The Referee Inc
The Referee Inc is a family-owned American restaurant and sports bar operating two dine-in locations in Sioux Falls, South Dakota under The Referee and Cherry Creek Grill brands, serving local consumers with 100+ menu items, craft beer, and sports viewing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersSioux Falls, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Referee Inc does
The Referee Inc is a family-owned American-style restaurant and sports bar operator headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, founded in 1991 by Charlie and Judy Kneip. The company operates two dine-in locations under the brands The Referee (West Side, since 1991) and Cherry Creek Grill (East Side, since 1999), serving local consumers in the Sioux Falls metro with a menu of 100+ items priced between $5.49 and $32.99, 20+ televisions for sports viewing, and 12-24 taps of craft and domestic beer.
The business operates a traditional casual-dining revenue model combining in-restaurant dining, alcohol sales, and off-premise to-go orders processed through the Chownow online ordering platform. The company has integrated Yelp Waitlist for table management and Valutec as its gift card processor, indicating adoption of standard third-party restaurant technology tooling. The Referee maintains a presence on Facebook and Twitter/X for customer engagement, consistent with local restaurant marketing norms. There is no evidence of franchise operations, catering contracts, wholesale distribution, or B2B revenue streams.
The company has remained privately held by the founding family with no external funding, no venture or private equity involvement, and no disclosed expansion beyond its two existing Sioux Falls locations. The Referee represents a mature, single-market, family-operated casual dining concept with limited growth signals and no disclosed financial scale or technology differentiation.
The Referee Inc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Referee Inc
- Website
- https://tcreferee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Referee Inc is a family-owned American restaurant and sports bar operating two dine-in locations in Sioux Falls, South Dakota under The Referee and Cherry Creek Grill brands, serving local consumers with 100+ menu items, craft beer, and sports viewing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Referee Inc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (72241)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Neighborhood & Sports Bars (THAFAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sports Bars (CRANACAC)
Keywords
Where The Referee Inc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sioux Falls
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Referee Inc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Dine-in Food and Beverage Sales: Traditional restaurant revenue from serving food and drinks to dine-in customers. Features full service bar with signature drinks and multiple taps, plus diverse American-style menu spanning appetizers, entrees, desserts.
- Online To-Go Ordering: Online ordering through third-party platform Chownow for takeout orders placed ahead of time.
- Gift Card Sales: Sale of gift cards usable at both Cherry Creek and TC's Referee locations, driving upfront cash flow and customer commitment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids Menu - $6.99 per item |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Flatbreads and main entrees - $12.99 to $18.99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Steaks and prime rib - $15.99 to $32.99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Soups and salads - $5.49 to $15.99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Appetizers - $8.99 to $15.99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lunch Specials - $9.99 to $15.49 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Referee Inc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Referee Inc, operating as TC's Referee, runs two casual American-style restaurant and sports bar locations in Sioux Falls, SD (West Side since 1991 and East Side / Cherry Creek Grill since 1999). It serves a full dine-in menu of over 100 fresh, never frozen items including prime rib, steaks, pastas, burgers, wings, fresh salads, and homemade soups and chili, alongside a full-service bar with 12 cold taps and 20+ TVs. It also sells gift cards usable at both the TC's Referee and Cherry Creek Grill locations.
Product overview
TC's Referee is a locally-owned American Style restaurant in Sioux Falls, SD, operating since 1991. The core offering is a full-service dining experience with an extensive menu of over 100 fresh, never frozen food items including prime rib, steaks, pastas, burgers, wings, salads, and homemade soups. Supporting the restaurant are gift cards (usable at TC's Referee and Cherry Creek Grill), a call-ahead seating system via Yelp Waitlist integration, and online to-go ordering through Chownow. The establishment also features a full service bar with signature drinks and multiple draft taps, positioning itself as a sports bar destination with over 20 TVs throughout the restaurant.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- TC's Referee Restaurant & Sports Bar (Dine-in Service) Casual American-style dine-in restaurant and sports bar service offering over 100 fresh, never frozen menu items including prime rib, steaks, pastas, burgers, wings, fresh salads and homemade soups and chili, plus a full-service bar with 12 cold taps, signature drinks, and 20+ TVs for game viewing. Available across two Sioux Falls locations for walk-in dine-in guests, families, and sports fans.
