It’s great to be at the Sonny’s BBQ annual convention at the Sawgrass Marriott in Ponte Vedra Beach. We’re joining the pros from Sonny’s BBQHQ and terrific franchisees from around the South as they celebrate 49 years of BBQ domination and position this inspirational brand for future success.

On the day that Amazon disrupted the national scene by launching Amazon Fresh, Sonny’s BBQ is rising to the challenge of delivering the nation’s Number 1 BBQ – when, where, and how consumers want it – while updating franchise locations to create an enhanced dining-in guest experience. (Look for an Uber Eats option and heightened take-out experience in your community soon.)

Here’s seven fun facts you might not know about Sonny’s BBQ:

• Sonny’s award-winning BBQ is slow-cooked on premises by local pitmasters.
• Many locations offer a full bar to complement the finger-licking BBQ.
• You can nominate someone worthy in your community to receive a Random Act of BBQ experience, including a delicious free meal delivered to them.
• Sonny’s BBQ has a long tradition of making customers’ lives easier – it was one of the first casual dining restaurants to offer hot, fresh meals to go with a drive-through option.
• Sonny’s BBQ created National Pulled Pork Day (Oct. 12) and sold 25% more BBQ on that day.
• Last year, Sonny’s BBQ earned a world record for the largest serving of pulled pork, weighing in at 2,000 pounds!
• In 2018, Sonny’s BBQ will celebrate 50 years of dishing up the country’s best BBQ slathered in Southern hospitality.

It’s a privilege to be the Sonny’s BBQ national PR partner as we help the pit team prepare for a special 50th anniversary year. In anticipation of a year of high-visibility promotion, our SMG rhino Chauniqua Major and Sonny’s own PR maven Montana Coleman, joined by Sonny’s head pitmaster Bryan Mroczka, today presented a live demo of the do’s and don’ts of staging a live TV cooking demonstration. Bottom line: Be brief. Be prepared. And be likeable. Fortunately, Bryan’s got all that down.