Our History
For over 65 years of great food, friendly faces, and quick casual service, Bar-B-Cutie® SmokeHouse is second to none! We pride ourselves on the quality of our cooking, the contentment of our guests, and the continuity of our business. So when you have that familiar craving for a mouth-waterin’ meal, you need to Get Your Booty To Bar-B-Cutie!
In 1940, Eddie and Mildred McFarland ran a Pie Wagon known as Tatsy-Eat-Shop in downtown Nashville on 9th Avenue. In those days, a Pie Wagon only accommodated about 20 patrons and had only counter service. Mr. & Mrs. McFarland had a strong following and were successful because they were known for their southern style home cooking. Everything was made from scratch.
In 1958, Mr. McFarland got word that the Bar-B-Cutie on Murfreesboro Road was for sale. He was very familiar with Bar-B-Cutie and was aware that it had started in 1950 serving the best Hickory Smoked Barbecue in town. So he purchased Bar-B-Cutie. At that time, Bar-B-Cutie was predominantly a Car Hop business and had only four inside, dining tables. Mr. McFarland expanded the existing “short order menu” by adding his fresh “made from scratch” southern vegetables.
Business quickly grew, and he soon had to build on to the inside dining area to accommodate more guests. The McFarland’s took great pride in Bar-B-Cutie and worked very hard to make sure that their food and service were the best in town.
Bar-B-Cutie became a local hang-out. People all over Nashville enjoyed taking part in the “Bar-B-Cutie experience”; the great southern food, the Cutie Car Hops dressed in short, red skirts and white tops, and the unique family atmosphere that made one always feel welcome. In 1972, Eddie & Mildred McFarland moved the Bar-B-Cutie to Nolensville Road in South Nashville to a new building that would seat in excess of 300 people.
In 1978, Eddie & Mildred retired, and their son Ronnie opened the first Bar-B-Cutie Drive-Thru Window on the same parking lot as the Bar-B-Cutie Restaurant. As times changed and people began getting busier, the Drive-Thru at Bar-B-Cutie became more and more popular… so popular that people would come and eat sitting on crates in the back room of the restaurant. The larger restaurant was eventually sold in favor of the Drive-Thru. A Dining Room addition to the Drive-Thru was soon built.
NOW…people all over are enjoying those same, home-cooked recipes with that sweet, southern hospitality at a fair price!
Bar-B-Cutie Franchisees Have Access to Multiple Revenue Streams
The new Bar-B-Cutie SmokeHouse model provides franchise owners with the ability to capitalize on multiple revenue streams including:
- Dine-in
- Take-out
- Catering
- Alcohol sales
- Drive-thru
The new low-labor model allows franchise owners to focus on growing sales in the different segments of the business and providing exceptional customer service that will make your customers as passionate about Bar-B-Cutie as you are!
How Big is the Demand for BBQ?"
Americans have been in love with barbecue, or BBQ as it is more commonly known now, since the 19th century. Time magazine reports in an article titled, “A Brief History of Barbecue,” that the slow roasting of meat, “for a really, really long time,” was perfected in the 1800’s in the American South, and that the regional rivalries that still persist between the BBQ touchstones of America — Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas — were born out of the meat that was most accessible to the region:
“Locals defend their region’s cooking style with the sort of fierce loyalty usually reserved for die-hard sports fans,” Time magazine states. “Just as you’re better off not mentioning the Yankees to a Red Sox fan, it’s probably best not to proclaim your love for Texas beef to anyone from Tennessee.”
How Do We Support Our Franchisees?
Franchising with Bar-B-Cutie SmokeHouse franchise means you’re never alone in business. Bar-B-Cutie franchise owners are supported from the very moment the franchise agreement is signed.
This is how we do it:
- Site selection: Bar-B-Cutie will help you find the perfect location for your new restaurant, utilizing real estate professionals and key demographic information to determine if a restaurant has the potential to be successful over the long-term. In addition, we help you navigate the complicated letter of intent negotiations with your landlord, while we do recommend having an independent counsel assist you with lease negotiation.
- Build out: Bar-B-Cutie has an extremely user friendly and simple layout, which can be molded to suit almost any location. We do work with a preferred national architect who will seek bids from multiple contractors and help you oversee construction to ensure your business will be ready to open on time.
- Training: New franchise owners will be sent for 42 days of training at a Bar-B-Cutie SmokeHouse location, where we will teach everything you need to know about your business. We will work with you to coordinate your training schedule while your location is being built.
- Grand opening: Members of the Bar-B-Cutie team will be on hand during the initial opening of your new business to help ensure a successfully strong grand opening.
- Ongoing training: Bar-B-Cutie is accessible to our franchise owners at any time no matter what. We will provide ongoing assistance with operations and marketing to ensure that your new business continues to grow.