Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Panama City Opens with Three-Day Barbecue Bash

First Location to Open in the City Includes Big Barbecue Giveaways & $2 Sandwiches

(Panama City, FL) On Thursday, July 16 at 11 a.m., Frank & Maria Ilderton will achieve their dream of owning their own restaurant when they open Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Panama City’s Pier Park West, the first in the city. To celebrate, the fast casual barbecue joint is hosting a three-day barbecue bash where three lucky guests will win free barbecue for an entire year.

“Our grand openings are a way to get the community excited,” said Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “Our restaurants have been very well-received in Florida and it’s great to see our expansion into the Panama City area. I am excited for Frank and Maria as they expand the Dickey’s brand.”

The three-day grand opening party includes:

• Thursday, the new barbecue option offers the first 50 guests gift cards worth up to $50.
• Friday, guests can grab t-shirts, sunglasses, koozies and more all day giveaways.
• Saturday, guests can feed their cravings with $2 pulled pork sandwiches and radio station Island 106 WILN will be on-site from noon to 2 p.m. One lucky winner will receive a $500 gift card and three winners will win free barbecue for an entire year.

“We’re excited to open the first of several locations we have planned for the area and look forward to serving up slow-smoked Texas barbecue to the Panama City community,” said first time franchise owner, Frank Ilderton, who is opening the restaurant with his wife, Maria. “Dickey’s Barbecue is a unique concept with delicious food and a great business model and we couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Prior to opening Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Ilderton recently retired after 40 years of working for the Navy Exchange, most recently in Hawaii, near Pearl Harbor. The new store in Panama City is located at 100 Pier Park Drive Unit 125, Panama City, 32413 and the number is 850-344-7900.

About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.
Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the nation’s largest barbecue chain, was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey with the goal of creating authentic slow-smoked barbecue. Today, the fast-casual concept has over 500 locations in 43 states and still slow-smokes all meats onsite in each restaurant living up to the company tagline, “We Speak Barbecue.” The Dallas-based family-run barbecue franchise offers a quality selection of signature meats, home style sides, tangy barbecue sauce and free kids’ meals every Sunday.  Dickey’s Barbecue was recognized for the third year by Nation’s Restaurant News as a “Top 10 Growth Chain” and by Technomic as the “Fastest-growing restaurant chain in the country.” For more information, visit www.dickeys.com or for barbecue franchise opportunities call 866.340.6188.

Media Contact:
Kimberly Harms
972.248.9899
kharms@dickeys.com

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