10 Marketing Lessons from 9 Insane Texas BBQ Meals in 3 Days
After my 126 Chipotle visits over a six-month period, I decided to try a more compressed approach to satisfy my Texas barbecue craving. So my buddy and I took a trip with one simple mission:
To consume as much BBQ as possible in three short days!
We flew into Dallas on Wednesday morning, then drove to Austin plus some surrounding towns and flew back to LA Friday night. Intense? You bet your ass! But aside from the unrelenting meat sweats and recurring stomach-aches, here’s what I picked up during those 60 hours of glorious gluttony:
1. Your Reputation is EVERYTHING
Actually, your product is everything. And people just know what’s good. That’s increasingly the reality in other industries too. The world is only becoming more transparent so we’ll know if your product is great (or crappy) before we even try it. That’s why we’ll put up with that four-hour line for Franklin Barbecue.
2. Confidence + Simplicity = Dominance
The reason why his brisket is the best is because Aaron Franklin has the confidence to not do more than what is necessary to make it perfect. la Barbecue is damn close, but they just put a little too much on it. Perfection can be as much about restraint as anything else, and with it you can truly dominate your space.
3. You Betta Recognize (Your Position)
They’re not all the same — far from it! You have the old school BBQ joints from the early 1900s that stick to what’s made them successful and then you have the modern BBQ spots created by young enthusiasts. As long as people still like your type and you know that for sure, go all in on it. Be you. Represent!
4. Bet on Your Damn Strengths Already
Micklethwait arguably has some of the best pork in Texas. Do you think that’s a coincidence when they’re literally just down the street from Franklin who has the best beef? Hell no! They focus on what they do best (pork) and don’t really bother competing on brisket. They must have heard what Gary Vaynerchuk said.
5. Show Some Freakin’ Respect
Wanna know the coolest thing about Franklin? The guy cutting our meat told us how much he loves Micklethwait. That’s respect. That’s winning. No attitude there. See, people aren’t ONLY picking you. So why act like it? Respect the community you’re a part of and show it. If you’re good, you can afford to be generous.
6. You Can’t Possibly Believe Customer Service Doesn’t Matter
WTF! People still don’t get this? It’s the biggest cliché in business. Yet it’s still a differentiator. Crazy! But look, we get that certain styles are cool — like not letting people use forks and stuff — but don’t be unfriendly. You can always deliver your product with a positive attitude and appreciation. In fact, you must!
7. Why Would You Ruin It by Being Obnoxious?
Rental car bastards, here we go. So you’re in a totally commoditized space — I get it. But why turn a perfectly fine experience into a sour debate about whether I need your insurance or not? As if the one I have for my own car isn’t good enough for the rest of the year. Stop trying to freak me out! (Needed a car for the BBQ tour.)
8. Let’s Be Clear — A Real Craft Is Always Marketable
What if I told you there’s a sheet-metal guy in Austin who made two of Franklin’s smokers but typically makes motorcycles and recently opened up a killer coffee shop where they even roast their own beans. Our new friend Sterling at Flat Track Coffee is that dude. If you’re really good at something now, you’ll win.
9. Nobody Cares About a Beautiful Logo, OK?!
My BBQ buddy designed a t-shirt for our trip that included an inside joke — redesigning the logo of a dead tech startup to make it look like a silly candy/soda brand. It was on the front of the t-shirt, but nobody cared. Only the back triggered conversations because it had a list of the BBQ spots we were hitting. People want the story, not a shiny logo.
10. Note to Self: Don’t Think You’re So Damn Special
This trip was truly epic. But were we the only ones doing something like that? Hell no. At La Barbecue we actually ran into two other guys who were taking a Tuesday-Sunday trip from Chicago. Wow! Remember: No matter what you do, there’s always somebody pushing even harder. Be humble and step your game up.
Austin is the BBQ capital of the world in my view. Not sure the city is as weird as it wants to be, but the incestuous nature of its BBQ scene has created a unique community that brands in other markets and industries should take note of. The top players have carved out such strong positions and they execute like crazy on a daily basis to make sure they keep those spots. A strategic approach and hard work, y’all.
Now, for those of you who want some more details about the actual BBQ experience, here’s a recap of the places we visited (in order) and what I personally thought of them along with my pics:
Pecan Lodge — Dallas, TX: Easily the best BBQ I had had prior to this trip and still great. But the massive beef ribs were a bit too fatty this time. Love the not-so-sweet slaw though. Amazing atmosphere and a nice express line for those of us who buy at least 5 pounds of meat. Love it!
Micklethwait Craft Meats — Austin, TX: Refreshingly low-key, but a real gem, within walking distance from Franklin. The pork shoulder was insanely good. Sadly, the beef ribs were sold out by the time we got there, but the barbacoa was unique and tasty. Skip the brisket here though. Really cool little spot.
Slab BBQ & Beer (Food Truck) — Austin, TX: We added an unplanned meal as this food truck was parked right outside our hotel when we got there. With more of an urban style and bold flavors, The Notorious PIG (pulled pork and slaw) with jalapeños added was a natural choice for me, and it was delicious.
Franklin Barbecue — Austin, TX: The best. Got there at 8:45 am and sat down to eat at 12:30 pm, but totally worth it. This brisket is absolutely heavenly. Incredible sausage too. AND great service. Because it’s such a destination, Franklin fosters a great community, and the line is part of the experience. Go!
Kreuz Market — Lockhart, TX: Seems like a spot mostly for locals. Not very friendly to out-of-towners. Huge place that’s been in business since 1900 so it’s a very cool place to check out, but the food wasn’t that great. Decent beef ribs, but the jalapeño cheese sausage had a strange texture.
Black’s Barbecue — Lockhart, TX: Another old school BBQ joint, but this place has a much friendlier staff than Kreuz. Food is better too. Just steer clear of the sides — soggy green beans and stuff that didn’t seem to have been made from scratch. But both the brisket and beef ribs were solid. Unique place.
The Salt Lick— Driftwood, TX: An amazing experience way beyond the food. Such a cool (and HUGE) place. Go at night. Can easily forgive the lack of exceptional food with such a special atmosphere, but it really underlines that BBQ is a precision game and volume is the enemy. Hard to serve that many people.
la Barbecue — Austin, TX: Ah, the contender. Arguably the closest to Franklin. That first bite of the brisket made me think it was actually better, but after a few more bites, it seemed the flavor was just a bit more bold than it needed to be. Maybe trying a bit too hard, but this place is a must-visit!
Lockhart Smokehouse — Dallas, TX: The owner’s grandfather ran Kreuz from 1948 until he passed it on to his sons in the 1980s, but this place is way more compelling. Service was outstanding. Delicious jalapeno sausage and solid brisket. Great way to wrap up the BBQ tour before we flew back to LA.
We should have hit John Mueller Meat Co in Austin and Hutchins BBQ in McKinney too, but we’ll just have to get to them next time. For now, though, I need to finish my detox and get back to neutral.
