McDONOUGH, Ga. — Slow-cooked ribs are a popular Southern cuisine often served up by mom-and-pop roadside restaurants, but Shane Thompson and his backers believe the shack he opened in this Atlanta suburb four years ago is a model for a national chain.
Shane’s Rib Shack, with its mouthwatering ribs, short wait times and tin-roofed or porchlike interiors, has 40 restaurants in eight states, and it plans to open an additional 60 in the next year. Shane’s has locations in Franklin, Hendersonville, Chattanooga and Knoxville.
Parent company Raving Brands, a privately held firm that bought the concept from Thompson in 2004, has set a lofty goal of reaching 2,000 locations across the country by 2020 in an industry where the largest U.S. barbecue chain has only about 150 restaurants.
Analysts and competitors are watching to see if Shane’s, with projected systemwide sales this year of $19 million, fizzles or sizzles.
“It’s going to come down to the food,” said Harry Balzer, a food industry analyst at market researcher NPD Group.
Shane’s serves ribs and pork barbecue sandwiches, but also has branched out into wings, chicken tenders and salads.
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