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IN THE NEWS

        <div><a href="https://hospitalitytech.com/secrets-cios-unmasked">Hospitality Technology</a> wrote an amazing article about the importance of CIOs in today's restaurant industry highlighting Laura Rea Dickey.</div>        
      
      

Hospitality Technology: Secrets of CIOs Unmasked

<div>Dickey's Barbecue Pit is now offering a Tailgate Party Pack to kick off tailgate party season, according to a press release.</div><div><br></div><div>The pack costs $99 and includes four pounds of meat as well as topping, enough to feed twelve adults.</div><div><br></div><div>"Barbecue and big games are a perfect match. We think folks will find our Tailgate Party Pack is a win for parties and a much higher quality alternative to wings or pizza for a similar price," said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, in the release. "Plus, the Tailgate Party Pack can be ordered for delivery, so no one misses any football. We're excited to bring slow-smoked barbecue into the delivery space, giving guests more time to enjoy the season."</div><div><br></div><div>The concept is also promoting its Rack N' Roll Platter for $26, according to the release.</div><div>&nbsp;</div>        
      

Fast Casual: Dickey's debuts $99 tailgate food pack

<div>View the segment <a href="http://www.kvoa.com/story/36082562/dickeys-barbecue-st-louis-style-ribs">here</a>.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>On News 4 Cooks, Owner Daryl Weaver from Dickey's Barbecue talked about St. Louis style ribs.</div><div>Chef Micaela Boaz showed us how to season a whole rack, half rack or quarter rack of ribs with Dickey's Rib Rub, which you can buy at Dickey's Barbecue Pit.</div><div><br></div><div>Just take 4 tablespoons of the Rib Rub, rub it on both sides of the ribs.</div><div><br></div><div>Heat smoker to 275 degrees F.</div><div>Smoke ribs for 3-3.5 hours until tender.</div><div>Pair with favorite barbecue sauce and side items.</div>        
      

KVOA 4: Dickey's Barbecue St. Louis style ribs

<div>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, the largest barbecue chain in the nation, is ready to change the game when it comes to tailgate parties. What better way to kick-off the 2017-2018 football season than with low and slow-smoked barbecue delivered for game day? On August 7, the new Tailgate Party Pack will be available to order at your local Dickey’s Barbecue Pit offering guests a more convenient way to order, deliver, set-up, clean-up and of course keep their crew satisfied beyond kick-off.</div><div><br></div><div>For just $99, the Tailgate Party Pack easily feeds up to 12 adults, boasting four pounds of Dickey’s most popular slow-smoked meats and enough classic barbecue sides to satisfy a defensive line. The Tailgate Party Pack includes:</div><div><br></div><div>2 lbs Brisket</div><div>2 lbs Pulled Pork</div><div>64 oz Potato Salad</div><div>64 oz Coleslaw</div><div>64 oz Barbecue Beans</div><div>12 Buttery Rolls</div><div>Serving utensils &amp; plates</div><div><br></div><div>Fans can also order or add Dickey’s new Rack N’ Roll Platter ($26), which includes a full rack of ribs and six buttery rolls, to satisfy your crew well into overtime.</div><div><br></div><div>Both the Tailgate Party Pack and the Rack N’ Roll platter, along with Dickey’s full menu, can be ordered at dickeys.com. The majority of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit locations are also launching delivery directly through the restaurant or through a third party delivery partner. Orders may also be placed by calling 866-Barbecue.</div><div><br></div><div>“Barbecue and big games are a perfect match. We think folks will find our Tailgate Party Pack is a win for parties and a much higher quality alternative to wings or pizza for a similar price,” says Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “Plus, the Tailgate Party Pack can be ordered for delivery, so no one misses any football. We’re excited to bring slow-smoked barbecue into the delivery space, giving guests more time to enjoy the season.”</div>        
      

