Rib Crib
Hickory-smoked barbecue franchise founded in Tulsa in 1992.
RibCrib is a barbecue chain that opened its first location in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1992, founded by Bret Chandler. It focuses on hickory-smoked meats, particularly slow-smoked ribs, and also offers sides and sandwiches. By 2025, the chain had grown to over 50 restaurants across eight states, with meat smoked on-site daily. A 2016 Consumer Reports survey ranked RibCrib among the best in the country for food quality, menu variety, value, service, and atmosphere.
Quick Facts
- Industry
- Restaurant
- Genre
- Barbecue
- Headquarters
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Founded
- 1992 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Founder
- Bret Chandler
- Key people
- Marc Chastain (President)
- Locations
- 50 (2025)
Facts from the source article.
Background
In 1992, Bret Chandler opened the first RibCrib in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a smoker, a shack, and a recipe for barbecue. That shack was a retrofitted old house, where Bret offered a choice of five meats with two side options. He continued to refine his recipe by competing in barbecue competitions and learning from fellow pitmasters. Within five years, RibCrib expanded to six units. In June 2005, RibCrib was in Restaurant Business magazine's 'top 50 growth chains' list, having posted a 25% increase in sales in 2004. That same year, it planned a co-branded venture with KFC in Marshfield, Missouri, promoting that a barbecue and fried chicken pairing would be successful. In 2006, Chain Leader magazine listed RibCrib as one of the best places to work, due partially to its cash incentives for workers.
More in Barbecue Restaurants in the United States
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced