Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is a privately-held, founder-owned Southern barbecue restaurant chain operating five to six full-service locations across New York State, complemented by multi-tier catering, e-commerce, wholesale grocery distribution, and a consumer packaged goods line of award-winning sauces and rubs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersBrooklyn, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Dinosaur Bar-B-Que does
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, legally organized as Dinosaur Restaurants, LLC in Delaware, is a privately-held, founder-owned Southern-style barbecue restaurant operator founded in 1983 by John Stage. The company began as a mobile concession stand serving motorcycle events across the Northeast before establishing its first permanent restaurant in Syracuse, NY in 1988. As of 2026, it operates five to six full-service restaurant locations across New York State — Syracuse, Rochester, Harlem, Troy, Hamburg, plus a catering presence in Brooklyn — each offering slow-smoked meats, scratch-made sides, full bar service, and live entertainment at select venues.
The company's revenue model is diversified across six distinct streams: (1) dine-in restaurant and bar sales at its physical locations; (2) takeout and online ordering through Order Online and Toast Tab platforms; (3) multi-tier catering services spanning pickup, delivery, drop-off with servers, and full-service mobile BBQ pit operations for 100+ guests, distributed through ezCater; (4) direct-to-consumer e-commerce for sauces, rubs, gift boxes, merchandise, clothing, and a cookbook; (5) wholesale consumer packaged goods distribution to major grocery retailers (Wegmans, Tops Market, ShopRite, Stop and Shop, Whole Foods, Giant, Price Chopper, Weis Market) across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest, with additional international reach into Europe and Japan; and (6) digital and physical gift card sales.
The business serves a horizontal mix of customer segments including individual consumers seeking dine-in and takeout experiences, corporate and business clients for office catering and events, private event customers (weddings, graduations, showers), retail consumers purchasing sauces and gift products, and college students via a 15% dine-in discount. Marketing channels span earned media, social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn, live entertainment programming, an email newsletter, the Dino Rewards loyalty program, and a dedicated catering sales operation. The company holds no patents and operates with a non-proprietary technology stack based entirely on third-party integrations.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
- Legal name
- Dinosaur Restaurants, LLC
- Website
- https://dinosaurbarbque.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is a privately-held, founder-owned Southern barbecue restaurant chain operating five to six full-service locations across New York State, complemented by multi-tier catering, e-commerce, wholesale grocery distribution, and a consumer packaged goods line of award-winning sauces and rubs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brooklyn
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Restaurant Dining and Bar Sales: Revenue generated from dine-in customers at five restaurant locations across New York State. Each location offers a full bar alongside the food menu, including craft beers and specialty cocktails.
- Takeout and Online Ordering: Revenue from takeout orders placed online or by phone. Customers can order through the company's website or third-party platforms for pickup at any location.
- Catering Services: Full-service catering including pick-up, delivery, drop-off with servers, and full-service mobile BBQ pit options. Offered at most locations with dedicated catering teams and event coordinators.
- E-commerce and Retail Products: Online sales of sauces, rubs, merchandise, gift boxes, clothing, and the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que cookbook through the company's e-commerce storefront.
- Retail Distribution: Wholesale distribution of sauces and rubs to grocery stores and retailers including Wegmans, Tops Market, ShopRite, Stop and Shop, Whole Foods, Giant, Price Chopper, Weis Market, and others throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions.
- Gift Cards: Digital and physical gift cards sold online with no expiration fees. Available in any denomination for use at restaurant locations and for call-in takeout orders.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Boxes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sauces and Rubs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Clothing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate Gift Cards (Bulk Discounts) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Student Discount |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que operates as a Southern barbecue restaurant chain serving slow-smoked meats, scratch-made sides, craft cocktails, and regional craft brews across five New York State locations. Beyond dine-in restaurant service and online takeout ordering, the company offers full-service catering with multiple tiers (pick-up, delivery, drop-off with servers, full-service mobile BBQ pit), retail products including award-winning sauces, rubs, gift boxes, merchandise, and clothing, digital and physical gift cards, and a free Dino Rewards loyalty program. Sauces and rubs are also distributed through grocery retail partners across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest.
