is a family owned and operated business headquartered in Leoma, TN and has been in operation for 43 years. Rick’s Barbecue’s original location opened in 1979 in a very small block and brick building in Lawrenceburg, TN with only two pits, a drive through and a walk up window. After years of hard work and by surrounding themselves with great people, Rick Lanning, his wife, and children have grown t
he business into an operation that includes nine retail operations in both TN and AL; one retail franchise location owned by Rick's brother; a USDA inspected processing plant, central warehouse and commissary for all operations including the home office; and a large wholesale operation that services the southeast via several large grocery warehouses, wholesale suppliers, and school systems. The main focus of success has been incredible team members and loyal customers. Rick’s goal from 1979 has been to provide customers a quality, pure meat product at a competitive price. At the beginning of the business in 1979, most in this region associated barbecue with the “mystery meat” smothered in red sauce. Rick’s goal was to reorient folks to what “good” barbecue really was. His philosophy was, if the meats were prepared properly, it could stand on it’s own, without sauce. So he would concentrate on doing one thing, and doing it right. His success has been in direct correlation to the passion he had for what he does and the love for the people around him in both customers and team members. "They are our extended family, some having been with us over thirty years now" -Rick. The dedication of our Rick’s family of employee’s make his job as visionary for the company a workable reality.
