The original Dickey's barbecue, founded in Dallas in 1941
Back in October, Dallas County Commissioner Maurine Dickey's son Roland Dickey Jr. told the St. Louis Post Dispatch he expects to open 60 brand-new Dickey's Barbecue Pits by the end of 2012. Now comes this announcement from the eatery's president: He wants to open some 100 brand-new stores annually, the sooner the better, so let's get to franchising. Says Roland: "We know we want to be the largest barbecue chain in the U.S." I used to lock up my bike with a barbecue chain from Dickey's. --Robert Wilonsky