Dickey's Edmonton Debut
Dickey's Barbecue Pit Celebrates West Edmonton Mall Grand Opening June 26 With Special Offers
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Dickey's Barbecue Pit will open its doors at West Edmonton Mall on June 26, 2026, bringing slow-smoked Texas-style barbecue to North America's largest shopping mall. Business Wire reports the grand opening party runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the first 50 guests scoring a 20% discount on orders for an entire year — a deal worth roughly $2,600 per winner.
The location is owned by Albin George, Jinu Jose, and Teena Mathew, the same team behind the Fort Saskatchewan outpost. "Bringing Dickey's to West Edmonton Mall allows us to introduce our slow-smoked Texas flavors to even more guests from across the region and beyond," said Jinu Jose, according to Business Wire.
What to Expect at the Grand Opening Party
The new location opens inside the WEM food court at 10 a.m. on June 26. To celebrate, Dickey's will hand out complimentary sliders and host giveaways throughout the day. Sunday hours start at 11 a.m. The first 50 guests who show up receive the year-long 20% discount, valid on dine-in menu items and Packs only, capped at $250 per week, per Business Wire.
West Edmonton Mall draws roughly 30.8 million visitors per year, making it Alberta's top tourist destination, according to Wikipedia. For Dickey's, landing a spot there is a high-stakes move to prove the chain can thrive in a busy food-court setting.
Dickey's Rapid Expansion Across Alberta and Canada
The WEM location is Dickey's fifth outpost in the Edmonton area. The chain first entered Canada in April 2022 with a location at 5125 Mullen Road NW in Edmonton, according to GlobeNewswire. Fort Saskatchewan followed in May 2023, then Leduc in June 2023, and a fourth Edmonton spot opened in the Ellerslie neighborhood in May 2026, reports BriefGlance.
The brand also signed letters of intent in 2022 to open more than 65 locations across the Greater Toronto and Niagara areas, per Financial Post. Dickey's calls itself the fastest-growing barbecue concept in North America, and its Canadian push is a key part of that growth story.
Franchisee Lawsuits Cloud the Brand's Growth Story
Dickey's expansion has not come without controversy. Franchisees in Ohio, Idaho, and Illinois sued the company in 2024, claiming corporate gave them inflated financial projections. Actual build-out costs reached $800,000 to $1 million per location — far above the roughly $300,000 that corporate estimated, according to Restaurant Dive.
The brand also lost a net 85 U.S. locations in 2024, its slowest growth year on record, per GlobalData. CEO Laura Rea Dickey has publicly backed a "two-year plan to return Dickey's to its position as a top fast casual restaurant brand." The chain is now on track to open more than 60 new locations by the end of 2025, pushing its worldwide count back above 400.
Local BBQ Scene Faces New Pressure From U.S. Chain
Dickey's entry into WEM puts pressure on established Edmonton BBQ spots like MEAT and Smokehouse BBQ, which have long owned the local Texas-style market, according to BriefGlance. With 36% of Canadian restaurant operators currently running at a loss or breaking even, per Restaurants Canada, a deep-pocketed U.S. franchisor is a serious threat to independent players.
Edmonton's retail market is still strong. Analysts at Marcus & Millichap describe the sector as "resilient," with positive net absorption even after major anchor closures like Hudson's Bay. That resilience makes WEM's food court an attractive — if competitive — landing spot for a chain looking to rebuild its momentum.
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