QSR: Dickey’s Unveils Tailgate Party Pack for $99

<div>DALLAS — &nbsp;Dickey's Barbecue Pit released its new Tailgate Party Pack this week and will be available to order at a local Dickey's Barbecue Pit.</div><div>For $99, the Tailgate Party Pack feeds up to 12 adults, with 4 lbs. of Dickey's slow-smoked meats and plenty of side dishes.</div><div><br></div><div>The Tailgate Party Pack includes:</div><div>2 lbs. brisket<br></div><div>2 lbs. pulled pork</div><div>64-oz. potato salad</div><div>64-oz. coleslaw</div><div>64-oz. barbecue beans</div><div>12 rolls</div><div>Serving utensils &amp; plates</div><div><br></div><div>Fans can also order or add Dickey's new Rack N' Roll Platter ($26), which includes a full rack of ribs and six buttery rolls, to satisfy your crew well into overtime.</div><div><br></div><div>"Barbecue and big games are a perfect match. We think folks will find our Tailgate Party Pack is a win for parties and a much higher quality alternative to wings or pizza for a similar price," said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. "Plus, the Tailgate Party Pack can be ordered for delivery, so no one misses any football. We're excited to bring slow-smoked barbecue into the delivery space, giving guests more time to enjoy the season."</div><div><br></div><div>Both the Tailgate Party Pack and the Rack N' Roll platter, along with Dickey's full menu, can be ordered at dickeys.com. The majority of Dickey's Barbecue Pit locations are also launching delivery directly through the restaurant or a third-party delivery partner. Orders may also be placed by calling 866-Barbecue.</div>        
      

Meat + Poultry: Dickey's Barbecue Pit offers tailgate package for football season

