---
title: "BBQ chains in the United States: Which are searched most?"
description: "Compare the barbecue restaurant chains people in the US eat at. Share of Search among Mission BBQ, City Barbeque, Sonny's BBQ, Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q, Pappas Bar-B-Q and Famous Dave's, the BBQ chains Brandwave compares in the United States, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/us/categories/us-bbq-chains"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# BBQ chains in the United States: Which are searched most?

Compare the barbecue restaurant chains people in the US eat at. Share of Search among Mission BBQ, City Barbeque, Sonny's BBQ, Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q, Pappas Bar-B-Q and Famous Dave's, the BBQ chains Brandwave compares in the United States, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Competitive set**: BBQ chains
- **Market**: United States
- **Brands compared**: 7
- **Month measured**: Sep 2026
- **Highest Share of Search**: Mission BBQ, 36.9%

## Which brand is most popular in search among BBQ chains in the United States?

- In September 2026, Mission BBQ was the most searched among BBQ chains in the United States, with an estimated 673K branded searches, 36.9% of all searches for the seven we track.
- City Barbeque is in 2nd place, 3.9 percentage points behind at 33%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Mission BBQ’s share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States decreased from 38.1% to 36.9%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, City Barbeque’s share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States increased from 27.8% to 33%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Dickey's Barbecue Pit’s share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States decreased from 12.4% to 8.1%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q’s share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States increased from 4.2% to 5%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Mission BBQ’s share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States peaked at 39.3% in June 2026 and was lowest at 32.4% in July 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, City Barbeque’s share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States peaked at 35.4% in July 2026 and was lowest at 27.8% in October 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sonny's BBQ’s share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States peaked at 15.8% in April 2026 and was lowest at 11.6% in November 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Dickey's Barbecue Pit’s share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States peaked at 12.7% in November 2025 and was lowest at 8.1% in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q’s share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States peaked at 5.3% in July 2026 and was lowest at 3.5% in January 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Pappas Bar-B-Q’s share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States peaked at 4.3% in November 2025 and was lowest at 3.2% in April 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sonny's BBQ, Pappas Bar-B-Q and Famous Dave's held steady: their share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States each moved less than 0.5 percentage points.

## Top BBQ chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In Brandwave's three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Mission BBQ, City Barbeque, Dickey's Barbecue Pit and Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q were mentioned most often, in three of the four answers. Mission BBQ was recommended most often, coming first in one out of three answers that gave a list. Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q was second, and City Barbeque was third.

Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options.

| Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mission BBQ | 1st | 3 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 4 |
| Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 4 |
| City Barbeque | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 4 |
| Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 4th | 3 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 4 |
| Famous Dave's | 5th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 4 |
| Sonny's BBQ | 6th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 4 |
| Pappas Bar-B-Q | 7th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 4 |

## Every AI answer about BBQ chains

- Asked ChatGPT "What's the best BBQ chain in the US?": 1. Mission BBQ, 2. City Barbeque, 3. Famous Dave's, 4. Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q, 5. Dickey's Barbecue Pit, 6. Pappas Bar-B-Q
- Asked ChatGPT "Which barbecue restaurant chain in the US has the best brisket?": 1. Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q, 2. Mission BBQ, 3. City Barbeque, 4. Dickey's Barbecue Pit
- Asked ChatGPT "What are the most popular BBQ chains in the US?": 1. Dickey's Barbecue Pit, 2. Famous Dave's, 3. Mission BBQ, 4. Sonny's BBQ, 5. City Barbeque, 6. Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q, 7. Pappas Bar-B-Q
- Searched Google, AI Overview "bbq near me": named none of the brands we track

Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in United States on October 23, 2026.

