How old is sonny tillman
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About Sonny’s BBQ
Slow smokin' in a fast-paced world.
We opened our first local BBQ joint in Gainesville, Florida in 1968.
Every day since, we’ve been smokin’ and servin’ our signature BBQ to hungry folks and gaining new fans in the process. What’s been the secret to our success? We’re passionate about BBQ. We constantly perfect our craft. And we bring our expertise to the table with every meal. But above all, we put others first and make sure everyone who dines with us feels right at home.
Discover Sonny’s Art of BBQ
Our craft is steeped in tradition and a love for authentic, Southern-style BBQ. Discover the magic behind our signature slow-smoked meats and the tried-and-true techniques.
Our People
Passionate Pitmasters & Friendly Faces
Our team is at the heart and soul of everything we do, and our history is centered around folks who bring the spirit of BBQ. We want you to be a part of that flavorful future.
The Latest
Sonny’s Franchising
Fired-Up Future
With the popularity of our BBQ continuing to grow, our future’s
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Origins of the Sonny’s and Fat Boys BBQ chains
Who says there is no such thing as Florida barbeque? Sonny’s BBQ is the largest chain in the industry, and it all started in Central Florida. Where exactly? I reckon some would say Gainesville, but that depends on how far you want to go back in time.
Joe Culpepper: The great-grandaddy of Florida barbeque
Joseph Seaborn Culpepper is the great-grandfather of barbeque restaurants on the Florida peninsula. He was born in 1907 and grew up in Cordele, Georgia. His father, David Culpepper (1873-1940), guarded a dozen heirloom family recipes that led many to say he made the best barbeque in Georgia. This culinary prowess was exhibited around family and community events but never commercially.
Joe moved to Miami in 1933 with these recipes in hand. He opened his first restaurant (Joe’s Old Fashioned Barbeque) in 1942 and built a devoted following. Culpepper’s legend grew throughout Miami, and he became the highly acclaimed pitmaster of a local chain called Plantation Pit Bar-B-Que. Their motto was “Jes&
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Sonny's BBQ
American barbecue restaurant chain
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Genre | Restaurants |
| Founded | April 17, 1968; 56 years ago (1968-04-17) |
| Founder | Floyd 'Sonny' Tillman |
| Headquarters | Maitland, Florida ,United States |
Number of locations | 113[1] |
Area served | Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee |
Key people | Sonny Tillman, Jamie Yarmuth |
| Owner | Bob Yarmuth |
| Website | www.sonnysbbq.com |
Sonny's BBQ is a barbecue restaurant chain founded by Floyd "Sonny" Tillman in Gainesville, Florida, in 1968. Bob Yarmuth purchased the company in 1991 and continues as the company's owner and CEO today. As of 2016, Sonny's BBQ has 113 restaurants across eight Southeastern states and is headquartered in Maitland, Florida. The restaurant specializes in Southern-style BBQ.
History
Sonny's Real Pit-Bar-B-Q was founded on April 17, 1968, by Floyd "Sonny" Tillman and his wife Lucille, starting with a single location on Waldo Road in Gainesville, Flo
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