<div>Earlier this year, Laura Rea Dickey was named CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc. — not all that startling until you realize that Rea is her maiden name.</div><div><br></div><div>She’s the 38-year-old wife of Roland Dickey Jr. and daughter-in-law of Roland Dickey Sr., the iconoclastic patriarch of the nation’s largest barbecue chain that dates back to 1941.</div><div><br></div><div>Her ascension to mistress of the barbecue pit is an anomaly on another front: She’s a terrible cook.</div><div><br></div><div>“That is not the part of the business that I impact, I promise,” Laura says. “It’s a Dickey’s family tradition that the men cook. So I got on board with that really fast. I can make reservations and a martini, and that’s it.”</div><div><br></div><div>That maybe true for the kitchen, but Laura holds considerable sway when it comes to technology, big data and marketing. In her previous role as Dickey’s chief information officer, she built an eight-year road map for bringing the family’s slow-smoked barbecue business into the lightning-speed digital age.</div><div><br></div><div>Such advanced technology is a must for a company that’s in a torrid expansion mode.</div><div><br></div><div>Four years into it, every restaurant operator can tap into point-of-sale analytics, study data heat maps and market directly to customers via the proprietary Smoke Stack system that Dickey’s co-developed with iOlap, a Frisco-based big data provider.</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey’s and franchisees can spot on the spot what’s working in the 565 stores and what’s not to make adjustments on the fly.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Customers can order online and have their food delivered by third-party services, such as Grubhub and Doordash. Come September, a customer app will use beaconing technology so that you can pick up your order curbside without getting out of your car.</div><div><br></div><div>Currently, the five company-owned Dickey’s Barbecue Pits, including the original on North Central Expressway at Knox/Henderson, are test driving Amazon’s Alexa Voice Service before it’s rolled out to all of its stores by the end of the year.</div><div><br></div><div>Not that long ago, the original flagship was still using a cash register and faxing in sales reports.</div><div><br></div><div>“It’s our Hey, Alexa!” says Laura. “An owner/operator or store manager can ask her: ‘Hey Alexa! When’s my delivery due to arrive?’ ‘What are my sales so far today?’ ‘What are my costs of goods this hour?’ ‘How many ribs do I have in the smoker?’ ”</div><div><br></div><div>Dale Smith, 49, who became Dickey’s first franchisee in 1995, is stoked about adding the voice system to his five D-FW stores.</div><div>“Geez, I started doing this 22 years ago, and I never would have thought I would be talking to Alexa to get information or to get things done,” he says. “As I understand it, you can continue smoking meats and preparing food while you check your email or place an order with Sysco. I’m pretty excited about that.”</div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">'Not a bunch of fat guys'</span></div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;At the beginning of the year, the family formed Dickey’s Capital Group, an umbrella company that owns its various investments including the barbecue company.</div><div><br></div><div>Roland Jr., 43, moved into the holding company’s top slot and Laura moved into his.</div><div><br></div><div>“Laura’s a perfectionist. She makes sure all of the details are tended to,” her husband says. “She brings high energy, creative vision that is absolutely remarkable."</div><div><br></div><div>She’s hardly the lone female running the barbecue business. Twelve of its 14 top execs are women.</div><div><br></div><div>“We’re not a bunch of fat guys grilling meat,” Roland says.</div><div><br></div><div>One of those women is Renee Roozen, brand president.</div><div><br></div><div>"My career had been in restaurants owned by private equity,” she says. “Meeting Roland Jr. and Laura cemented the deal for me. Decisions aren’t driven by a dollar checkbook. They’re driven by what’s right for the brand.”</div><div><br></div><div>Last year, Dickey’s opened 87 restaurants, bringing the total to 508 at year end, and it reported systemwide sales of $421 million.</div><div>As of last week, there were 565 Dickey’s stores with another 109 in the pipeline.</div><div><br></div><div>California is its hottest market, and Hawaii is about to get its first taste of Texas barbecue when one opens on the Big Island in the coming months. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Laura is still trying to convert the folks in Alaska, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island and Connecticut.</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey’s is the largest single restaurant purchaser of beef brisket in the country, buying about 10 million pounds (or 5,000 tons) of it each year.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">The sacred pit</span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span></div><div>The first Dickey’s Barbecue Pit was founded by Travis Dickey, a World War I veteran, who enjoyed serving beer as much as he did barbecue. The original location, a converted schoolhouse, is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Dallas that has never shuttered its doors, changed ownership or moved locations.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have never remodeled or renovated the core part of Central intentionally,” says Laura. “It had a couple of fires, and the original pit actually fell off the back of the building in the '60s.”</div><div><br></div><div>Her father-in-law, whom she calls Senior, designed the second pit that’s still smoking meats today.</div><div><br></div><div>Senior’s side of the clan bought out Martha Dickey, widow of his brother, T.D., after his death in 2011.</div><div><br></div><div>“We’re 76 years young,” says Laura. “We’re third-generation, nimble and innovative. There are no sacred cows other than the pit, the barbecue and the quality.</div><div><br></div><div>“We say, ‘It ain’t legit if you can’t see the pit,’ ” she says.</div><div><br></div><div>That might sound like something from her colorful father-in-law’s mouth, but Laura came up with. it. “I always try to say, ‘Would Senior say this?’ That’s a good litmus test.”</div><div><br></div><div>Senior totally gets the need for what Laura does but remains an unabashed tech holdout, even refusing to use email.</div><div><br></div><div>Laura considered it a personal victory when she got him to trade in his flip-phone for a smart one — only to find out that he didn’t really give it up and makes no bones about using it.