Dickey's BBQ Chain Closes Nearly 100 Locations (Is Yours One?)

Nearly half of Dickey's Barbecue Pit locations were closed or sold during the 2024 fiscal year. That leaves only 366 locations across the U.S. still open for business under the name. 

The restaurant industry continues to struggle as more Americans live paycheck to paycheck and have difficulty going out to eat. 

Even large chains with huge brand recognition can't survive without customers who can afford their meals, and this is causing many well-known restaurant chains to file for bankruptcy or otherwise adjust their business strategies. 

See how America's biggest barbecue brand got to this point. 

Dickey's Barbecue Pit was founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1941. It took more than 50 years for the restaurant to begin franchising, and by 2012, it was dubbed the fastest-growing restaurant chain in the U.S.

Customers love the meat smoked on-site, which uses wood-burning hickory pits to create a rich barbecue flavor. Their menu also offers home-style sides like fried okra, barbecue beans, and green beans with bacon that taste like they came from a home picnic. 

Along with closing physical locations, nearly all of Dickey's virtual restaurants have been closed. Virtual restaurants are also called "ghost kitchens," and customers hate them. These misleading "restaurants" rose to prominence during the pandemic, using different names through online platforms to sell the same chain food to customers. 

Dickey's operates eight different brands, including Wing Boss, Big Deal Burger, Trailer Birds, and Barbecue at Home.

Dickey's Barbecue Pit may be struggling financially, but its subsidiary, Wycliff Douglas Provisions, is growing exponentially. 

WDP is a meat processing company that delivers ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meats to restaurants, retail stores, and private-label clients. Its sales have increased 105% year over year, and its customer base has grown even larger. 

Dickey's Barbecue Pit is far from the only restaurant chain facing bankruptcies and closures this year. Places like Red Lobster, White Castle, Boston Market, and other recognizable brands struggle to stay relevant to American diners. 

Families struggling to move beyond living paycheck to paycheck have little choice but to cut pleasures such as dining out from their budgets.