Billy Sims Bbq

Billy Sims BBQ was founded in 2004 by Heisman Trophy winner Billy Sims and business partner Jeff Jackson. Sims is an Oklahoma Sooners legend and former Detroit Lions running back who won college football's highest individual honor in 1978. He met Jackson in the early 2000s while working on marketing campaigns for major retail apparel brands. Sims is from Hooks, Texas, and Jackson is from Kansas City, Kansas, giving the brand a barbecue identity rooted in both Texas and Kansas City traditions. The first restaurant opened at The Farm Shopping Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2004. The company began franchising in 2008 through Legendary Q Brands, LLC, an Oklahoma limited liability company established on June 24, 2009. Headquarters are at 6570 B East 51st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74145. Jackson is CEO, while Sims remains active as a brand ambassador. The brand has operated in as many as nine states and had 34 locations as of December 1, 2025, including 22 in Oklahoma, or approximately 64.7% of the system. Celebrity recognition, regional concentration, and the operating model all warrant independent review before investment.

Billy Sims BBQ operates in the limited service restaurant category, which benefits from demand for speed, value, and convenience. The global limited service restaurant market is projected to grow from USD 1,281.4 million in 2025 to USD 2,087.3 million by 2035, representing a 5.0% compound annual growth rate. Urbanization, limited time among working households, and digital ordering support that growth. Fast casual barbecue also benefits from interest in protein focused meals, regional American food, and higher quality lunch and dinner occasions. Mobile ordering, self service kiosks, contactless payments, delivery platforms, and loyalty programs can support repeat purchases. Smoking meat over wood requires time, specialized equipment, and consistent execution, creating a barrier for operators that cannot standardize those processes. The Daily Meal named Billy Sims BBQ one of the nation's 10 best barbecue chains, and USA Today included it among the top athlete based restaurant chains.

The investment range varies across the stated sources. Current data places the total initial investment at $169,200 to $433,100, while the 2016 Franchise Disclosure Document cites $174,200 to $446,100. The initial franchise fee is $30,000. Franchisees must have at least $170,000 in liquid capital and a minimum net worth of $250,000. Costs can vary with format, geography, real estate structure, conversion of an existing space, lease terms, equipment, and construction. The parent company, Legendary Q Brands, LLC, is described as unfunded, which merits review during corporate due diligence. The initial agreement lasts 10 years and includes a 10 year renewal option. The stated $169,200 to $433,100 range compares with fast casual concepts that may require $500,000 to over $1 million before opening.

The menu includes nine meats, including ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, turkey, and bologna, all smoked daily over pecan wood at each restaurant. That process affects staffing, training, equipment, and daily management. Franchisees are expected to be owner operators who take an active role in the business rather than treating it as a semi absentee investment. Initial training lasts four weeks at the Tulsa, Oklahoma headquarters. The 2016 FDD reports 134 total training hours, including 11 hours of classroom instruction and 123 hours of on the job training. Franchisor support includes site selection and development, unified pricing, computer and technology assistance, and field operations guidance. Franchise Business Review named Billy Sims BBQ a Franchisee Satisfaction Award Winner for 2015, with franchisees ranking the brand highly for leadership, training, and operations support. Revenue can also come from catering and online ordering, and some locations may offer beer. The company is seeking multi unit deals across states throughout the country.

Those figures describe companywide economics, not individual restaurant results. The 2016 FDD reported as many as 53 franchised locations across six states, compared with 34 locations as of December 1, 2025. Current and former franchisees should be contacted for validation. Reviews are mixed, with some customers praising brisket flavor and others citing dryness. Official revenue potential remains unquantified.

Billy Sims BBQ expanded from its 2004 founding to 20 Oklahoma locations, two in Missouri, and one in Michigan by 2012. By 2014, it had 45 franchised locations across seven states. The 2016 FDD reported a peak of 53 franchised units across six states. In December 2015, the company reported 48 restaurants and signed nine franchise agreements in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Iowa, while management projected a record growth year for 2016. By December 1, 2025, the system had 34 locations across the United States. Oklahoma had 22 sites, or 64.7% of the system, Kansas had seven, or 20.6%, and Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri each had between one and two locations. The brand's differentiators include Sims's Heisman Trophy identity, daily on site smoking, recognition from Restaurant Business as a Future 50 fastest growing small chain, and recognition from the Daily Meal as one of the nation's 10 best barbecue chains. The menu includes nine smoked proteins, smoker cooked baked potatoes, smoked corn on the cob, and baked beans with brisket. Information updated July 5, 2023 described a 30 plus unit concept in six states seeking multi unit franchisees. The broader system scope included 54 locations across Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Michigan, Arkansas, Iowa, Colorado, and Wisconsin.

The strongest candidate is prepared for hands on operations and has genuine interest in the brand and its barbecue process. Food service management, multi unit restaurant experience, and hospitality leadership may fit the owner operator model better than a passive investment approach. The company's interest in multi unit franchisees favors candidates with the management structure and capital to develop several restaurants in a defined market. Oklahoma and Kansas are the most established markets by location count. The brand has also operated across Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Michigan, Arkansas, Iowa, Colorado, and Wisconsin. The agreement includes a 10 year term and a 10 year renewal option, creating a potential 20 year planning horizon. As of July 1, 2024, the company employed between 201 and 500 people systemwide, reflecting the staffing needs of a multi state network and its franchise support requirements.

Billy Sims BBQ combines a recognizable founder, daily pecan wood smoking of nine meats, an initial investment range of $134,880 to $274,000, and a 6.0% royalty with a category projected to grow at a 5.0% compound annual rate through 2035. PeerSense is a commercial capital advisory firm that introduces franchise buyers to SBA and conventional lenders. PeerSense is not a lender. Its profile includes SBA lending history, Loan Activity Score analysis, location maps with Google ratings, FDD financial data, and comparison tools. The brand's PeerSense Loan Activity Score is 20, classified as Limited. Buyers should speak with current and former franchisees, review the complete FDD with a franchise attorney, and test unit level financial models using realistic revenue assumptions.