</div><div><br></div><div>Then there was the first text she received from him. “I was, ‘Oh, wow! We’ve crossed this threshold.’ And then I realized the woman next to him was texting for him.”</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beefing up when times got tough</span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span></div><div>Laura, who migrated from Oklahoma City to Texas Christian University in 1997, has an undergraduate degree in philosophy. “If someone were to sum me up, I hope they’d say, ‘She had a curious mind.’ That more than anything is what attracted me to philosophy,” she explains.</div><div>Roland and Laura were working professionals when they met at a bar. “We migrated to each other because we were both too old to be there, and we had business cards,” she says. “So it was like, ‘Oh, you have a business card, I have a business card. Perhaps we can talk.’"</div><div><br></div><div>Laura is a strategic thinker — right down to picking her wedding date. She chose Oct. 28, 2006, because that was the Saturday before Halloween, and she figured that having a holiday bookmark would help both of them remember their anniversary.</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey’s was blowing and going, having just passed the 130-store milestone in 2008, when the economic lights went out on the restaurant industry.</div><div><br></div><div>Roland Jr., who was president of the barbecue business, asked Laura to step to the family plate. She’d been doing strategic planning, data analysis and marketing for clients of The Point Group, and he wanted her to bring her expertise to shore up Dickey’s and then some.</div><div><br></div><div>While other restaurant companies sought shelter hoping to weather the storm, Roland and Laura decided to crank things up.</div><div><br></div><div>“She came in with that marketing and community experience and really got things stepped up,” says Roland “That put us on a sharp trajectory of growth, and we’ve never looked back.”</div><div><br></div><div>“I have a personal mantra,” says Laura. “Evolve or fail. And it definitely was that moment for the company. And we chose to evolve.”</div><div><br></div><div>How so?</div><div><br></div><div>They came up with a smaller prototype that would mean significant savings to franchisees. “We went from a 5,000-square-foot dinner-house buffet to a 2,200-square-foot unit with an open kitchen,” she says.</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fresh perspective</span></div><div><br></div><div>Laura recently spoke at family business conference as a “married-in” — part of the family but not genetically so.</div><div><br></div><div>“There’s an absolute alignment of values and interests,” she says. “But it also allows me to be one step more objective.”</div><div><br></div><div>“You get tunnel vision sometimes,” says Roland, “because you’ve been doing this for so long, having grown up with it. So having her come in with an outside perspective and seeing us like the rest of the world sees us is just incredibly valuable.”</div><div><br></div><div>As to why the 70-year-old patriarch allowed Laura to become CEO of the family’s crown jewel: “It's still true that a woman in business has to work twice as hard as a man to succeed, and I saw in my daughter-in-law the intelligence and commitment to work twice as hard to successfully run the company,” he says. “Plus, she's already hitched to the wagon.”</div><div><br></div><div>Senior says he’s happy to let Laura and Roland run the business while he acts as the company’s folksy ambassador at large.</div><div><br></div><div>Maurine Dickey, his wife of 50 years and a two-term Dallas County Commissioner, runs the family’s nonprofit, Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges, which supports local law enforcement, firefighters and their families across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>“Putting the Dickey's family on an org chart would be like walking in a minefield,” says Roland Jr. “People expect us to have titles, so we’ve stuck one on each of us.”</div><div><br></div><div>His brother, Cullen, who is in real estate, and sister-in-law, Allison, are not actively involved with the business but are part owners in the family’s holding company.</div><div><br></div><div>Laura's a bit of an independent observer when &nbsp;it comes to sizing up the family.</div><div><br></div><div>“I always describe Senior to someone who hasn’t had the pleasure of entering his orbit as Rodney Dangerfield and Winston Churchill have a baby,” she says. “That’s my father-in-law to a T.</div><div><br></div><div>“Then you have Maurine who has this driven, highly charged focus that’s the opposite of Senior’s sporadic mind.</div><div><br></div><div>“Maurine and Senior met on the debate team in college at SMU. That’s a perfect analogy for their relationship,” Laura says. “They’re polar opposites. Roland [Jr.] and I are polar opposites. We don’t vote the same in elections. I’m the token liberal Libertarian, and that provides for interesting discourse at the [family] dinner table. But the common ground is that of curious minds of different perspectives coming together.”</div><div><br></div><div>As for her husband: “Roland is a perfect hybrid of his parents,” she says. “It’s interesting to see which hat he puts on depending on the situation and what the business needs are.”</div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">So who’s the boss?</span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span></div><div>“It depends on who makes coffee first that morning,” she says.</div><div><br></div><div>“She’s had me on a wild-goose chase for years thinking that I was her boss,” says Roland. “The only time I’m the boss is at dinner because I make it, but even then she picks it.”</div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Laura Rea Dickey</span></div><div>Title: Chief executive officer, Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc.</div><div>Age: 38</div><div>Grew up: Oklahoma City</div><div>Resides: Highland Park</div><div>Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and master’s degree in communication, Texas Christian University, 2001 and 2003</div><div>Personal: Married to Roland Dickey Jr. for 10 years. They have a pug, Miss Cleo, and a Chihuahua mix, Charro</div><div>SOURCE: Laura Rea Dickey</div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants Inc.</span></div><div>Founded: 1941</div><div>Corporate offices: Dallas</div><div>Ownership: Dickey’s Capital Group, owned by six members of Roland Dickey Sr.'s family</div><div>Home office employees: 140</div><div>Units: Five company-owned, 560 franchised and 109 in the franchise pipeline</div><div>Owner/operators: 350</div><div>2016 revenue: $420,912,898</div>        
      

