Sam Jones BBQ
Sam Jones BBQ is a privately held, third-generation whole hog barbecue restaurant operating two North Carolina locations (Winterville and Raleigh) since 2015, with dine-in, catering, and a nationwide e-commerce store selling sauces, rubs, apparel, and a cookbook.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersRaleigh, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Sam Jones BBQ does
Sam Jones BBQ is a privately held, multi-channel restaurant and specialty food business founded in 2015 by third-generation pitmaster Sam Jones in Winterville, North Carolina. The company operates two brick-and-mortar restaurant locations — the original Winterville/Greenville site at 715 W Fire Tower Road and a Raleigh location at 502 W Lenoir St opened in February 2021 — that serve wood-fired Eastern North Carolina whole hog barbecue daily. The cooking method uses whole hogs smoked overnight on traditional open pits fueled by Carolina oak hardwood, then chopped and served with vinegar-based sauce and Southern sides; the technique is described as unchanged across three generations and traceable to Pete Jones's founding of Skylight Inn BBQ in 1947.
The company generates revenue across four streams: dine-in and takeout at the two restaurants (menu items priced $3.99 sides to $57.99 family dinners, with combo plates and trays in the $12-$35 range), full-service catering and private dining events using the Dewberry Room at Raleigh, an e-commerce online store selling branded merchandise, four signature dry rubs, two signature sauces, multiple gift sets, and a cookbook shipped at flat-rate $12 to the continental US, and a Que Crew Rewards loyalty program plus a gamified BBQ Bingo loyalty card. Online ordering is handled through ToastTab. Headcount is 11-50 employees, and the company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or funding rounds.
Customer segments include local individual diners and families (primary), event organizers and corporate catering customers, and BBQ enthusiasts and gift buyers purchasing retail products. Notable earned-media recognition includes Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025), N.C. Bar-B-Q Hall of Fame induction (2024), Southern Living Top 50 BBQ Joints (consecutive 2019, 2022, 2023), Forbes Holiday Gift Guide (2025), and features in NYT, AFAR, Food Network, Garden & Gun, and Bloomberg. The business does not operate as a software platform and has no disclosed AI, API, or mobile app offerings.
Sam Jones BBQ firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sam Jones BBQ
- Legal name
- Sam Jones BBQ
- Website
- https://samjonesbbq.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sam Jones BBQ is a privately held, third-generation whole hog barbecue restaurant operating two North Carolina locations (Winterville and Raleigh) since 2015, with dine-in, catering, and a nationwide e-commerce store selling sauces, rubs, apparel, and a cookbook.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sam Jones BBQ industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Barbecue Restaurant
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013)
- akta.pro primary industry
- BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual (THAFABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- BBQ Sauce & Marinades Manufacturing (AFAKADAH)
Keywords
Where Sam Jones BBQ is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Raleigh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Sam Jones BBQ business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant Dining and Takeout: Revenue from dine-in and takeout customers at two North Carolina restaurant locations. Menu includes BBQ trays, plates, sandwiches, wings, sides, and beverages. Operating hours Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm, Sunday 11am-8:30pm.
- Catering Services: Catering for events from boxed lunches to full-service catering. Book the Dewberry Room at Raleigh location for private gatherings. Family dinner packages available.
- Online Merchandise Store: Direct e-commerce sales of branded merchandise including apparel (t-shirts, hats, hoodies), pantry items (sauces, rubs, spice sets), cookbooks, and souvenirs shipped nationwide.
- Rewards Program: Que Crew Rewards program where customers earn points for every dollar spent, creating customer loyalty and repeat purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Apparel items including t-shirts, hats, hoodies |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pantry items - sauces and dry rubs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cookbook |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Menu items - Raleigh location |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sam Jones BBQ product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sam Jones BBQ operates two North Carolina dine-in restaurants (Winterville and Raleigh) serving wood-fired Eastern North Carolina whole hog barbecue with Southern sides, complemented by full-service catering and private dining (Dewberry Room) at the Raleigh location. The company also runs a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store selling branded merchandise, signature sauces, dry rubs, gift sets, apparel, and a cookbook, with flat-rate $12 shipping nationwide. A free loyalty program (Que Crew Rewards) and a gamified in-store promotion (BBQ Bingo) support customer engagement.
Product overview
Sam Jones BBQ operates as a multi-channel food and beverage business with two North Carolina restaurant locations (Winterville and Raleigh) as its core offering, complemented by a retail e-commerce store selling branded food products, apparel, and merchandise. The restaurant business centers on wood-fired, whole-hog Eastern North Carolina barbecue served dine-in, with catering and private dining services. The online store extends the brand through retail products including four signature dry rubs (Rub Potion No. Swine, Fish Out of Water Rub, For Goodness Steak Rub, Salt of the Earth Rub), two barbecue sauces (Vinegar Sauce and Sweet BBQ Sauce), combination gift sets (Sauces & Spices Gift Set, Southern Starter Kit, Hog Wild Gift Set, Smokeshow Kit, Big Daddy Kit, Sauce Sampler), a cookbook, and branded apparel. Two loyalty programs — BBQ Que Crew Rewards and BBQ Bingo — drive customer engagement. The business does not operate as a software platform; there are no API offerings or AI/ML capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Whole Hog BBQ Restaurant Dining Wood-fired whole hog Eastern North Carolina barbecue served daily at two dine-in restaurant locations in Winterville and Raleigh, NC, accompanied by Southern sides such as banana pudding, mac 'n cheese, slaw, baked beans, collard greens, and cornbread.
