BBQ restaurants can include a wide range of cuisines, from a sophisticated Korean barbecue to a down-home Southern-inspired BBQ menu. If you want a more casual country feel for your restaurant's menu, family-style service can be a great option. Family-style service can make it easier for the back of the house to expedite orders, and it can also make it easier for servers to take care of guests and flip tables quickly. Here are some ways to incorporate a country-inspired family-style service into your BBQ restaurant concept.

Large Tables And Bench Seating

You want to be able to seat as many people as possible in your dining room, but you also want to make sure there is plenty of room for serving platters. Smaller tables that fit into fine dining establishments and diners may not provide the space for diners to pass sides, entrees, and appetizers. Instead, consider long tables with bench-style seating. This makes it easier to accommodate large groups and put out an impressive spread for all of your guests.

Streamlined Menu

Each table will be ordering for the whole group, so you don't want to overwhelm diners with too many options for each course. Focus on tried and true favorites to fit your country-inspired BBQ menu. These options might include barbecue baked beans, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, hush puppies, and potato salad. Consider appetizer platters to create a tasting menu for guests and offer those same menu items individually so returning customers can order their favorites. Make sure that your menu highlights your barbecued meats as the stars of your food offerings. Diners can build their own family-style meal by selecting a protein first and adding sides to complement the meat.

Country Bread Baskets

A country BBQ restaurant concept provides a great opportunity to offer classic bread options instead of your traditional dinner rolls. Consider offering baskets of cornbread and buttermilk biscuits at each table free of charge. These traditional country offerings give diners a sneak peek at the deliciousness of the foods you're about to serve. Offering up free biscuits and bread can also help keep diners satisfied if your kitchen staff falls behind during busy meal services. Work with your chef to create a house-made apple butter or other sweet butter to complement the country bread baskets.

DIY Sauces

One aspect of family-style dining you might see at some country BBQ restaurants is the DIY sauce selection. Providing bottles of your house-made barbecue sauces gives diners a way to customize their chicken, beef, or pork with their favorite flavors. Partner with your team of cooks and chefs to create sweet, spicy, and mild sauces to complement the proteins on your menu. You might also want to consider adding a vinegar-based and a mustard-based sauce as an ode to Carolina-style barbecues. Other options that fit the country BBQ concept might include a Southern white barbecue sauce and a thick Kansas City sauce. If your sauces are a hit, you might even want to bottle them for individual sale to boost your restaurant's profits. For inspiration, visit a place like Grumpy's Bar B Que Roadhouse.