Famous Dave's: Catering to Change with A Design Shakeup

Accelerated by the pandemic in 2020, more and more guests are choosing to enjoy their meals off-premises. That shift appears to be part of the new normal for the industry: QSRs are projected to grow by 2.2% this year, compared to 1.3% growth for FSRs.

Famous Dave’s observed the takeout trend years before the first COVID-19 cases were reported. In 2018, executives noted that off-prem sales accounted for about 40% of single-store sales. To add fuel to that revenue stream, they started experimenting with new store formats, including drive-thrus and line service. 

Now, the iconic BBQ brand has landed on a store design that meets the modern consumer while paying homage to their roots. 

Big flavor, smaller package

The first 10 Famous Dave’s units—including the original “shack” in Hayward, Wisconsin—were counter service only, where customers placed an order at a counter, took a number, and had food delivered to their seats. As the years passed, guest needs shifted: the brand added a host stand, a full bar, and full table service to the menu. That store footprint is between 6,000-7,000 square feet, with a maximum capacity of 220 to 240 guests.

But now, with Famous Dave’s sales about 55-60% off-prem, they’re taking another (barbe)cue from their customers. To better serve takeout and catering orders, they’re cutting back on dining room space and fully removing host stands and full bars. 

It’s a modernized version of their original counter service model that leans on new, adaptive equipment to serve up the same big BBQ flavors in much smaller kitchens. Here’s the equipment they’re using to make it happen.

Trading smoke for humidity

In Famous Daves’ full-service restaurants, all meats are smoked in-house. The expenses of running in-house smokers add up quickly: each unit was likely spending between $1.50-$3.00 per hour just on smoker fuel.

The smaller store footprint removes smokers in favor of new ovens. Meats are smoked off-prem by Famous Daves’ suppliers, then shipped directly to each store for heating and final prep. Heating is done in rethermalization ovens overnight, which mimic the results from a traditional BBQ smoker.

By reheating proteins in high-humidity ovens, the meat becomes exceptionally tender, and moisture and smoke rings are retained for an authentic flavor. Famous Dave’s executives argue that these ovens actually deliver better results: the equipment shift has been so successful that the brand is considering bringing them into their full-service stores.

A toast to multi-use products

The rethermalization ovens are just one ingredient of the hot side overhaul. In full service Famous Dave’s stores, traditional toaster ovens are used to add color and crispness to bread. But with a smaller kitchen, every bit of space counts—it’s not logical to keep one piece of equipment that only serves one minor need.

Now, down the line from the new ovens, a small flat top grill serves to not just reheat burnt ends, but also toast sandwich bread. It’s a simple but effective switch from the toasters in larger kitchens. There’s no need to find extra space for the toasters, and staff can easily keep an eye on how the bread is warming.

The chargrill also does double-duty in the kitchen. All of the burgers on the menu are cooked here, adding smoke and crust to the meat patties while searing in the juice that keeps them tender. But the ribs are finished here, too: once a rack is removed from the rethermalization oven, it’s sauced and cooked on the chargrill for five minutes to caramelize.

Why not just stick to one grill? Well, to get the proper sear on burgers and for the BBQ sauce to caramelize, the grill has to be at least 500°F. It would suck all of the moisture out of the burnt ends, and actually burn the sandwich bread that should just be lightly toasted. Plus, a flat top just won’t get that same smoky flavor into a burger that’s worthy of a BBQ joint.

Catering to customers

Famous Dave’s anticipates continued growth in its off-premises sales, including catering. The new store models may shrink, but with new equipment, they enable staff to better prepare for high-volume orders in less space. Every customer can still be accommodated without causing kitchen chaos. 

The BBQ brand is positioned to thrive as it continues to make smart product swaps in the kitchen that support the changing purchasing habits of their customers.