- BBQ Catering Services Full-service BBQ catering for events ranging from boxed lunches for small groups to large party catering, plus the Dewberry Room private dining space at the Raleigh location for private gatherings.
- Vinegar Sauce Signature Eastern North Carolina-style vinegar-based barbecue sauce, sold in 17.25 oz jars for retail via the online store.
- Sweet BBQ Sauce Sweet barbecue sauce sold in 17.25 oz jars as an alternative to the signature vinegar sauce, available through the online store.
- Rub Potion No. Swine Classic North Carolina dry rub seasoning for pork and chicken, sold in 6 oz jars via the online store.
- Fish Out of Water Rub Dry rub seasoning designed for seafood, fish, and seafood boils, sold via the online store.
- For Goodness Steak Rub Dry rub made for beef steaks and brisket, also suitable for chicken and pork, sold via the online store.
- Salt of the Earth Rub
Quantifiable outcome
- Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition for quality food at fair prices
Companies that use Sam Jones BBQ
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sam Jones BBQ technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Sam Jones BBQ partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Michael LetchworthcoreBusiness partner who co-founded Sam Jones BBQ with Sam Jones. Operating Partner who has been instrumental in restaurant operations and expansion. Described the Smokehouse Crew Showdown as 'one of the best, if not the best, things we've ever done for morale and team building.'
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sam Jones BBQ competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Skylight Inn BBQ: Sam Jones's grandfather Pete Jones's original whole-hog BBQ restaurant in Ayden, NC (founded 1947). The most direct comparator — same family lineage, same Eastern NC whole hog pit method, same cultural heritage.
- 12 Bones Smokehouse: Asheville, NC craft BBQ restaurant known for whole-hog smoked meats and signature sides. Comparable as a craft NC BBQ operator with strong regional reputation and catering.
- Lexington BBQ #1: Iconic Lexington, NC barbecue institution specializing in Western NC chopped barbecue. Comparable as a heritage NC BBQ destination restaurant with strong tourism and earned media profile.
- Jones Bar-B-Q Diner: Historic Kansas City BBQ institution founded in 1970. Comparable as a small-format, heritage pit BBQ restaurant with strong national reputation for craft barbecue.
- Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint: Multi-location whole-hog BBQ concept originating in Nashville, TN. Closest comparable on authentic whole hog pit cooking at multiple locations with national brand recognition.
- Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge: Shelby, NC family-owned BBQ restaurant serving Eastern NC chopped pork since 1947. Comparable on heritage family operation, traditional pit cooking, and regional NC destination dining.
- Scottie's Famous Foods: Kannapolis, NC heritage BBQ joint known for Lexington-style chopped barbecue. Comparable as a multi-generation NC BBQ destination with strong local following.
- Buxton Hall BBQ: Asheville, NC whole-hog barbecue restaurant opened by former Skylight Inn pitmaster Elliott Moss. Directly comparable on craft whole hog BBQ technique and regional NC positioning.
Emerging players
- Sweet Lew's BBQ: Charlotte-area BBQ concept from Stephen Cebulash (a Sam Jones BBQ-trained pitmaster). Comparable as an emerging operator carrying forward the Skylight Inn/Sam Jones BBQ pit tradition.
Broad incumbents
- Mission BBQ: Multi-state BBQ restaurant chain with 100+ locations across the U.S. Comparable as the scaled, broader-incumbent version of an authentic BBQ concept; represents the chain-format ceiling Sam Jones could reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sam Jones BBQ social profiles
Digital presenceSam Jones BBQ financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sam Jones BBQ leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Sam Jones BBQ funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sam Jones BBQ 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 Sam Jones BBQ
What does Sam Jones BBQ do?
Sam Jones BBQ operates two North Carolina dine-in restaurants (Winterville and Raleigh) serving wood-fired Eastern North Carolina whole hog barbecue with Southern sides, complemented by full-service catering and private dining (Dewberry Room) at the Raleigh location. The company also runs a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store selling branded merchandise, signature sauces, dry rubs, gift sets, apparel, and a cookbook, with flat-rate $12 shipping nationwide. A free loyalty program (Que Crew Rewards) and a gamified in-store promotion (BBQ Bingo) support customer engagement.
Is Sam Jones BBQ a public or private company?
Sam Jones BBQ is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sam Jones BBQ founded?
Sam Jones BBQ was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sam Jones BBQ based?
Sam Jones BBQ is headquartered in Raleigh, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sam Jones BBQ make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Dining and Takeout is the primary driver. The others are catering Services, online Merchandise Store and rewards Program.
Who are Sam Jones BBQ's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Skylight Inn BBQ, 12 Bones Smokehouse, Lexington BBQ #1, Jones Bar-B-Q Diner, Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint, Red Bridges Barbecue Lodge, Scottie's Famous Foods and Buxton Hall BBQ. Sweet Lew's BBQ is listed as an emerging player. Mission BBQ is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Sam Jones BBQ have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sam Jones BBQ.
What industry is Sam Jones BBQ in?
Sam Jones BBQ's product category is Barbecue Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFABAH, BBQ & Smokehouse Fast Casual, with a secondary code of AFAKADAH, BBQ Sauce & Marinades Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.