In this article, we look at some of the best barbecue chains in America that are actually worth trying. You can skip our detailed analysis of the barbecue industry and head over directly to the 5 Best Barbecue Chains in America That Are Actually Worth Trying.
Barbecue is a tradition that has become an integral part of American culture, especially in the southern parts of the country. First introduced by the Taino indigenous people to Christopher Columbus, and later on by the Spanish to North American colonizers, barbeques have evolved from being cooked underground in a trench with fires to now in conventional backyard grills. Barbecued meat is also easily available now in restaurants across the United States. The biggest adoption of this popular outdoor meal occurred in the 1950s, after barbecue grills became inexpensive and started to be commonly found in backyards of homes.
A recent report by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association found that 70% of all households in the United States own a grill, which is the highest percentage since the body started this study, with the previous high being 64% in 2019. The coronavirus pandemic has induced greater sales of BBQ grills. About 38% of the people who own grills said they bought new grills since the start of the pandemic. On the other hand, barbecues are no longer now only restricted to dinners. 12% of the respondents surveyed stated that they grill for lunch, and about 7% had barbecue as their breakfast. Moreover, while the Fourth of July continues to be the most popular day for barbecue in the US, Memorial Day (44%), Labor Day (47%), Super Bowl (30%), and New Year’s Day (14%) are other popular dates when Americans have grilled BBQ for food.
According to The Business Research Company, the barbecue market – inclusive of equipment like grills, charcoal, heating etc. – had a size of $25.42 billion in 2023, which is projected to rise to $29.61 billion by the end of 2024, with a CAGR of 16.5%. The rapid growth being seen in the market is being attributed to an increase in consumers’ outdoor activities and their preference for grilled food.
Traeger, Inc. (NYSE:COOK) is among the major players in the industry. The company specializes in grills, ingredients, and other accessories that are key components of outdoor cooking. Founded in August 2017, Traeger, Inc. (NYSE:COOK) is a young and growing company with a market cap of over $255 million at the time of writing this article. Third quarter results announced in November 2023 reported a revenue of $118 million, with grill sales accounting for 48% percent of the overall revenue. The company launched two new grills in 2023, expanding its wide array of offerings.
Jeremy Andrus, Chief Executive Officer of Traeger, Inc. (NYSE:COOK) made the following remarks in the company’s Q3 2023 Earnings Call:
We continue to lead the outdoor grilling industry and social media and have over 1 million more followers than our largest competitor in the growing category. Our ability to drive awareness and penetration of the Traeger brand is heavily tied to retail execution and the presentation of trader products on retail floors. At the Home Depot, we made meaningful progress on our initiatives to elevate our merchandise in the third quarter. In the quarter, we added more than 300 Traeger Islands at Home Depot locations across the country and ended with more than 800 Traeger Islands. As a reminder, these islands are elevated fixtures that prominently feature Traeger grills, consumables and accessories and offer a more premium shopping experience. Home Depot locations with a Traeger Island are meaningfully more productive for our brand versus the chain average.
Another prominent corporation in the market is Tantech Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:TANH), which is a manufacturer of bamboo-based charcoal products, as well as pressed and formed charcoal briquettes which are used in grills and burners. In November 2015, Tantech Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:TANH) announced the establishment of a subsidiary named Zhejiang Babiku Charcoal Co., Ltd. to look after the company’s BBQ operations. The subsidiary sells two kinds of barbecue products – BBQ charcoal and non-bamboo based charcoal briquettes. Tantech Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:TANH) has a market cap of $2.97 million, with its stocks gaining over 18% last week.
15 Best Barbecue Chains in America That Are Actually Worth Trying
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Methodology
The 15 best barbecue chains in America have been ranked using consensus method, where we considered the top barbecue eateries mentioned on four sources – Food Republic, Whimsy and Spice, The Frugal Expat, and AOL. Depending on where these chains ranked on each website, we assigned them a score for each listing. For instance, a restaurant that ranked 1st on Food Republic’s list of the 15 best barbecue chains in America, received a score of 1 (15/15), while the one ranked third scored 0.87 (13/15), and so on. Finally scores for each source were aggregated to get a final overall score. America’s best BBQ chains are listed in this article in ascending order of their overall scores.
By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.
Let’s now head over to the list of the best barbecue chains in America that are actually worth trying.
Top 15 Barbecue Chains in America:
15. Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que
Score: 0.82
Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que is one of the best barbecue chains in America. According to Whimsy and Spice, its chain of restaurants found across Texas have a higher standard of BBQ compared to several other restaurants in the country. Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que specializes in ribs, ribeye, briskets, and jerky. Founded in 1962, the chain has become so popular that it now even has its own mail-order business.
14. Terry Black's BBQ
Score: 0.87
Terry Black's BBQ is among the best barbecue chains in America. The restaurant operates across three locations in Dallas and Austin, with customers ordering their meat street-style by lining up across the counter and seeing their meat being cut and prepared. Terry Black’s BBQ has been rated as the third best barbecue chain in the US by Food Republic.
13. Mission BBQ
Score: 0.89
Next on our list is a restaurant that could also be called the most patriotic restaurant in the United States, as it regularly fundraises and gives out thousands of dollars to US veterans. From a food perspective, Mission BBQ serves out delicious smoked meats, ranging from chopped briskets to pulled pork. The scrumptious flavors of the restaurant can be found in 16 states in the US.
12. Bill Miller Bar-B-Q
Score: 0.95
Founded in San Antonio, Texas in 1950, Bill Miller Bar-B-Q is among the best barbecue chains in the US. It started off as an egg and poultry business before transitioning into a full-fledged BBQ chain, and now offers some of the best grilled food you will find in the country. The restaurant is so popular in Texas that its original location has a street named after it. There are 75 branches of Bill Miller Bar-B-Q in the state.
11. Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q
Score: 1.00
Best known for smoking meat over a pit, Bono's Pit Bar-B-Q is among the best barbecue joints in America with 18 branches across Florida. The restaurant has a wide menu with plenty of options of food choose from, but their St. Louis style fall-off-the-bone ribs is the most popular item on the menu.
10. Soulman's Bar-B-Que
Score: 1.16
Founded in 1974, Soulman's Bar-B-Que restaurant is located in 19 different locations in the US. The owners use traditional family recipes that ensure the meat remains tender, juicy and flavorful. Their barbecue ribs make it a restaurant that is actually worth trying.
9. Woody's Bar-B-Q
Score: 1.34
What started off as a small restaurant in Jacksonville 30 years ago, has now spread to 24 locations in the United States, including New York and Tennessee. Woody's Bar-B-Q is known for its smoked prime ribs, baby back ribs, and Carolina pulled pork. It is is one of the best barbecue chains in America.
8. Famous Dave's BBQ
Score: 1.89
Famous Dave’s BBQ has more than 200 restaurants across the United States and three even outside the country. The chain has an extensive menu of items to choose from, with offerings ranging from single plates to combos and much more.
7. Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Q
Score: 2.00
Food Republic has rated Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Q as the best barbecue chain in the United States. The restaurant has three outlets in Kansas, and ships items like sauces and rubs across the country.
6. City Barbeque
Score: 2.03
Next up on sixth spot is City Barbeque, which is a great option for those who follow a gluten-free diet as all of its meat is 100% gluten-free. City Barbecue, despite being founded in Ohio, is one of the best BBQ restaurants when it comes to serving southern comfort food. The chain was ranked among the best barbecue restaurants in the US by all sources were referred for this article.
