5 Fast-Growing BBQ Chains You're About To See Everywhere
Dine at a barbecue joint and expect to be transported to a place of sheer comfort. Ribs are getting covered in sweet, smoky sauce, brisket is getting seasoned, and pulled pork is getting sandwiched between two fluffy buns. These meat-packed dishes are all complemented by simple yet classic sides like mac and cheese, coleslaw, and corn bread.
While some barbecue spots have distinctive cooking methods to get their meat perfectly tender, others are known for specific menu items. And some of these restaurants might just be headed to a city near you.
Beyond the many beloved hotspots down South, there are several major barbecue chains now expanding all over the United States—and, in some cases, all over the world.
Looking for a new place where you can sink your teeth into grilled beef, pork, chicken, or turkey? Read on to discover five barbecue chains that are growing their restaurant footprint right now.
Smokey Mo's
This regional chain has been serving Texas barbecue for over 20 years. It currently operates 19 locations in Central Texas and most recently added a new location near the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) campus.
Smokey Mo's aims to reach 22 locations by the end of 2024, with the chain planning to open a restaurant in Temple, Texas, this fall and another in Harker Heights, Texas, in late 2024. In January, Smokey Mo's shared that it expects to open 30 additional restaurants in the "coming years."
Jim 'N Nick's
Since opening in 1985, Birmingham, Ala.-based Jim 'N Nick's has delighted barbecue fans with its 12-hour slow-smoked pork and beef and other comfort food staples. Today, the chain operates 48 locations across six states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Jim 'N Nick's kicked off 2024 by adding a location in Statesboro, Ga., which was followed by another in Warner Robbins, Ga. The chain expects to open seven restaurants in 2024, according to a brand representative. Tentative locations include Pensacola, Fla.; Statesboro, Warner Robins, and West Cobb, Ga.; Dothan, Ala.; Hickory, N.C.; and Knoxville, Tenn. The chain also recently confirmed a location at Northlake Mall in Charlotte, N.C. Last year, Jim 'N Nick's opened six new restaurants.
KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
Southern-style barbecue isn't the only style experiencing growth right now. Korean barbecue is, too, with KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot significantly ramping up expansion efforts over the past two years. At the end of 2020, KPOT had just three locations, but by the end of 2023, the chain reached 55 restaurants, according to Nation's Restaurant News. The chain has added 25 additional locations this year alone.
At the beginning of the summer, KPOT announced its 80th location, which also marked the chain's entrance into New York City. Last year, KPOT was named the second fastest-growing chain on the Technomic Top 500 Restaurant Report in terms of both sales and units, as reported by Nation's Restaurant News.
L&L Hawaiian BBQ
This Hawaii-based chain is taking its popular lunch plates to even more locations. Since opening its doors in 1999, L&L Hawaiian BBQ has expanded to 228 locations in the U.S. and Japan. The chain opened 18 restaurants in 2023 and previously shared plans to open 20 additional locations in 2024.
In April, L&L made Yelp's list of the fastest-growing brands.
"We are very honored to be a part of this list. We believe that our tremendous growth as a franchise over the years stems from the demand of our customers for our authentic Hawaii flavors and our genuine spirit of Aloha," Elisia Flores, CEO of L&L Franchise, Inc, said in a press release.
City Barbeque
Founded in 1999, City Barbeque has drawn in customers with its beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked sausage, and homemade sides. Over the last 25 years, the Dublin, Ohio-based chain has expanded to more than 70 locations across 10 states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.
Forbes reported that the chain expects to reach 100 locations by the end of 2025, if all goes to plan. Annica Conrad, the chain's chief brand officer, told Nation's Restaurant News in 2023 that City Barbeque plans to open 12 to 18 new restaurants per year.
In September, the chain opened a new restaurant Fort Wayne, Ind., which marks the state's ninth City Barbeque location. In the spring, City Barbeque opened new locations in the Georgia communities of Buford and McDonough.
This article has been updated to reflect the latest information.
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