## Compare search popularity between leading brands

- [Mission BBQ vs City Barbeque: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/city-barbeque-vs-mission-bbq): 36.9% against 33% Share of Search.
- [Mission BBQ vs Sonny's BBQ: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/mission-bbq-vs-sonnys-bbq): 36.9% against 13.5% Share of Search.
- [Mission BBQ vs Dickey's Barbecue Pit: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/dickeys-barbecue-pit-vs-mission-bbq): 36.9% against 8.1% Share of Search.
- [Mission BBQ vs Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/mission-bbq-vs-rudys-bbq): 36.9% against 5% Share of Search.
- [City Barbeque vs Sonny's BBQ: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/city-barbeque-vs-sonnys-bbq): 33% against 13.5% Share of Search.
- [City Barbeque vs Dickey's Barbecue Pit: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/city-barbeque-vs-dickeys-barbecue-pit): 33% against 8.1% Share of Search.
- [City Barbeque vs Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/city-barbeque-vs-rudys-bbq): 33% against 5% Share of Search.
- [Sonny's BBQ vs Dickey's Barbecue Pit: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/dickeys-barbecue-pit-vs-sonnys-bbq): 13.5% against 8.1% Share of Search.
- [Sonny's BBQ vs Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/rudys-bbq-vs-sonnys-bbq): 13.5% against 5% Share of Search.
- [Dickey's Barbecue Pit vs Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q: compare search popularity](/demand/us/compare/dickeys-barbecue-pit-vs-rudys-bbq): 8.1% against 5% Share of Search.

## How did search popularity change for United States BBQ chains in September 2026?

- In September 2026, Mission BBQ gained share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States, from 35.2% to 36.9%.
- In September 2026, City Barbeque gained share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States, from 31.5% to 33%.
- In September 2026, Sonny's BBQ lost share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States, from 15.8% to 13.5%.
- In September 2026, Dickey's Barbecue Pit lost share of searches among BBQ chains in the United States, from 9.5% to 8.1%.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q in the United States rose 22.3% over 12 measured months, from 74K to 90.5K in September 2026.

## Share of Search ranking

| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | Change vs prior month | Owned by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Mission BBQ | 36.9% | 673K | 0.0% | Mission BBQ |
| 2 | City Barbeque | 33% | 602K | 0.0% | City Barbeque |
| 3 | Sonny's BBQ | 13.5% | 246K | -18.3% | Sonny's BBQ |
| 4 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 8.1% | 148K | -18.2% | Dickey's Barbecue Pit |
| 5 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 5% | 90.5K | 0.0% | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q |
| 6 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 3.3% | 60.5K | 0.0% | Pappas Restaurants |
| 7 | Famous Dave's | 0.1% | 1.9K | 0.0% | Famous Dave's |

