Dickey's Barbecue Pit Increase Franchise Sales in Q1 90%

By: Dickey's Barbecue Pit® | 1,014 Shares 91 Reads

America's Largest Quick-Serve Barbecue Chain Pulls Sales In House, Increases Results

DALLAS, March 14, 2011 // PRNewswire // -- With start-up costs at an all time low, franchise sales are sky-rocketing at Dickey's Barbecue Pit.

The company is attributing the drastic 90% increase in franchise sales to their decision to pull all sales efforts in-house this year.

"Traditionally Jan and Feb are the slowest months of the year for our Franchise development team. This year has been different," Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. Director of Franchise Development Richard Phillips said. "While costs are so low to develop a restaurant, our entire team is scrambling to keep up with all of the inquiries about joining our business family. It is a great problem to have."

Since January 1st, Dickey's has signed 28 franchise agreements, and the numbers are climbing every day.

"We began building our internal sales team at the end of last year. We fully switched over on January 1st," Dickey's President Roland Dickey, Jr. said. "They are blowing my expectations out of the water. Anyone who knows me know that is not an easy thing to do."

Dickey said the company used to have a mix of external contract sales team members and a few internal sales employees who also served other development roles.

Dickey said his goal is to hit 300 locations by the end of 2012.

To date, the company has 145 locations open in 33 states.

Sixty locations are in development coast to coast.

"At this rate, I am confident we will reach our goal," Dickey said. "You have to aim high in business. We are aiming high, but have the strategy to get there."

Phillips seems to hold the same sentiment.

"We have one of the strongest business models out there, a corporate office full of dedicated team members supporting all of our franchisees and we are all personally vested in the success of our Owner/Operators. When you buy a Dickey's you really are joining a family," he said.

The family-owned business was founded in 1941 by Dickey's grandfather, Travis Dickey, in Dallas, Texas.

The original location is still open for business.

Even today, Dickey's still slow smokes their signature pork and brisket overnight in every restaurant, just like the original.

Committed to exceptional quality at a great value, Dickey's Barbecue began their national growth and franchising 1994 and is proud to be the largest quick-serve barbecue chain in the country today.

SOURCE Dickey's Barbecue