1851

It’s a story that’s familiar to anyone keeping an eye on the franchise industry recently: after a rough patch that threatened to derail the entire business, the brand is back on track and ready to grow. Except Famous Dave&#x2019;s* hard times didn’t arrive with the coronavirus, but years earlier. In fact, it was during the pandemic that the BBQ franchise found its footing and began to reap the benefits of a new off-premise model that has made the brand uniquely well positioned for growth.On Tuesday, <a href="http://www.franchisetimes.com/June-July-2020/Famous-Daves-climbs-back-from-the-brink-with-off-premises-focus/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-times-famous-daves-climbs-back-from-the-brink-with-off-premises-focus-2713218" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Franchise Times explored</a> how Famous Dave’s managed to come back from “the verge of a breakdown” and find a new path toward growth. The article points to 2019 as a turning point for the franchise. That’s when Famous Dave’s launched BBQ Holdings, a new parent company that purchased casual beer-and-food brand Granite City.&nbsp;Granite City isn’t just a complementary sister brand to Famous Dave’s; it also offers distinct operational benefits, most notably, supplying beer for Famous Dave’s locations. And that may just be the beginning.<blockquote>that acquisition could be just the first big move. Others on the table include creating an entirely new Southern-style concept, launching a drive-thru-focused brand, buying additional restaurants and driving the flagship Famous Dave’s brand down Interstate 35 into the Great Plains and southern states where it’s eager to compete against national chains and one-off mom-and-pop barbecue pits alike.</blockquote>This year, Famous Dave’s appointed Al Hank as senior vice president of the franchise. Hank, who started with the brand as an hourly employee back in 2005, brings to the role a background in operations “and a lot of experience with catering and off-premises channels.” That experience would prove crucial only weeks later, when the coronavirus crisis forced dining rooms to close across the country.<blockquote>In addition to a handful of new Famous Dave’s designs being rolled out at corporate- and franchisee-owned locations, [CEO Jeff] Crivello said the company is going to test a drive-thru concept that’ll be more of a QSR-meets-barbecue format designed to expand its already impressive expertise in off-premises sales, including catering.</blockquote>Now, the franchise is hoping to leverage their recent string of good decisions for large scale growth, and Hank says the brand is keeping a close eye on consumer preferences to guide their strategy.<blockquote>“More often than not, the consumer is going to tell us what they want, and we’re going to build it,” he said. “It’s going to be really important for us to get these four or five or six restaurants stood up in this new box, because we believe this is the future of our brand, to be able to scale and grow quickly.”</blockquote><a href="http://www.franchisetimes.com/June-July-2020/Famous-Daves-climbs-back-from-the-brink-with-off-premises-focus/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchise-times-famous-daves-climbs-back-from-the-brink-with-off-premises-focus-2713218" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Read the full article at franchisetimes.com</a>.

Franchise Times: Famous Dave’s Climbs Back From the Brink With Off-Premises Focus

1851 Franchise

After a stretch of turmoil, the BBQ franchise is positioned for growth.

franchise-times-famous-daves-climbs-back-from-the-brink-with-off-premises-focus

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue’s Home Maintenance Plans: Peace of Mind for Homeowners

trublues-home-maintenance-plans-peace-of-mind-for-homeowners

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Targets Peoria, Illinois, for Franchise Growth

caring-transitions-targets-peoria-illinois-for-franchise-growth

Caring Transitions Celebrates a Strong Start to 2025 With 19 New Franchise Sales and Momentum-Building Training Events

caring-transitions-celebrates-a-strong-start-to-2025-with-19-new-franchise-sales-and-momentum-building-training-events

Right at Home

Right at Home 30th Anniversary in Home Care with Right at Home Logo

Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence and Future Innovations in Home Care

celebrating-30-years-of-excellence-and-future-innovations-in-home-care

Why TruBlue is the Ideal Franchise for Multi-Unit Owners: Scalable Growth With a Purpose

why-trublue-is-the-ideal-franchise-for-multi-unit-owners-scalable-growth-with-a-purpose

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

Franchise Times: Famous Dave’s Climbs Back From the Brink With Off-Premises Focus

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS