{{Short description|American restaurant chain}} {{infobox restaurant | name = City Barbeque | established = {{Start date and age|1999}} | food_type = Barbeque restaurant | dress_code = casual | website = {{URL|https://www.citybbq.com}} }}
thumb|right|Company headquarters '''City Barbeque''' is a fast-casual barbeque chain founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1999 by founder Rick Malir and his wife, Bonnie Coley-Malir. City Barbeque has over 70 company-owned <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/garystern/2019/02/12/most-bbq-restaurants-are-regional-how-city-barbeque-could-break-the-mold/|title=Most BBQ Chains Find It Tough Going National. Could City Barbeque Break The Mold?|last=Stern|first=Gary|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref> restaurants across ten states and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. Mike Muldoon currently serves as the company's CEO.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-06 |title=City Barbeque names Mike Muldoon CEO as founder Rick Malir moves to chairman |url=https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/city-barbeque-names-mike-muldoon-ceo-founder-rick-malir-moves-chairman |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=Nation's Restaurant News |language=en}}</ref>
== History == The first City Barbeque location opened in a former doughnut shop in Upper Arlington, Ohio (located at 2111 W Henderson Road, Columbus, Ohio, and still in operation as of 2025).<ref name="ualibrary.org">[http://infoweb.newsbank.com.ref.ualibrary.org:2048/resources/doc/nb/news/10DD3FB7406A5E78?p=NewsBank News Bank] {{dead link|date=October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/City+Barbeque+and+Catering/@40.057097,-83.076026,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x23415afe7a9882ab?sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiB9oXVwuLaAhWe94MKHRAGBSoQ_BIIkQEwDA|title=Google Maps|website=Google Maps}}</ref><ref>http://citybbq.com/location/arlington/{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> A number of delays pushed back the opening of that first location, so Founder Rick Malir started fulfilling catering orders out of his home to sustain the business while waiting for the restaurant to be ready.<ref name="conqueringcolumbus.com">{{cite web|url=http://conqueringcolumbus.com/podcast/episode-61-story-city-barbeque-co-founder-rick-malir/|title=Episode 61 - The story of City Barbeque with Co-Founder, Rick Malir - Conquering Columbus|publisher=}}</ref>
== Menu == City Barbeque serves beef brisket, pulled pork, turkey breast, pulled chicken with 'Bama sauce, smoked sausage, bone-in chicken, and St. Louis–cut ribs and a variety of crafted sandwiches; all meats are smoked in on-site smokers at each location.<ref name="citybbq.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.citybbq.com/menu/|title=Dine In & Carry Out Menu - City Barbeque and Catering|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/food/listen-cues|title=Listen to the 'cues|publisher=}}</ref> Sides include fries, green beans with bacon, mac & cheese, coleslaw, corn pudding, hush puppies, cornbread, collards with pork,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.myajc.com/lifestyles/food--cooking/secret-smoky-collard-greens-the-stock/yb4PgwT5Y5wjuY37xebPzL/|title=Learn to make collard greens from City Barbeque|last=C. W. Cameron|first=For the AJC|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|language=English|access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref> potato salad, side salads, and baked beans with brisket. The menu also includes shareables, salads, samplers, and three desserts: peach cobbler,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://issuu.com/foodindustrynews/docs/fin_may_2018_wed_edition|title=Food Industry News, May 2018 wed edition|website=Issuu|date=18 April 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref> banana pudding, and triple chocolate cake.<ref name="citybbq.com"/> They often have a rotating limited time offering on the menu as well.
