Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is a true American success story. In 1941, Travis Dickey, a WWI veteran, opened the first Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Dallas, Texas. Dickey was a true Texas character blessed with the gift of gab and the love of authentic, slow smoked barbecue. In the beginning, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit was truly a family operation with Travis working the block and Miss Ollie Dickey serving sandwiches. Space on the restaurant sign was rented out to help pay the start up costs for the restaurant and the menu was limited to beef brisket, pit hams, barbecue beans, potato chips, beer, bottled milk and sodas.