Technology

Dickey's sales soar despite coronavirus

Provided

May 15, 2020

Dickey's Barbecue Pit's investment in technology has paid off amid the pandemic. The Dallas-based restaurant company unveiled a new e-commerce site in April and has seen traffic soar 122% compared to the previous period. In fact, the company recently reported its highest day in digital sales ever recorded.

"Now more than ever, we are focused on our digital resources as a way to connect with guests," said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. “Due to the current crisis, we are operating in a new digital-first landscape, so it's imperative that we make it a seamless experience for everyone."

Last weekend, Dickey's reported same-store sales were up 14%, and social media impressions had jumped 329% since the previous week.

The family-owned franchise brand also relaunched its franchisee intranet portal, coined the Smoke Pit and overhauled its reporting system, SmokeStack. The systems give Dickey's owner/operators improved access to hundreds of resources directly from their mobile devices, Dickey said.

"We're all adapting to the new normal and working behind the scenes to make it accessible for everyone, including our owner/operators," she said. 

The chain has also launched features on its proprietary back-end dashboard allowing franchisees to indicate if their locations are open for dine-in service. 

Dickey's has two international locations in the UAE and operates over 500 locations in 44 states.