Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q

Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q is a North Carolina quick-service restaurant chain built around two regional comfort-food categories: fried chicken and Eastern North Carolina barbecue. The business began in downtown Smithfield, North Carolina, in 1977, when Junius and Maggie Moore opened a restaurant under the name Smithfield Bar-B-Q. Its original identity was closely associated with the barbecue traditions of eastern North Carolina, while the menu and brand proposition later incorporated fried chicken as a central offering. The company expanded cautiously after its first location. A second restaurant opened in nearby Clayton, followed by a location in Salter Path in 1979. During the early 1980s, Smithfield's added further restaurants across eastern North Carolina. In the 1990s, the chain extended its presence into the Raleigh-Durham area, broadening its reach beyond its original Smithfield base while retaining a distinctly regional identity. Smithfield's operates primarily as a state-focused restaurant brand rather than a nationally distributed fast-food chain. Its core concept combines counter-service convenience with familiar North Carolina dishes, including barbecue and fried chicken. The brand's name and geographic roots emphasize Smithfield, a community historically associated with North Carolina barbecue, and its menu positioning connects the chain to the Eastern North Carolina style of barbecue, which is commonly characterized by pork, a vinegar-based sauce, and a sharp, tangy flavor profile. As of March 2024, the chain had 41 locations across North Carolina, according to the cited Wikipedia reference, and it also operated an online store. Its business remains centered on physical restaurants serving prepared meals, supported by takeout and other quick-service formats. Publicly available reference material does not establish a parent company, public listing, ticker symbol, current executive roster, or detailed financial information. The available record instead highlights the chain's local and regional development from a single Smithfield restaurant into a multi-location North Carolina operator.

Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q traces its origins to downtown Smithfield, North Carolina, where Junius and Maggie Moore opened a restaurant in 1977. The original business operated as Smithfield Bar-B-Q and was grounded in the barbecue culture of eastern North Carolina. Although the chain later became known for both barbecue and fried chicken, its early identity was closely tied to its Smithfield location and regional barbecue specialization. The first phase of growth came through nearby expansion. After the Smithfield opening, the company established a second restaurant in Clayton, North Carolina. In 1979, it added a location in Salter Path, extending the business beyond the immediate Smithfield and Johnston County area. These early openings created a foundation for a broader regional restaurant network while preserving the brand's North Carolina focus. During the early 1980s, Smithfield's opened additional restaurants in eastern North Carolina. This period established the chain as a multi-location operator across the eastern part of the state rather than a single-town restaurant. Expansion remained geographically concentrated, allowing the business to serve communities with familiarity with the region's barbecue traditions and demand for accessible fried-chicken meals. In the 1990s, the chain entered the Raleigh-Durham area. This move brought the brand into one of North Carolina's largest and fastest-growing metropolitan regions and represented a significant step beyond its original eastern-North-Carolina footprint. The expansion nevertheless retained the company's regional character; the available historical record does not indicate a national rollout or conversion into a large interstate chain. The business is now known as Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q, a name that combines its hometown heritage with its two defining food categories. Its restaurants operate in a quick-service format and focus on prepared meals built around fried chicken and Eastern North Carolina barbecue. The chain also maintains an online store, giving it a direct-to-consumer channel in addition to its restaurant locations. As of March 2024, the cited reference described 41 locations statewide in North Carolina. Public sources available for this dossier do not provide a verified account of the company's corporate ownership structure, detailed management history, revenue, or store-by-store chronology. The documented history is therefore primarily one of regional organic expansion: a 1977 Smithfield barbecue restaurant, followed by nearby and coastal North Carolina locations, broader eastern-state development in the 1980s, and Raleigh-Durham expansion in the 1990s.

• 2024

  North Carolina network reaches 41 locations

  [1]Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Qen.wikipedia.org

  The cited reference reported 41 locations across North Carolina as of March 2024, together with an online store.

• 1990

  Entry into the Raleigh-Durham area

  [1]Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Qen.wikipedia.org

  The chain expanded into the Raleigh-Durham market during the 1990s, increasing its reach into central North Carolina.

• 1980

  Broader eastern North Carolina expansion begins

  [1]Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Qen.wikipedia.org

  During the early 1980s, Smithfield's opened additional restaurants across eastern North Carolina.

• 1979

  Expansion to Salter Path

  [1]Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Qen.wikipedia.org

  After opening a second restaurant in nearby Clayton, the company added a location in Salter Path, extending its presence within North Carolina.

• 1977

  First restaurant opens in Smithfield

  [1]Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Qen.wikipedia.org

  Junius and Maggie Moore opened the business in downtown Smithfield, North Carolina, under the name Smithfield Bar-B-Q.

Regional North Carolina quick-service restaurant specializing in fried chicken and Eastern North Carolina barbecue.

• Quick-service chicken

  Fried chicken

  Fried chicken is one of Smithfield's defining menu categories and complements the chain's barbecue heritage. It supports the brand's quick-service format through individually ordered pieces, meal combinations, and takeout-oriented portions. The available reference material identifies fried chicken as a core specialty but does not provide a complete menu, preparation specifications, or current product lineup.

• Regional barbecue · 1977

  Eastern North Carolina barbecue

  Eastern North Carolina barbecue is the brand's foundational specialty and the source of its original Smithfield Bar-B-Q identity. The concept connects the restaurants to the eastern part of the state and its regional barbecue tradition. Publicly available material confirms the category and regional style but does not specify all cuts, sauces, serving formats, or recipes offered at current locations.

1. 1Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Qen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q official websitesmithfieldschicken.com