## Historical estimated branded-search demand

| Month | Brand | Estimated monthly branded searches | Share of Search | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | Mission BBQ | 673K | 38.1% | 1 |
| Oct 2025 | City Barbeque | 492K | 27.8% | 2 |
| Oct 2025 | Sonny's BBQ | 246K | 13.9% | 3 |
| Oct 2025 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 220K | 12.4% | 4 |
| Oct 2025 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 74K | 4.2% | 5 |
| Oct 2025 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 60.5K | 3.4% | 6 |
| Oct 2025 | Famous Dave's | 1.9K | 0.11% | 7 |
| Nov 2025 | Mission BBQ | 823K | 38.7% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | City Barbeque | 602K | 28.3% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 270K | 12.7% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | Sonny's BBQ | 246K | 11.6% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 90.5K | 4.3% | 5 |
| Nov 2025 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 90.5K | 4.3% | 6 |
| Nov 2025 | Famous Dave's | 1.9K | 0.09% | 7 |
| Dec 2025 | Mission BBQ | 673K | 34.3% | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | City Barbeque | 602K | 30.7% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | Sonny's BBQ | 301K | 15.3% | 3 |
| Dec 2025 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 220K | 11.2% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 90.5K | 4.6% | 5 |
| Dec 2025 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 74K | 3.8% | 6 |
| Dec 2025 | Famous Dave's | 1.9K | 0.1% | 7 |
| Jan 2026 | Mission BBQ | 673K | 39.3% | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | City Barbeque | 492K | 28.7% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | Sonny's BBQ | 246K | 14.3% | 3 |
| Jan 2026 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 181K | 10.6% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 60.5K | 3.5% | 5 |
| Jan 2026 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 60.5K | 3.5% | 6 |
| Jan 2026 | Famous Dave's | 1.6K | 0.09% | 7 |
| Feb 2026 | Mission BBQ | 673K | 39.3% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | City Barbeque | 492K | 28.7% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | Sonny's BBQ | 246K | 14.3% | 3 |
| Feb 2026 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 181K | 10.6% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 60.5K | 3.5% | 5 |
| Feb 2026 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 60.5K | 3.5% | 6 |
| Feb 2026 | Famous Dave's | 1.6K | 0.09% | 7 |
| Mar 2026 | Mission BBQ | 823K | 39% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | City Barbeque | 602K | 28.5% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | Sonny's BBQ | 301K | 14.2% | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 220K | 10.4% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 90.5K | 4.3% | 5 |
| Mar 2026 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 74K | 3.5% | 6 |
| Mar 2026 | Famous Dave's | 1.9K | 0.09% | 7 |
| Apr 2026 | Mission BBQ | 673K | 35.2% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | City Barbeque | 602K | 31.5% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | Sonny's BBQ | 301K | 15.8% | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 181K | 9.5% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 90.5K | 4.7% | 5 |
| Apr 2026 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 60.5K | 3.2% | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | Famous Dave's | 1.9K | 0.1% | 7 |
| May 2026 | Mission BBQ | 823K | 36.9% | 1 |
| May 2026 | City Barbeque | 736K | 33% | 2 |
| May 2026 | Sonny's BBQ | 301K | 13.5% | 3 |
| May 2026 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 181K | 8.1% | 4 |
| May 2026 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 110K | 4.9% | 5 |
| May 2026 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 74K | 3.3% | 6 |
| May 2026 | Famous Dave's | 2.4K | 0.11% | 7 |
| Jun 2026 | Mission BBQ | 823K | 39.3% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | City Barbeque | 602K | 28.8% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | Sonny's BBQ | 301K | 14.4% | 3 |
| Jun 2026 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 181K | 8.6% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 110K | 5.3% | 5 |
| Jun 2026 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 74K | 3.5% | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | Famous Dave's | 1.9K | 0.09% | 7 |
| Jul 2026 | City Barbeque | 736K | 35.4% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | Mission BBQ | 673K | 32.4% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | Sonny's BBQ | 301K | 14.5% | 3 |
| Jul 2026 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 181K | 8.7% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 110K | 5.3% | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 74K | 3.6% | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | Famous Dave's | 2.4K | 0.12% | 7 |
| Aug 2026 | Mission BBQ | 673K | 35.2% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | City Barbeque | 602K | 31.5% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | Sonny's BBQ | 301K | 15.8% | 3 |
| Aug 2026 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 181K | 9.5% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 90.5K | 4.7% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 60.5K | 3.2% | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | Famous Dave's | 1.9K | 0.1% | 7 |
| Sep 2026 | Mission BBQ | 673K | 36.9% | 1 |
| Sep 2026 | City Barbeque | 602K | 33% | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | Sonny's BBQ | 246K | 13.5% | 3 |
| Sep 2026 | Dickey's Barbecue Pit | 148K | 8.1% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q | 90.5K | 5% | 5 |
| Sep 2026 | Pappas Bar-B-Q | 60.5K | 3.3% | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | Famous Dave's | 1.9K | 0.1% | 7 |

## What is being compared

- **City Barbeque**: Measured on the search terms “city barbeque” and “city bbq”, summed into one figure.
- **Dickey's Barbecue Pit**: Measured on the search terms “dickeys barbecue” and “dickeys bbq”, summed into one figure.
- **Famous Dave's**: Measured on the search term “famous daves”.
- **Mission BBQ**: Measured on the search term “mission bbq”.
- **Pappas Bar-B-Q**: Measured on the search term “pappas bbq”.
- **Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q**: Measured on the search term “rudys bbq”.
- **Sonny's BBQ**: Measured on the search term “sonnys bbq”.

- [City Barbeque](/demand/us/brands/city-barbeque)
- [Dickey's Barbecue Pit](/demand/us/brands/dickeys-barbecue-pit)
- [Famous Dave's](/demand/us/brands/famous-daves)
- [Mission BBQ](/demand/us/brands/mission-bbq)
- [Pappas Bar-B-Q](/demand/us/brands/pappas-bar-b-q)
- [Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q](/demand/us/brands/rudys-bbq)
- [Sonny's BBQ](/demand/us/brands/sonnys-bbq)

## Methodology

- [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which brand is most popular in search among BBQ chains in the United States?

In September 2026, Mission BBQ was the most searched among BBQ chains in the United States, with an estimated 673K branded searches, 36.9% of all searches for the seven we track.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "BBQ chains in the United States: Which are searched most?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/us/categories/us-bbq-chains

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/us/categories/us-bbq-chains. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.