Best BBQ Franchises To Buy in 2021

The coronavirus pandemic got a lot of Americans cooking at home again, but one thing the average home chef is unlikely to do is smoke a whole beef brisket for 20 hours. That’s why barbecue restaurants are here to stay. These smokehouses can lure in customers from blocks away just based on the smell of the wood smoke lapping up against big sides of pork and whole chickens. 

With simple operations and a made-with-love product in an unpretentious atmosphere, owning a barbecue franchise appeals to carnivores of all stripes. 1851 Franchise rounded up the best such opportunities below. 

Mighty Quinn’s

• Startup costs: $774,750-$923,000
• Units: 5
• 1851 Brand Newsroom

Famous Dave’s* BBQ

• Startup costs: $482,000-$4,500,000
• Units: 125
• 1851 Brand Newsroom

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

• Startup costs: $256,000-$443,000
• Units: 510

Shane’s Rib Shack

• Startup costs: $363,000-$558,000
• Units: 62