- Online To-Go Ordering Online takeout ordering service for TC's Referee customers, operated through the Chownow platform, allowing guests to place to-go orders for pickup from the restaurant's kitchen.
- TC's Referee / Cherry Creek Gift Cards Prepaid gift cards redeemable at both TC's Referee and Cherry Creek Grill Sioux Falls locations, ordered by phone or in-restaurant and managed via the Valutec gift card platform.
Companies that use The Referee Inc
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Referee Inc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
The Referee Inc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Yelp WaitlistcoreIntegration with Yelp Waitlist enables call-ahead seating functionality, allowing customers to join the waitlist remotely by providing name, party size, mobile number, and estimated arrival time via QR code or web interface.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
The Referee Inc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Applebee's: National casual-dining chain with a comparable American menu and bar program; overlaps with TC's Referee on family dining and lunch occasions rather than the dedicated sports-bar niche.
- Chili's Grill & Bar: Casual-dining national chain with broad menu, full bar, and TVs — competes with TC's Referee across dine-in occasions in Sioux Falls and similar Midwestern markets.
- TGI Fridays: Established casual-dining bar-and-grill with full bar service and American menu, operating as a broader portfolio player rather than a dedicated sports bar.
- Famous Dave's: Casual-dining BBQ chain of similar scale and Midwest presence — comparable full-service American concept rather than direct sports-bar positioning.
Direct peers
- Twin Peaks: Sports-lodge chain built around game-day viewing with a full bar and American menu; competing directly for the same occasion as TC's Referee.
- BJ's Restaurant Brewhouse: Casual-dining brewhouse with deep sports-bar appeal, broad menu, and in-house beer — comparable full-service sports-bar model.
- Hooters: Casual sports-bar brand pairing a full bar, TVs, and American bar fare; compete with TC's Referee for the bar-and-wings occasion.
- Buffalo Wild Wings: National sports-bar chain centered on wings, beer, and 20+ TVs broadcasting games — the closest scaled analog to TC's Referee's positioning.
- Houlihan's Restaurant + Bar: Casual American restaurant + full bar with TVs and sports viewing — a direct small-format analog to TC's Referee's food-and-bar dual identity.
- Granite City Food & Brewery: Brewpub-style casual chain pairing American fare, on-site brewing, and bar seating — directly overlapping TC's Referee's full-service bar with 12+ taps.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Referee Inc social profiles
Digital presenceThe Referee Inc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Referee Inc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Referee Inc subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Referee Inc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Referee Inc 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 The Referee Inc
What does The Referee Inc do?
The Referee Inc, operating as TC's Referee, runs two casual American-style restaurant and sports bar locations in Sioux Falls, SD (West Side since 1991 and East Side / Cherry Creek Grill since 1999). It serves a full dine-in menu of over 100 fresh, never frozen items including prime rib, steaks, pastas, burgers, wings, fresh salads, and homemade soups and chili, alongside a full-service bar with 12 cold taps and 20+ TVs. It also sells gift cards usable at both the TC's Referee and Cherry Creek Grill locations.
Is The Referee Inc a public or private company?
The Referee Inc is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Referee Inc founded?
The Referee Inc was founded in 1991. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Referee Inc based?
The Referee Inc is headquartered in Sioux Falls, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Referee Inc make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are online To-Go Ordering and gift Card Sales.
Who are The Referee Inc's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Applebee's, Chili's Grill & Bar, TGI Fridays and Famous Dave's. Direct peers are Twin Peaks, BJ's Restaurant Brewhouse, Hooters, Buffalo Wild Wings, Houlihan's Restaurant + Bar and Granite City Food & Brewery.
Does The Referee Inc have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Referee Inc.
What industry is The Referee Inc in?
The Referee Inc's product category is Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAEAA, Neighborhood & Sports Bars, with a secondary code of CRANACAC, Sports Bars. Its NAICS code is 72241 and its SIC code is 5810.