If you’re thinking about starting a BBQ restaurant, you’re probably wondering who your ideal customer is and how can you market to them.

When it comes to barbecue restaurants, there are a few different target markets that you can go after. Depending on your location, the type of barbecue you serve, and the price point you choose, you’ll want to target different customers.

In this article, we’ll discuss the target market for a BBQ restaurant by seeing what attracts someone to a BBQ restaurant over another type of cuisine. We’ll also provide some tips on how you could stand out from the competition and attract new customers to your restaurant.

Keep reading!


Who is the Target Market for a BBQ Restaurant?

To best understand the target market for a BBQ restaurant, we need to understand why someone chooses to go to a BBQ restaurant over a myriad of other options that are probably available to them.

This way we focus on the customer’s need to eat barbeque. By understanding their needs and their wants we can understand their motivation to select a BBQ joint.

Such a needs-based segmentation approach gives us the following segments of the target market for a BBQ restaurant:

  1. People who love barbeque food
  2. People who are looking for a fun and casual dining experience
  3. Families who are looking for a kid-friendly restaurant
  4. People who are looking for a value meal
  5. People who appreciate good service
  6. People looking for a place to meet and hang out with friends
  7. People who want to watch sports while they eat
  8. People who love southern cooking

Now let’s dive a little deeper into each of these target markets for a BBQ restaurant.

#1 – People Who Love Barbeque Food

This market segment is probably the most important for any barbecue restaurant. After all, if people don’t like barbecue food, there’s no reason for them to come to your restaurant.

When it comes to attracting people who love barbecue food, you need to make sure that your restaurant is serving up dishes that are flavorful and juicy. Needless to say, your meats should be cooked to perfection, and your sides should be hearty and filling.

BBQ food lovers can be very picky and they will not hesitate to dump your restaurant and switch to another if they find anything that is not to their liking.

In addition, you’ll want to make sure that your prices are competitive with other barbecue restaurants in the area. If you can offer a great value for the quality of food that you’re serving, you’ll be able to attract new customers who are looking for a good deal.

#2 – People Who Are Looking for a Fun and Casual Dining Experience

For many people, going out to eat is about more than just the food. It’s also about the atmosphere and the experience.

If you can create a fun and casual dining experience at your barbecue restaurant, you’ll be able to attract customers who are looking for a place to relax and have a good time.

You could consider inviting local bands to play at your restaurant or setting up a few TVs so that people can watch a game while they eat. You could provide outdoor seating for people who want to enjoy the weather, or you could set up a few arcade games for people to play while they wait for their food.

When the overall experience is fun and enjoyable (not just the food), customers will be willing to come back.

#3 – Families Who Are Looking for a Kid-Friendly Restaurant

Families are also a great target market for a bbq restaurant.

If you’re looking to attract families to your barbecue restaurant, you’ll need to make sure that it’s a kid-friendly place.

This means that you should have a menu that appeals to kids, as well as a comfortable and safe environment for them to enjoy. You should also consider offering a kids’ menu with smaller portions and lower prices.

You could also consider setting up a play area for kids or providing coloring sheets and crayons to keep them occupied while they wait for their food.

#4 – People Who Are Looking for a Value Meal

In today’s economy, many people are looking for ways to save money, and this includes their dining budget.

If you can offer great value for the food that you’re serving, you’ll be able to attract customers who are looking for a good deal. To do this, you’ll want to make sure that your prices are competitive with other barbecue restaurants in the area.

You can also offer discounts or promotions that will help your customers save even more money.

One way to keep your costs low and still make a profit is to make your BBQ restaurant into a fast-casual restaurant. This way, you can avoid the high costs associated with sit-down restaurants that require a fuller staff, and your customers will appreciate the lower prices as well as the good food.

So people looking to stretch their dollar are also a segment of the target market for a bbq restaurant.

#5 – People Who Appreciate Good Service

In today’s fast-paced world, good customer service is becoming increasingly rare.

If you can offer a great experience to your customers, you’ll be able to attract people who are looking for a place where they can relax and enjoy themselves. To do this, you’ll need to make sure that your staff is friendly and helpful.

You should also make sure that your restaurant is clean and well-organized. Your staff should be able to handle any customer request with ease, and your restaurant should run like a well-oiled machine.

Providing good food is important but not enough. To build a loyal customer base, offering good service is indispensable.

#6 – People Looking for a Place to Meet and Hang Out with Friends

For many people, going out to eat is synonymous with socializing and spending time with friends. In fact, often the latter is the primary goal with the food or cuisine simply being a means to an end.

If you can create a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere at your barbecue restaurant, you’ll be able to attract customers who are looking for a place to meet up with their friends.

If you could create nooks or corners for groups of friends to sit and chat, or if you could provide a space for people to play games or listen to music, you would be creating an attractive hang-out spot for potential customers.

#7 – People Who Want to Watch Sports While They Eat

Another segment of the target market for a bbq restaurant includes people who love to watch sports but don’t want to do it in a crowded bar.

If you have a television or two in your barbecue restaurant, you’ll be able to attract customers who are looking for a place where they can watch their favorite teams while they eat.

If there’s a big game scheduled, you could advertise that you’ll be showing it and offer discounts on food and drinks. You could also set up a special area for people to watch the game, complete with comfortable chairs and a big-screen TV.

#8 – People who love Southern Cooking

Finally, we mustn’t forget about the people who love Southern cooking. While it’s true that Southern cooking isn’t limited to barbecue, the two do go hand-in-hand.

If you can offer authentic Southern barbecue, you’ll be able to attract customers who are looking for a taste of the South. To do this, you’ll need to make sure that your recipes are authentic and that your food is cooked to perfection.

You can also create a unique atmosphere in your restaurant that will make your customers feel like they’ve been transported to the heart of the South.


Conclusion

The target market for a BBQ restaurant predominantly includes people who love barbeque food.

But it also includes people who are looking for a fun and casual dining experience, perhaps to hang out with friends or visit with family and kids.

Many people will choose a barbeque restaurant because they are looking for great food and a reasonable price and many barbeque restaurants tick all the right boxes for this audience.

Some people who want to watch a sports game while eating may choose a relatively casual BBQ restaurant over a crowded bar and so if a restaurant offers this option, they can attract this clientele.

Finally, a BBQ restaurant can also attract people who are looking for a taste of the South especially if the dishes and the atmosphere are authentic.