Dallas Morning News: Making the cut: Streamlining Dickey's Barbecue helped daughter-in-law's rise to CEO

<div><div>Detective Justin Ellis was on patrol one evening last October near Fair Park while the State Fair of Texas was in full swing.</div><div><br></div><div>Ellis, who was an officer at the time, was driving down Scyene Road on his motorcycle when he was hit by a red-light runner. After being launched from the bike, he hit the vehicle's windshield, rolled across the top of it and landed on the ground.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>"When I was lying there, I noticed my left leg at my hips was up, and my right leg was down," Ellis said. "I thought, 'Let me get up, get out of the road.' I went to move, and I couldn't move my body."</div><div><br></div><div><div>His pelvis broke in half, and he also suffered a broken foot and several broken toes. With the pelvic fracture came severe blood loss and internal bleeding — so much so that Ellis went into a coma for more than a month.</div><div><br></div><div>"The doctors said I shouldn't have even made it on the ambulance," he said. "Then it was, 'You shouldn't have lived 24 hours.'"</div><div><br></div><div><div>Now, almost a year later, Ellis is nearly ready to rejoin his fellow officers — he'll be back with the force in September. He's still paralyzed, and he says it will take more time for nerves in his legs to regrow.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>But with the help of a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, Ellis will soon regain some of the freedoms he lost with the crash.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Ellis gets around with a rental van, courtesy of the Assist the Officer Foundation, after his worker's compensation ruled that a van wasn't a "necessity" and stopped paying for it.</div><div><br></div><div>All Ellis needs now is the customized Toyota Camry waiting for him at the Toyota of Rockwall dealership. This weekend and next, the dealership is donating 97.1 percent of service proceeds to the car, in partnership with "The Eagle" KEGL-FM (97.1).&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Ellis, who lives in Rockwall, said that for Toyota of Rockwall to step up "is amazing."&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div><div>Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges, a foundation created by Maurine Dickey of Dickey's Barbecue Pit, is also joining the effort. Dickey said the fundraiser has already collected about half of the money needed to buy the car, which Toyota of Rockwall is providing at a discounted cost.</div><div><br></div><div>Local Dickey's restaurants have already held eight fundraisers, with plans to host 12 more, she said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>"For me, this is all about getting back into the community," Ellis said. "This is about creating a bit more normalcy."&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Ellis won't be returning on patrol just yet, but he's looking forward to the simple things, like driving to the grocery store by himself.</div><div><br></div><div><div>"Before the crash I was pretty independent," he said. "Now, not being able to do things like drive myself makes me feel kind of like a burden, even though the guys [who drive me] wouldn't say that."</div><div><br></div><div>After his crash, Ellis saw an outpouring of support from other police in the area.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Texas Municipal Police Association remodeled his home, adding wheelchair-accessible doorways and a new shower. Mesquite officers built wheelchair ramps in the front and back of his house, redoing his deck. Farmers Branch, Rockwall and Carrollton police sponsored his children, Charles and Miranda, as Christmas angels.</div><div><br></div><div>"It's amazing how we've all come together," Ellis said, especially after the ambush downtown last July that left four Dallas police officers and one DART officer dead.</div><div><br></div><div>"When it's one of your own you'll do more, even when there's no hope," he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Ellis said that after the crash, officers closed off traffic on the entire route to the hospital for the ambulance.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Months later, he met the lieutenant and a medic that responded to his crash. "That was the biggest therapy for me," he said.</div><div>His partner, Detective Joe Stinson, even spent Thanksgiving with him in the hospital.</div><div><br></div><div>Ellis hopes to regain full use of his legs, but it's a long road — and he thinks that his new car will help him get there.</div><div><br></div><div>To donate, visit Toyota of Rockwall or a local Dickey's Barbecue Pit, or go to givebbb.org.</div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br></div>        
      

