Famous Texas BBQ joint's first Toronto location will open this summer
Fans of Texas-style barbecue got something to drool over in late 2021, when it was announced that Dallas-based chain Dickey's Barbecue Pit will be opening up its first Canadian locations this year. The brand is expanding beyond its 550-location foothold in 44 states south of the border.
The U.S. family-run barbecue franchise will open its first Canadian location in Alberta, though the first Toronto location will follow soon after, set to open its doors summer 2022.
And while it was previously revealed that locals would get their first taste of Dickey's through a partnership with Ghost Kitchen Brands via its 1993 Lawrence Ave. East location in Scarborough, Tuesday's news appears to be of a separate, dedicated brick-and-mortar location at an unconfirmed address in the city.
Dickey's CEO Laura Rea Dickey announced the new franchise agreement via press release, with operators Anand Desai and partner Sharmistha Ghosh set to bring the brand to the 416.
Laura Rea Dickey said "Toronto has an amazing dining scene, but it lacks a true, authentic barbecue experience, which we can't wait to provide," a clear shot fired at the many barbecue restaurants operating in the city, including a handful with in-house smoking rooms and pitmasters that can likely go hoof-to-hoof with a fast-casual chain.
Despite their unproven claims of barbecue dominance (ratings for locations in nearby Western New York aren't inspiring), Dickey's is more likely to be competing against the Chipotle and Chick-fil-A style establishments than top-tier BBQ joints in the city like Barque Smokehouse or Cherry Street Bar-B-Que.
As for the specific location of the first brick-and-mortar Dickey's, a representative of the company tells blogTO that "they are close to finalizing location, but they won’t be able to confirm address yet."
The Alberta and Ontario locations will expand Dickey's international presence. The brand already operates overseas in Singapore, Tokyo, Japan, and Lahore, Pakistan.
