Sonny's BBQ explained

Sonny's BBQ
Type:Private
Genre:Restaurants
Founder:Floyd 'Sonny' Tillman
Hq Location City:Maitland, Florida
Hq Location Country:United States
Locations:113[1]
Area Served:Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
Key People:Sonny Tillman, Jamie Yarmuth
Owner:Bob Yarmuth
Homepage:www.sonnysbbq.com

Sonny's BBQ is a barbecue restaurant chain founded by Floyd "Sonny" Tillman in Gainesville, Florida, in 1968. Bob Yarmuth purchased the company in 1991 and continues as the company's owner and CEO today. As of 2016, Sonny's BBQ has 113 restaurants across eight Southeastern states and is headquartered in Maitland, Florida. The restaurant specializes in Southern-style BBQ.

History

Sonny's Real Pit-Bar-B-Q was founded on April 17, 1968, by Floyd "Sonny" Tillman and his wife Lucille, starting with a single location on Waldo Road in Gainesville, Florida.[2] The company began franchising nine years later in 1977 with a menu consisting of pork, beef, ribs, chicken, beans and other sides.[3] [4] In 1988, Sonny's BBQ had grown to 77 restaurants across six states, and Tillman sold the company to outside investors.[5] In 1991, Bob Yarmuth purchased the company.[6]

During the 2000s, Sonny's was the largest BBQ restaurant chain in the United States, with about 150 locations across nine states. In 2011, the company had 125 operating franchised restaurants. In 2012, the company moved its headquarters to Winter Park, Florida and in 2013, the company changed its name from Sonny's Real Pit-Bar-B-Q to Sonny's BBQ.[7] [8] [9]

2008 Recession

On September 25, 2008, Greater Atlanta Bar-B-Q (the only Metro Atlanta franchisee of Sonny's) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for ten locations, four of which were closed completely, raising concerns about another restaurant's viability after Metromedia Restaurant Group closed its Bennigan's and Steak & Ale restaurant chains. Yet, as of the first week of June 2009, it came out of bankruptcy, completing Chapter 11 requirements.[10] On October 15, 2008, all three Sonny's locations in the greater Daytona Beach area of Florida were closed.[11] As of December 1, 2009, the Tifton, Georgia restaurant became known as the Smokehouse Restaurant due to disputes with Sonny's over imagery and icons in the restaurant itself and on employees' clothing.[12]

Sonny Tillman's birthday is celebrated as a special event by the restaurant each August 14. Despite selling the franchise, Tillman retained ownership of the original Sonny's BBQ until 2011, when he relinquished his franchisee agreement. Afterwards he continued to attend grand openings, sometimes appearing in commercials, and participating in other events.[13] [14] [15] [16] Events held by Sonny's include its Random Acts of BBQ events, where individual restaurants provide a BBQ feast for community volunteers and volunteer organizations.[17] [18] The company named October 12 as National Pulled Pork Day beginning in 2016, which is celebrated at all Sonny's locations.

Menu

Sonny's BBQ menu has Southern-style barbecue, including pulled pork, sliced pork, baby back ribs, buffalo wings, St. Louis-style ribs, beef brisket, burgers, appetizers, and sides.[19] [20] [21] [22]

See also

External links

28.6315°N -81.3753°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sonny's BBQ Declares National Pulled Pork Day . October 12, 2016 . Meat and Poultry Magazine . Kimberlie Clyma.
  2. Web site: About Sonny's BBQ. December 4, 2015 .
  3. Book: Dr. BBQ's Big-Time Barbecue Road Trip! . Ray Lampe . September 2, 2014 . Macmillan . 2007. 9781429993432 .
  4. Book: Barbecue Crossroads: Notes and Recipes from a Southern Odyssey . 107 . September 1, 2014 . Robb Walsh . University of Texas Press . 2013. 9780292752849 .
  5. Book: Barbecue: The History of an American Institution . September 3, 2014 . 237 . Robert F. Moss . University of Alabama Press . 2010. 9780817317188 .
  6. Web site: Hoovers: Sonny's BBQ. September 7, 2014 .
  7. Web site: Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q Cooking Up Big Changes. September 3, 2014 . QSR Magazine . July 11, 2013 .
  8. Web site: Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q hires COO, VP of marketing: Brandon Manly and Dominic Losacco have filled the positions, respectively . Nation's Restaurant News . September 4, 2014 . July 3, 2013. Erin Dostal.
  9. Web site: Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q unveils new name, look . September 5, 2014 . Gary Mills . July 17, 2013.
  10. News: Operator of 10 Sonny's restaurants files for Chapter 11. 2008-09-25. Atlanta Business Chronicle. 2008-09-26. J. Scott. Trubey.
  11. http://www.sonnysbbq.com/press-room/212-sonnys-in-daytona-closes-but-chain-is-poised-for-growth|accessdate=2008-12-27 Sonny's in Daytona Closes but Chain is Poised for Growth
  12. Web site: Tifton Gazette - Tifton restaurant owner loses Sonny's franchise. 2009-12-16. Tifton Gazette. Tifton Gazette. Thompson. Angie. 2009-12-01.
  13. Web site: Celebrate Sonny's BBQ founder, Sonny Tillman's 85th birthday. September 6, 2014 .
  14. Web site: Sonny's BBQ founder celebrates 85th birthday at Waldo Road restaurant . September 4, 2014 . August 14, 2014.
  15. Web site: 'Sonny' Tillman sells Alachua BBQ location . Andrea Rumbaugh . September 9, 2011. September 3, 2014 .
  16. Web site: Talking With ... Monique Yeager: Sonny's BBQ is still cookin' . Sarah Pedicini . September 3, 2014 . Orlando Sentinel.
  17. Web site: Community Counts: Random Acts of BBQ. Alex de Armas. 17 November 2014. abc-7.com. 17 March 2015.
  18. Web site: Sonny's Real Pit BBQ feeds 120 to mark 20th anniversary. Northwest Georgia News. 17 March 2015.
  19. Web site: Regional Flavors May Go National under Florida-Based Barbecue Chain . https://web.archive.org/web/20160415230240/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53737350.html . dead . April 15, 2016 . September 4, 2014 . Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News . February 8, 1999 . Marcia Heroux Pounds.
  20. Web site: How about some steak with that salad? Steakhouses continue to offer bigger food bars - but not at the expense of beef sales, executives say. (400: Steak & BBQ) . https://web.archive.org/web/20160318221035/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-7814279.html . dead . March 18, 2016 . September 9, 2014 . Restaurants & Institutions . July 24, 1989 . Michael W. Sherer.
  21. Web site: Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q: Adapting its menu to the territory's particular taste is this restaurant chain's recipe for expansion. (Regional Powerhouse Chains) . https://web.archive.org/web/20160309140035/https://business.highbeam.com/409700/article-1G1-82334305/sonny-real-pit-barbq-adapting-its-menu-territory-particular . dead . March 9, 2016 . September 3, 2014 . Nation's Restaurant News . January 28, 2002 . Nora Caley.
  22. Web site: Sonny's Franchise Company . Food and Drink Magazine . September 5, 2014 . Barbara Mchatton.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sonny's BBQ".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.