Product overview
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is a nationally acclaimed Southern barbecue restaurant chain operating 5-6 locations across New York State. The company offers a single unified restaurant concept centered on slow-smoked meats, scratch-made sides, and bold barbecue flavors. Beyond dine-in and takeout restaurant services, the product portfolio includes retail products (sauces & rubs, gift boxes, merchandise, clothing, gift cards), a loyalty program (Dino Rewards), catering services with multiple service tiers, and private event spaces. The company is recognized for its award-winning sauces and rubs available in grocery stores nationwide and through its online shop.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dine-In Restaurant Experience Full-service restaurant dining at five operating locations across New York State (Syracuse, Rochester, Harlem, Troy, Hamburg) featuring slow-smoked meats, scratch-made sides, craft cocktails, and regional craft beers. Operates as a 100% Scratch Kitchen with live music at select locations.
- Online and Takeout Ordering Online ordering and takeout service for pickup at all restaurant locations. Ordering is available through Order Online (Brooklyn, Harlem, Rochester, Syracuse, Troy) and Toast Tab (Buffalo). Offers dine-in menu, takeout menu, gluten-free, vegetarian, and kids' menu options.
- Catering Services Full-service BBQ catering with four service tiers: Pick-Up, Delivery (10-100 guests, 10% fee), Drop-Off with Servers (35+ guests, 15% fee), and Full Service with mobile BBQ pit (100+ guests, 15-18% fee). Covers corporate luncheons, birthdays, graduations, weddings, showers, and more. Catering is available through dedicated coordinators at most locations and via the ezCater marketplace.
- Private Event Spaces Reserved private dining rooms at various restaurant locations: The Carter Room (up to 65 guests), Upstairs at the Dino Rochester (40-50 guests), Syracuse Main Room (up to 80), Syracuse Willow Room (up to 35), and Troy Hudson Room (up to 45 with seasonal deck).
- Sauces & Rubs Handcrafted line of gluten-free, all-natural barbecue sauces and dry rubs created by founder John Stage. Available in 9 varieties, sold online, in gift boxes, and at Wegmans, Whole Foods, ShopRite, Stop and Shop, Tops Market, Giant, Price Chopper, and Weis Market grocery stores. Individual sauces priced $4.99-$28.00; cases and bulk offerings up to $55.00.
- Gift Boxes Curated gift box sets featuring premium sauces, rubs, and BBQ accessories in four configurations: The Pitmaster Pack ($60), SEARiously Sizzlin' ($60), License to Grill ($20), and Hot Box ($20).
- Merchandise Branded merchandise including the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Cookbook ($22), bottle openers ($7), beverage buddies ($5), and oval stickers ($1), sold through the company's e-commerce store.
- Clothing Branded apparel including t-shirts and the Mechanic Style Shirt, with logo and location-specific designs; t-shirts priced at $22-$35.
- Gift Cards Both digital (eGift) and traditional physical gift cards sold online in any denomination. Valid for in-restaurant use and call-in takeout orders. Corporate gift cards are available with bulk discounts ($500-$1,000: 5% off or 15% back in gift cards; $1,000+: 10% off or 20% back in gift cards).
- Dino Rewards Loyalty Program Free loyalty program where members earn 1 point per $1 spent on dine-in or website orders. 150 points = $5 reward. Includes birthday rewards, exclusive offers, and surprise promotions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nationally recognized brand featured on Food Network, Travel Channel, Good Morning America, and ABC World News Tonight
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- WegmanscoreMajor grocery retailer partner distributing Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauces and rubs in their stores throughout the Northeast. One of the key retail partners for the company's consumer packaged goods expansion.
- Tops MarketcoreRegional grocery chain partner distributing Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauces and rubs in their stores throughout the Northeast.
- ShopRitecoreRegional grocery cooperative distributing Dinosaur Bar-B-Que products in their stores across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions.
- Whole FoodscoreNational grocery retailer distributing Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauces and rubs, aligning with the brand's all-natural positioning.
- Stop and ShopcoreMajor grocery chain in the Northeast distributing Dinosaur Bar-B-Que products.
