Jeff Crivello

At Your Service

by Katie Lee April 27, 2022

— Interview with Jeff Crivello — Famous Dave’s expands its first line-service model and even adds a drive-thru as it grows through ghost kitchens, virtual brands, dual concepts, and strategic acquisitions of complementary brands. Nearly 30 years after the first Famous Dave’s opened in Hayward, Wisconsin, BBQ Holdings, Inc. continues to innovate and invigorate. Testing new prototype designs — including its first drive-thru model — and acquiring complementary brands are just two of the ways in which Famous Dave’s propels its impressive growth trajectory. In mid-March, Retail & Restaurant …

April 27, 2022

News people restaurants

BBQ Holdings Hires New VP of Franchise Sales and Real Estate

by Katie Lee September 21, 2021

Minnetonka, Minn. — BBQ Holdings, Inc., the multi-brand restaurant company behind concepts such as Famous Dave’s and Granite City Food and Brewery, and the newly acquired Village Inn and Bakers Square, has hired Manny Packing as the brand’s new vice president of franchise sales and real estate. Most recently, Packing was the director of international real estate and construction for Inspire Brands, the owner and franchisor of several legacy franchise brands, including Arby’s, Sonic Drive-In, Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins. While there, Packing was responsible for onboarded new franchisees and led efforts …

September 21, 2021

construction and design franchise development News restaurants

Famous Dave’s to Debut Drive-Thru and New Quick ‘Que Models in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas

by Katie Lee April 12, 2021

Minnetonka, Minn. — Famous Dave’s, the fast-growing barbeque franchise with 134 restaurants across the country, is bringing its counter and line-serve “Quick ‘Que” prototypes to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. The Las Vegas location — a line-serve model — will open on Paradise Road, just a few blocks from the Las Vegas Strip, in early June. The Salt Lake City restaurant — a counter-serve model with a drive-thru — will open on South State Street in June. Both restaurant models boast small footprints with the goal of a quicker …

April 12, 2021

construction and design News restaurants

Famous Dave’s Plans New Restaurant Prototype

by Katie Lee March 2, 2021

Minnetonka, Minn. — Famous Dave’s, a fast-growing barbeque franchise with 117 restaurants, will introduce a streamlined new restaurant prototype this year. BBQ Holdings, Famous Dave’s parent franchisor, has struck an agreement with DTSG, one of its legacy franchisee groups, to open Famous Dave’s Quick-Que’, its first line-service model restaurant in Coon Rapids, Minn. In 2020, BBQ Holdings purchased Real Urban BBQ, a cafeteria-style barbeque restaurant concept that inspired Famous Dave’s new line-service model. The new model will provide the same fan-favorite BBQ fare Famous Dave’s built its name on but …

March 2, 2021

construction and design franchise development News restaurants

Famous Dave’s Reveals Smaller Footprint Prototype Restaurant

by Katie Lee January 6, 2020

Minnetonka, Minn. — Famous Dave’s opened the first of its smaller footprint prototype restaurants in Uptown Minneapolis on December 20, 2019. The new restaurant is approximately 3,000 square feet — compared to the average 6,500 to 7,000 square feet — and features a bar-centric environment and compact dining area. Famous Dave’s parent holding company, BBQ Holdings, Inc. which recently opened its Clark Crew BBQ restaurant concept with its partner Clark Championship Products LLC, is looking to open five to 10 of these smaller footprint restaurants by the end of 2020. …

January 6, 2020