Why Finding The Right Franchise Support System Makes A Difference

As Wendy Williams looks back on her first year of owning a Dickey’s Barbecue franchise, she is struck by the team effort that made her a success. Williams, a veteran and former nurse, opened her first Dickey’s in Pensacola, FL last April with no prior restaurant experience and a passion for great food.

“Dickey’s is the perfect franchise opportunity for people looking to change careers because we offer such an immersive training program and continuous home office support,” said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “We welcome people from all industries who bring their talent and experience to our brand.”

Originally from Louisiana, William’s background was in the medical field. Once she visited her local Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, she was hooked. She was impressed by the team and the on-going support tipped the scales.

“We got some great advice from the team at Dickey’s and really worked hard to build momentum by giving out coupons and Big Yellow Cups seven months prior to opening our first location,” Williams said. “By being very active in the community from the start, we were able to make a big splash when we opened.”

William’s credits the Dickey’s support team for her success. She appreciated the daily franchise support calls to align on best practices and community marketing ideas. She also compliments the marketing team for providing social media support that includes digital assets and post ideas.

“We were set-up for success through the training at Barbecue University,” Williams said. “But, the support continues to this day with ideas like digital menu boards which boosted sales. One of our best ideas was to wrap our Hummer in the Dickey’s logo. We park it at the beach and wait for someone to ask about it. It’s a real conversation starter!”

William’s is planning to open her second location later this year and is ready to roll-up her sleeves as a multi-unit franchise owner.

Here are her top tips for success in a restaurant franchise:

• Partner with the corporate team and view them as an ally in your success.
• Talk to other franchise owners in the system and share best practices.
• Get ready to be the face of your restaurant in the community.
• Hustle! It’s all about asking for the sale!

 

About Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

 

Founded in 1941 by the Dickey family, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. is the world’s largest barbecue concept and continues as a third-generation family-run business. For more than 80 years, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit has served millions with its signature Legit. Texas. Barbecue.™ Slow-smoked over hickory wood-burning pits, Dickey’s barbecued meats are paired with a variety of Southern sides. Committed to authentic barbecue, Dickey’s never takes shortcuts — because real barbecue can’t be rushed.

 

With more than 866 restaurants across eight concepts in the U.S. and several countries, Dickey’s Barbecue Franchise and Dickey’s Restaurant Brands continue to grow under the leadership of Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of Dickey’s Capital Group, and Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

 

Dickey’s has been recognized on Newsweek’s 2022 “America’s Favorite Restaurant Chains” list, Nation’s Restaurant News 2024 top fast-casual brands for value, and USA Today’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards. The brand has also ranked in the Top 20 of Fast Casual’s “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” for four of the past five years. Additional accolades include Entrepreneur’s Top 500 Franchise and Hospitality Technology’s Industry Heroes list. The brand has been featured by Fox News, Forbes, Franchise Times, The Wall Street Journal, and People Magazine.

For more information, visit www.dickeys.com. For franchise opportunities, visit www.dickeysfranchise.com.