says. “We had been considering a combi oven for that function, but one of our team members suggested we try induction hobs instead. The equipment is not only less expensive than combis, but you don’t need water lines or a hood, either. It’s fast, too— we can heat a potato casserole in only six minutes.”</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Other equipment improvements include swapping full-sized warmers for storing smoked meats to two undercounter hot-holding units. They’re located under the butcher block prep table for fast access.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">To assist the restaurant’s all-important catering operations, the team added a rechargeable, mobile Cambro hot storage box. “You plug it in to charge it up,” Hall says. The side benefit to the Cambro unit, stored under the induction hobs, is that it can hold extra product from the smoker during peak times.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">The serving line, where employees plate prepared meats and sides for guests, got a laborsaving upgrade. “The prototype will use [a counter with] drop-in hot and cold pans rather than two hot and cold prep tables,” explains Hall, adding that the separate prep tables created uneven traylines, slowing down employees who had to lift and reach rather than slide the trays. (On the serving line, one employee plates meats, the next person in line dishes out sides and then slides the tray to the cashier.) “The drop-ins make passing food trays much easier,” Hall says. “The equipment looks nicer, too—a better fit for Dickey’s new look.”</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">In the front-of-house, the prototype stores will all use the Freestyle Coke machine. “Our customers really like it,” Hall says.</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">And gone from new stores will be the self-service soft-serve ice cream machine. “Those units always seemed to be in need of service, and they took a lot of time to clean and maintain,” Hall says. “If any customer asked about the lack of free ice cream, we give them a free dessert cookie to make up for it. But really, it has not been an issue. The community has been very supportive.”</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">A Look Ahead</div><div class="note-statusbar">Half a year into operations, Dickey’s Dallas store continues to exceed expectations. In addition to the higher sales, other benefits have included faster training times. “We still require 10 training days, but they’re not the intensive 13-hr. to 14-hr. daily marathons anymore,” Hall says. “Now new franchisees also have time to be out marketing their stores.”</div><div class="note-statusbar"><br></div><div class="note-statusbar">Moving forward, all new Dickey’s locations will follow the prototype model. Franchisees have the choice of retrofitting at different levels—from just the front-of-house décor elements to the full remodel.</div></p>

Foodservice Equipment Reports: KITCHEN DESIGN: Smokin’ In Style

From <a href="http://www.fastcasual.com/articles/dickeys-named-fast-casuals-no-1-brand/" target="_blank">Fast Casual</a>
<p>FastCasual's editorial team has released its annual list of the industry's most significant brands and executives, awarding Dickey's Barbecue Pit the coveted No. 1 spot.</p>
<p>The 2016 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers &amp; Shakers publication is now available for download and comes after Sunday's awards gala in Chicago honoring the 75 brands and 25 executives named to this year's list.</p>
<p>"As the popularity of fast casual brands increases so does the number of emerging concepts, accompanied by a multitude of QSR and full-service franchises that are now rebranding in an effort to join our exclusive club," said Cherryh Cansler, managing editor of FastCasual.com. "To help narrow down the choices this year, we accepted self nominations, requiring each brand to answer a variety of questions about their businesses."</p>
<p>The info helped judges whittle down the hundreds of nominations to 75 brands and 25 executives to round out the final Top 100, Cansler said. Judges not only rated brands on growth and sales, but considered innovation across several categories, including technology, design, customer experience, sustainability and menu offerings.</p>
<p>"The top spot unanimously went to Dickey's Barbecue Pit for not only its impressive growth performance (a 19 percent year-over-year growth rate with nearly 550 units and plans to open 100 this year), but also because it is a leader when it comes to implementing technology to enhance the guest experience," Cansler said.</p>
<p>The gala and the Top 100 report were sponsored by Taylor.</p>

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