== Awards == City Barbeque's food has been recognized by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (American Royal Invitational World Champion Brisket),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fa-mag.com/news/article-1180.html|title=A Taste Of The City|website=www.fa-mag.com}}</ref> ''Restaurant Hospitality'' magazine ("More Cowbell", which the publication named one of the country's best sandwiches),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://restaurant-hospitality.com/best-sandwiches/best-sandwiches-america-2015-meet-runners#slide-47-field_images-43501|title=Best Sandwiches in America 2015: Meet the runners up|date=8 June 2015|publisher=}}</ref> the National Turkey Federation (Turkey on the Menu, Fast Casual category),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eatturkey.com/pressroom/ntf-announces-recipients-turkey-menu-annual-awards-0|title=NTF Announces Recipients of Turkey on the Menu Annual Awards - Eatturkey.com|website=www.eatturkey.com|access-date=2018-05-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505134956/http://www.eatturkey.com/pressroom/ntf-announces-recipients-turkey-menu-annual-awards-0|archive-date=2018-05-05|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Cooking with Paula Deen'' (Ten to Try: Banana Pudding),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pauladeenmagazine.com/10-try-banana-pudding/2/|title=Worth a Try: Banana Pudding - Paula Deen Magazine|website=www.pauladeenmagazine.com|date=11 January 2018}}</ref> and more.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.citybbq.com/our-awards/|title=Our Awards - City Barbeque and Catering|publisher=}}</ref> The restaurant itself has been named the top barbeque restaurant in Columbus by ''Business Insider'' in 2012,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/the-twenty-best-bbq-joints-in-america-2012-8?op=1/#lumbus-oh-city-bbq-6|title=The Best Barbecue Restaurants In 20 Cities Around The US|website=Business Insider|publisher=}}</ref> one of the top 25 barbeque spots in the country by ''Men's Journal'' in 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mensjournal.com/expert-advice/a-road-trip-to-the-18-best-barbecue-spots-in-america-20140707/city-bbq-columbus-ohio|title=A Road Trip to the 25 Best Barbecue Spots in America|date=24 November 2015|publisher=}}</ref> and the country's second best barbeque chain by The Daily Meal in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/america-s-top-25-barbecue-chains-2017-slideshow/slide-25|title=2. City BBQ from America's Top 25 Barbecue Chains|date=6 April 2017 |publisher=}}</ref> In 2018, City Barbeque was named to ''QSR''{{'}}s 40/40 list;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.qsrmagazine.com/content/4040-list-americas-hottest-startup-fast-casuals|title=The 40/40 List: America's Hottest Startup Fast Casuals|last=danny|date=13 February 2018|publisher=}}</ref> in 2017, it held the #48 spot on ''Restaurant Business''{{'}}s Future 50.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/future-50|title=Future 50|publisher=}}</ref> 2023 brought a win in the Nation's Restaurant News Barbeque Showdown when City Barbeque was voted the winner by readers in a competition featuring top barbecue brands across the nation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-05 |title=City Barbeque named winner of Nation's Restaurant News' Barbecue Showdown |url=https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/city-barbeque-named-winner-nation-s-restaurant-news-barbecue-showdown |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=Nation's Restaurant News |language=en}}</ref>
City Barbeque's business has received recognition as well. The company has been named best employer (under 500 employees) in Columbus, Ohio from 2016 to 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.columbusceo.com/content/stories/2016/11/best-of-business-2016-workforce.html|title=Best of Business 2016: Workforce|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.columbusceo.com/business/20171030/best-of-business-2017|title=Best of Business 2017|last=Yost|first=Chloe Teasley and Mary|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.columbusceo.com/business/20181029/columbus-ceos-best-of-business-2018-readers-poll|title=Columbus CEO's Best of Business 2018: Readers Poll|last=Staff|first=C. E. O.|website=Columbus CEO|language=en|access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref> In 2018, City Barbeque founder Rick Malir received a Smart 50 Award, awarded by ''Smart Business Columbus'' to "recognize the top executives of the 50 smartest companies in the region for their ability to effectively build and lead successful organizations".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.smartbusinessemag.com/June2018/Columbus|title=Smart Business Magazine, June 2018|website=www.smartbusinessemag.com|access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref> City Barbeque received a Pillar Award for Community Service—a recognition honoring "organizations that set the standard for outstanding service to their communities"—in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sbnonline.com/article/2019-pillar-awards-for-community-service/|title=2019 Pillar Awards for Community Service|last=Gest|first=Jayne|website=Smart Business Magazine|date=19 December 2018|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref> Also in 2019, [https://tdn2k.com/ TDn2K] named City Barbeque the Best Practices Award recipient for the fast-casual category, a recognition of "consistently superior performance and results among the hundreds of companies tracked by People Report".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tdn2k.com/uncategorized/best-practices-awards-honored-2019/|title=Best in Class Restaurants Honored at the TDn2K Global Best Practices Conference|date=2019-01-29|website=TDn2K|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref>
== References == <!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. --> {{Reflist}}
Category:1999 establishments in Ohio Category:American companies established in 1999 Category:Barbecue restaurants in the United States Category:Companies based in Dublin, Ohio Category:Restaurant chains in the United States