- ezCatercoreOnline catering marketplace partnership allowing customers to book Dinosaur Bar-B-Que catering services through the ezCater platform.
- GiantminorRegional grocery chain distributing Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauces and rubs.
- Price ChopperminorRegional grocery chain in the Northeast distributing Dinosaur Bar-B-Que products.
- Weis MarketminorRegional grocery chain distributing Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauces and rubs.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mission BBQ: Mission BBQ is a veteran-founded national BBQ chain with sit-down dining, catering, and branded merchandise - comparable to Dinosaur's full-service BBQ, community-event focus, and multi-revenue model.
- Mighty Quinn's Barbeque: Mighty Quinn's is a fast-casual BBQ chain founded in New York that competes head-to-head with Dinosaur on smoked meats and barbecue authenticity, with multiple Northeast locations and a wholesale/retail sauce product line.
- Blue Smoke: Blue Smoke is a Danny Meyer-affiliated NYC BBQ concept with sit-down dining, craft cocktails, and live jazz - directly comparable to Dinosaur's Harlem and other full-service BBQ + entertainment positioning in New York.
- Famous Dave's: Famous Dave's is a publicly traded BBQ restaurant chain with dine-in, catering, and a wholesale/licensed sauce product line - structurally analogous to Dinosaur across both restaurant and CPG revenue streams.
- Sweet Baby Ray's: Sweet Baby Ray's is a leading national BBQ sauce/condiment CPG brand - directly comparable to Dinosaur's award-winning sauce and rub line for grocery and online channels, though without the restaurant component.
- Hill Country Bar-B-Que: Hill Country is a Texas-style BBQ concept with locations in NYC (and Washington DC) offering slow-smoked meats, live music, full bar, and catering - a very close direct competitor to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in the Northeastern full-service BBQ segment.
- Stubb's Legendary Bar-B-Q: Stubb's is a heritage BBQ sauce, rub, and marinade brand with nationwide grocery distribution - closely comparable to Dinosaur's sauce and rub CPG business, retail positioning, and brand-led storytelling.
- Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que: Lucille's is a multi-unit Southern-style BBQ restaurant chain offering dine-in, catering, and private events with full bars - structurally similar to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's full-service BBQ + events format.
- Sonny's BBQ: Sonny's BBQ is one of the largest BBQ franchise chains in the U.S. with dine-in, catering, and retail sauce/rub products; comparable to Dinosaur in menu/format and as a multi-channel BBQ brand with franchising infrastructure.
Broad incumbents
- Texas Roadhouse: Texas Roadhouse is a national casual-dining chain with a BBQ- and steak-heavy menu, full bars, and catering - a broader incumbent that overlaps with Dinosaur on sit-down BBQ dining and catering but at materially greater scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que social profiles
Digital presenceDinosaur Bar-B-Que financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
What does Dinosaur Bar-B-Que do?
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que operates as a Southern barbecue restaurant chain serving slow-smoked meats, scratch-made sides, craft cocktails, and regional craft brews across five New York State locations. Beyond dine-in restaurant service and online takeout ordering, the company offers full-service catering with multiple tiers (pick-up, delivery, drop-off with servers, full-service mobile BBQ pit), retail products including award-winning sauces, rubs, gift boxes, merchandise, and clothing, digital and physical gift cards, and a free Dino Rewards loyalty program. Sauces and rubs are also distributed through grocery retail partners across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest.
Is Dinosaur Bar-B-Que a public or private company?
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Dinosaur Bar-B-Que founded?
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que was founded in 1983. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Dinosaur Bar-B-Que based?
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is headquartered in Brooklyn, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dinosaur Bar-B-Que make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Dining and Bar Sales are the primary driver. The others are takeout and Online Ordering, catering Services, E-commerce and Retail Products, retail Distribution and gift Cards.
Who are Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mission BBQ, Mighty Quinn's Barbeque, Blue Smoke, Famous Dave's, Sweet Baby Ray's, Hill Country Bar-B-Que, Stubb's Legendary Bar-B-Q, Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que and Sonny's BBQ. Texas Roadhouse is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Dinosaur Bar-B-Que have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.