Dallas Morning News: DART detective will return to work with help of fundraiser after crash that left him paralyzed

<div>Native Texan and Dickey's Barbecue Pit operator Shannon Skains will open his second location in Buford Georgia, according to a press release.</div><div><br></div><div>"We are looking forward to the opportunity to serve more of the community with our second location," Skains said. "Barbecue is an underdeveloped segment in the area and we are proud to grow this Texas brand in Georgia."</div><div><br></div><div>Skains has a long history in the restaurant industry and runs his Dickey's locations with his partner and wife, Asia. The duo plans to open more locations in the future, according to the release.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>"Dickey's Barbecue Pit has been family owned and operated since 1941 and we consider each of our owners as a part of our family," Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., said in the release. "We are always proud when our current owners decide to invest more in us and our brand to open new locations in their communities."</div>        
      

Fast Casual: Dickey's operator debuts second Georgia location

<div>Dickey's Barbecue Pit was voted "Simply the Best Barbecue" by Harrisburg Magazine.&nbsp;<br></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Barbecue (Chain)</span></div><div>Simply the best</div><div>Dickey’s</div><div>Barbecue Pit</div>        
      

Harrisburg Magazine: Simply the Best 2017

<div>Detective Justin Ellis was on patrol one evening last October near Fair Park.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Ellis, was driving down Scyene Road on his motorcycle when he was hit by a red-light runner. After being launched from the bike, he hit the vehicle's windshield, rolled across the top of it and landed on the ground. His pelvis broke in half, he also suffered a broken foot and several broken toes. With the pelvic fracture came severe blood loss and internal bleeding — so much so that Ellis went into a coma for more than a month.</div><div><br></div><div>Now, thanks to Toyota of Rockwall, Dickey's BBQ, and the Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges foundation, Ellis will be getting a brand new custom Toyota Camry and is looking forward to being back on the job in September.</div><div><br></div>        
      

97.1 The Eagle Rocks: DART Detective Justin Ellis Will Return to Work in Short Order

<p>Now available at select Kroger grocery stores across greater Houston, Texas, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit’s line of signature smoked sausage offers two delicious flavors in their naturally hardwood-smoked sausages. An expansion of the company’s existing partnership with Kroger, Dickey’s began stocking shelves in the DFW-area with their signature smoked sausage earlier this year. Selling their Original Smoked Polish and Smoked Spicy Cheddar selections, the products are comprised of high-quality meats, contain no added nitrates or nitrites, and are gluten free.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>In a news release, Renee Roozen, President of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., said, “We have enjoyed a successful partnership with Kroger in our hometown of DFW and are excited to expand into the Houston market with them. This is a great opportunity to grow our presence in the retail space and offer our loyal guests another convenient way to enjoy delicious Dickey’s barbecue in their homes.”</p>
<p><br></p>
<p>The largest barbecue chain in the U.S., Dickey’s was founded in 1941 as a Dallas-based, family-run entity that slow smokes its meats on-site. Each franchise takes the same pride in that same process, providing several kinds of meat and home style sides with “No B.S. (Bad Stuff).” To find the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit nearest you, click here, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.</p>

Dickey’s Signature Sausage on 110 Kroger Store Shelves

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 13.25pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:#222222">Fans of
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Dallas at the original location at Central Expressway
and Knox/Henderson Streets will be delighted to know one is opening in Mabank
on Cedar Creek Lake.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

