Dickey's Barbecue Pit Files Lawsuit on Former Owner/Operator

MERIDIAN, Idaho, April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Dickey's Barbecue Pit has filed a federal lawsuit against former Meridian, Idaho franchise owner, Luigi Mangione, after he continued to use the brand when his franchise agreement ended.

Dickey's terminated Luigi Mangione's Franchise Agreement on January 19, 2010 after he stopped paying royalties to Dickey's, a condition required by the Franchise Agreement.  Mangione's continued use of Dickey's trademarks, trade secrets, proprietary marks, and decor has instigated the suit, according to company officials.

The lawsuit's official title is Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. v. Lira, LLC and Luigi Mangione in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division.

"It is unfortunate that Mangione did not keep up his end of the agreement," Dickey's President Roland Dickey, Jr. said.  "The relationships with our owner/operators are a top priority in our business and we are very disappointed about how this relationship ended. At this point we are most concerned about Mangione's use of our reputation and brand without the quality control we insist upon in our restaurants."

United States District Judge Jorge A. Solis granted a Temporary Restraining Order in Dickey's favor on March 3, 2010 and a further order to extend the Temporary Restraining Order shortly after.

Dickey's is currently seeking to enforce the Temporary Restraining Order to the fullest extent possible.

Dickey's Barbecue, the largest barbecue chain in the country, is well-known for their hot pit-smoked barbecue meats, free ice cream, and free big yellow cups.

The first Dickey's Barbecue opened in 1941 in Dallas, TX. The original location is still open for business and Dickey's Barbecue is still owned and operated by the Dickey Family. Dickey's only began franchising in 1994; now there are over 110 locations in 21 states. Even today, Dickey's still slow smokes all of their signature meats overnight in every restaurant.  

www.dickeys.com

SOURCE Dickey's Barbecue Pit

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED