Technology

City Barbecue launching digital 'Pitmaster' game

Photo: City Barbecue

October 31, 2023

The heart of every City Barbeque joint is its pitmaster, a teammate trained in the art of barbeque from selecting the perfect brisket and loading the smoker with the best local hickory to keeping an eye on time and temperature. Thanks to Pitmaster, a digital game created by the chain and digital platform creator Decise, customers can experience what the job entails.

"Our pitmasters have spent years honing their craft," Annica Conrad, chief brand officer for City Barbeque, said in a company press release. "This game is an incredible way to honor the work they do — and to see how much fun we can have 'slow'-smoking barbeque in the span of a minute!"

How it works
Using the City Barbecue website, players must smoke meat to feed as many people as possible. They may choose from pork, sausage, ribs or bone-in chicken, and each meat needs a different amount of time on the smoker and can feed a different number of people. Points are awarded based on how many folks are fed in 1 minute, so players will earn the titles of apprentice, pit boss or pitmaster.

"Be careful, though: The pitmaster job isn't easy, and your mouth will be watering just thinking about that delicious barbeque," Decise Senior Managing Partner Kyle Pott said in the release.

Pitmaster is available through Nov. 30 with rewards for each level dropping weekly. All rewards are in the form of City Rewards offers and are valid for one week.

City Barbeque debuted in 1999 and has over 65 locations.