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</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 13.25pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:#222222">The
building at State Highway 198 and Mason Street is nearing completion so it
should be open soon. The Cedar Creek Lake restaurant will be operated by Guy
Newt, who has operated one of the franchises in Rowlett for a half-dozen years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

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normal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
color:#222222"><br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 13.25pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:#222222">The
Travis Dickey family of Dallas opened the barbecue restaurant in 1941. It is
now the largest barbecue franchise in the nation. It began franchising in 1994.
The Dickey family is still in charge.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
color:#222222"><br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt; line-height: 13.25pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:#222222">Every
Dickey’s cooks its meat in a hickory wood smoker so it’s the real thing, not
liquid smoke.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

Cedar Creek Lake: Dickey's Barbecue Pit to open on Cedar Creek Lake

        <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst">Phoenix is
one of three markets in the U.S. where Chick-fil-A is offering new family-style
meals.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">The national
fast-casual chain hopes to meet the needs of busy families getting even busier
as the school year starts. The family-style meals ($29.99) serve four people
with choice of entree (such as 12-count Chick-n-Strips), two sides (such as mac
and cheese and bacon baked beans), plus rolls and drinks. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Too busy or
too tired to cook? Here are 10 more restaurants around the Valley where you can
pick up a family meal to go with healthy options starting at $20 for four
people.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">El Pollo
Loco | Family chicken dinners for four include<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">El Pollo
Loco | Family chicken dinners for four include eight to 10 pieces of marinated and
grilled chicken; two sides such as corn, beans or mashed potatoes; plus flour
or corn tortillas and salsa ($20.99-$25.99). | Details: 2410 W. Northern Ave.,
Phoenix. 602-242-8054. Also, 13233 W. McDowell Road, Goodyear. 623-935-9297.
Other locations at elpolloloco.com.&nbsp;
Photo by El Pollo <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Family
chicken dinners for four include eight to 10 pieces of marinated and grilled
chicken; two sides such as corn, beans or mashed potatoes; plus flour or corn
tortillas and salsa ($20.99-$25.99).&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Details:
2410 W. Northern Ave., Phoenix. 602-242-8054. Also, 13233 W. McDowell Road,
Goodyear. 623-935-9297. Other locations at elpolloloco.com.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Wingstop<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">The family
pack features 24 to 100 wing pieces ($27.99-$98.99) in classic, boneless or
mix-and-match varieties. Choose the flavors, such as mango habanero and lemon
pepper; the sides, such as fries and baked beans; and dips, such as ranch and
honey mustard. All packs come with carrots and celery sticks. Add one roll for
59 cents, six for $2.89 or a dozen for $4.99.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Details: 940
S. Watson Road, Buckeye. 623-518-2114. Also, 1616 S. Stapley Drive, Mesa.
480-633-9464. Other locations at wingstop.com.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Boston
Market<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Boston
Market offers a variety of healthy family meals<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Boston
Market offers a variety of healthy family meals to go. (Photo: Boston Market)<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">The family
meal for four ($29.96) includes protein such as rotisserie chicken or turkey
breast; four sides, such as mashed potatoes and sweet corn; and four pieces of
cornbread. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Details:
6665 W. Bell Road, Glendale. 623-979-4949. Also, 2712 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale.
480-949-6689. Other locations at bostonmarket.com.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Someburros<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">The Familia
Box for four comes with red, green or bean and cheese burros ($32); beef or
chicken taquitos ($32); beef or chicken tacos ($36); or cheese enchiladas
($39). Rice, beans, chips and hot sauce are included. Add four small drinks for
$6 or four large drinks for $7.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">Details: 2597
S. Market St., Gilbert. 480-497-8226. Also, 7501 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd.,
Scottsdale. 480-443-8226. Other locations at someburros.com.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">RigaTony’s<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">The takeout
family pack for four includes several options, all served with antipasto salad
and ciabatta. The picatta package ($35) features chicken picatta, fettuccine
Alfredo and chocolate hazelnut cake. Tony’s Favorite ($35) includes spaghetti
and meatballs and a 16-inch pizza with two toppings. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Details:
1850 E. Warner Road, Tempe. 480-899-1111, rigatonys.com.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Zoe’s
Kitchen<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Zoe's
Kitchen offers family meals to go and they come<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Zoe's
Kitchen offers family meals to go and they come with Meals come with Greek
salad, hummus, pita bread or cucumbers and two sides. (Photo: Zoe's Kitchen)<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">The
Mediterranean family meal for four ($39.99) features choice of chicken or
veggie kabobs, grilled chicken, chicken orzo pomodorina or chicken or spinach
roll-ups. They come with two sides, plus a Greek salad, hummus and pita bread. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Details:
1641 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-263-9637. Also, 7131 W. Ray Road,
Chandler. 480-753-7204. Other locations at zoeskitchen.com.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Dickey’s
Barbecue Pit<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">The six pack
($44.95) serves four to six with choice of two meats (1 pound each), such as
ham, Polish sausage, pork ribs brisket and chicken; and three sides, such as
fried okra, dill potato salad and waffle-iron fries. The package includes six
rolls and barbecue sauce.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Details:
7919 E. Thomas Road, Scottsdale. 480- 685-4979 Also, 16581 W. Bell Road,
Surprise. 480-626-2203. Other locations at dickeys.com.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Cafe
Lalibela<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">The Lalibela
Exclusive for four ($56.95) is loaded with traditional Ethiopian favorites,
including spicy chicken stew, collard greens and savory lentils. A vegetarian
version ($51.95) also is available. Both come with salad and injera, the spongy
flatbread made out of teff flour.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">Details: 849
W. University Drive, Tempe. 480-829-1939, cafelalibela.com.<o:p></o:p></p>        
      
