Virginia Barbeque vs Dickey's Barbecue Pit Restaurants Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Virginia Barbeque vs Dickey's Barbecue Pit Restaurants including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Virginia Barbeque Franchise
Dickey's Barbecue Pit Restaurants Franchise
Investment $81,500 - $221,500$71,993 - $323,789
Franchise Fee $15,000$20,000
Royalty Fee 6%5%
Advertising Fee -4%
Year Founded 20001941
Year Franchised 20041994
Term Of Agreement 10 years20 years
Term Of Agreement 10 years20 years
Renewal Fee -$10,000


Business Experience Requirements

 
Virginia Barbeque Franchise
Dickey's Barbecue Pit Restaurants Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Virginia Barbeque Franchise
    Dickey's Barbecue Pit Restaurants Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees Yes/NoNo/Yes
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/Yes
    Equipment No/NoNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/Yes
    Receivables No/NoNo/Yes
    Payroll No/NoNo/Yes

    Training & Support

     
    Virginia Barbeque Franchise
    Dickey's Barbecue Pit Restaurants Franchise
    Training -We provide a comprehensive training program at Barbecue University, an intensive four-week training program that teaches the skills needed to open and operate a Dickey's. Barbecue University trainees will spend two weeks in the classroom and two weeks in our training restaurants. In the classroom, trainees will work through the Dickey's Operations Manual and learn from our trainers. Classes consist of lectures, reading, homework assignments, group activities, demonstrations, quizzes and a final exam. Yep, it's class. Spending two weeks in our training stores is an integral part of training as you practice perfecting Dickey's gold standards and demonstrate that you are ready, willing and able to run a Dickey's Barbecue Pit. In addition to the field training sessions, we also provide Dickey's e-Learning, which are online training courses (e.g., Operations, Food Safety, Guest Service and Management training) for our new and existing franchisee community. On-The-Job Training: 90 hours Classroom Training: 50 hours
    Support Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluationsPurchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Regional advertisingOur marketing department operates as an in-house advertising agency. We have a creative team, social media, public relations, community marketing, web content, and media buyers on-site to optimize the brand experience at every touch point. Our in-house team has extensive knowledge of the fast casual industry while taking into account the unique culture of barbecue when creating communications. Our franchisees appreciate having our in-house team as brand stewards for Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants and experts in brand marketing efforts. Having in-house capabilities allows us greater flexibility and the ability to turn projects around quickly with cost efficiencies, and most importantly, high-level creative deliverables that produce marketing results. *Advertising agency support *Local field marketing support *Individual marketing/strategic planning Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
    Operations 0% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 6 - 6

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (75% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Nearly 25% of Dickey's Barbecue Franchisees Own Multi-Units

    Expansion Plans

     
    Virginia Barbeque Franchise
    Dickey's Barbecue Pit Restaurants Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion NoYes

    Company Overviews

    About Virginia Barbeque

    Richard Ivey, the founder of Virginia Barbeque, has been a Certified Executive Chef since 2003, with over 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Richard's goal was to create a business that would not only create his success, but create a business that he could share to help others do the same. His desire for "success larger than life" compelled him to create the Virginia Barbeque franchise system. Richard also wanted to create a lifestyle that worked for owners, staff and customers. Operational hours are generally from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Our model has been specifically designed to be family friendly to our customers and the franchise owner. Virginia Barbecue offers financial opportunity, freedom, and quality of life to those who desire success while offering a superior product to consumers.

    About Dickey's Barbecue Pit Restaurants

    Dickey's Barbecue was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey in a one-room building at the intersection of Knox and Central Expressway just north of downtown Dallas. The original store had sawdust on the floors and sold beef brisket, ham and ribs. If you wanted a vegetable, you could have potato chips or barbecue beans, or both. Add a bottle of soda, milk or beer and that was the entire menu. This changed when his two sons, Roland and T.D., Jr. took over the business in 1967. They began to modernize the restaurants and add more meats and vegetables to the menu, which now boasts up to eight meats and eighteen fresh and homemade vegetables. Dickey's Barbecue offers low start-up costs, multiple revenue streams and an expert support team for franchise owners. We also have an extensive training program at Barbecue University, where we drill down on our approach to quality, authentic barbecue and guest focus. In addition, our construction and real estate departments are here to assist franchise owners in site selection, lease negotiation, design, permitting, and equipment procurement. Top 10 reasons to Invest in Your Own Dickey's Barbecue Pit. *Established brand *Low franchise fee *Site location assistance *Thorough training in management, operations & marketing *Protected territories *High purchasing power to avoid over-paying for goods *Quality products in our restaurants *Six revenue streams *Ongoing support from our home office *Multi-unit development deals available As a nationally established brand, Dickey's Barbecue offers years of restaurant knowledge and a team of experts to assist franchise owners through the opening experience.

    Veteran Incentives  25% off franchise fee