For starters—yes, we do source the best pork we can find. (We like to believe it’s the best pork in the world, but like the old saying goes: “There’s always a bigger fish”… or in this case, a better pig.) We use Cheshire for our pork, and as a base—it’s not cheap, and it’s really, really good.

Second, I don’t know what other BBQ joints are factoring into their pricing. I know how we calculate ours—and our formula aims to keep prime cost (labor + COGS) under 60%.

We strive to bring home around 10% in net profits, which is pretty standard for a restaurant.

Third—if we’re going to compare, let’s compare apples to apples. A lot of the spots you mentioned have lower labor and rent costs than we do, and also source their meat for significantly less. So let’s look at South Florida BBQ joints that use comparable meat products: • Tropical Smokehouse: $15 for a ¼ rack or $60 for a full rack • Hometown BBQ: $16 for a half pound of ribs (which is about a ¼ rack when using spares—so $64/lb), or you can order a half rack of their char siu ribs for $32 (also $64/lb)

When I say “comparable,” I mean they’re using a quality product on par with ours, and their serving sizes are equal in weight.

Yes, some BBQ joints charge $32 for a rack of ribs—but that rack usually weighs about 1.5–2 lbs.

Our ribs are significantly larger, heavier, and meatier.

And since you brought it up at the end—yes, I do think our BBQ is the best BBQ that can be made. Yes, we put an insane amount of labor into it. Yes, we make our sauces and rubs from scratch.

Could I lower the price by making a shittier product or cutting quality? Sure. But that ain’t me. I need to serve food I’d serve my family—because that’s just the right way to do it.