      

AZ Central: Fast but healthy: 10 restaurants for family meals to go

<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;
line-height:21.6pt"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">From
big players to smaller local establishments, restaurants are rolling out new
ways to offer diners tailored orders through customizable menuing.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; line-height: 21.6pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">At
Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab, the signature stone crab is menued
in portions of five, six or seven per order, but staff will happily offer
diners the option to sample a claw for a prorated market price—perfect for
timid first-timers. Verts Mediterranean Grill has similarly allowed guests to
buy just one meatball, normally sold as a trio as a main portion in its rice
bowls, pitas, salads or wraps.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; line-height: 21.6pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">Offering
different portion sizes of classics or bundled options also gives consumers
more ability to customize. McDonald’s rolled out the Grand Mac and Mac Jr. last
fall, a larger and a smaller version of the original item. “Things like the Big
Mac promotion drove a better product mix than the year before, which helped
drive that average check,” CFO Kevin Ozan said in the company’s latest earnings
call.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; line-height: 21.6pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:13.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">Dickey’s
Barbecue Pit offers package meals that fall between individual meals and larger
servings typically offered as catering options, with three sizes: Picnic Pack,
Family Pack and XL Family Pack, providing flexible portions for larger crowds
and not just single diners.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>        
      

Foodservice Director: 5 lessons from the new restaurant world

<h1 style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><p style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Dickey's Barbecue Pit has added two locations, one in Colorado Springs and the other in Goodyear, Arizona, according to a press release.</p><p style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Both locations featured a week of festivities, promotions and fundraising for the concept's charity, Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges. The charity recently helped raise funds for Officer Justin Ellis in the Dallas area. Ellis was wounded in an on-duty motorcycle crash while responding to a distress call, and the funds raised in collaboration with Toyota of Rockwell will help him purchase a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.</p><p style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">"Officer Ellis is a truly dedicated member of the police force who put his life on the line serving our community," Maurine Dickey, the founder of Barbecue, Boots &amp; Badges, said in the release. "We are inspired by his dedication and honored to support him in his efforts to continue keeping&nbsp;Dallas&nbsp;safe."</p></h1>        
      

Press Room