Redneck BBQ Lab announces new North Hills franchise, commissary kitchen

The award-winning barbecue restaurant has announced plans to open its first franchise concept, The BBQ Lab, in North Hills in Raleigh in spring 2021.

The restaurant will feature an after-hours menu that includes regional cuisine and shareable plates. There will also be beer and alcohol for sale.

In a video posted on the restaurant's Facebook page, co-owner Jerry Stephenson said that the flagship restaurant is not changing its name.

"It was one of the things that we decided that the Redneck BBQ Lab will forever remain in McGee's Crossroads," Stephenson said. "You folks have supported us, been there. The name is not going to change there."

The franchise model, however, will be known as The BBQ Lab. Stephenson said that the name change was to prevent franchise owners from having to deal with criticism and questions about the use of the word "redneck" in the title.

Redneck BBQ Lab is no longer moving into Old North State Food Hall

Redneck BBQ Lab owners posted on the restaurant's Facebook page in June that the food hall had requested they change their name to one that included "BBQ + lab + THEIR food hall name."

Stephenson said they were asked at the last minute to change their name because the term "redneck" might be offensive.

"That was just one of the things that I didn't feel need to be touched," Stephenson said. "If this place was called 'Old South Barbecue' or 'Confederate Road Barbecue' I could see where that singular point could be something."

Larry Lane, who operates the upcoming Old North State Food Hall, told WRAL earlier this year that they were "not able to come to mutually agreeable terms with Redneck BBQ Lab and are currently in conversations with several other potential BBQ vendors."

Stephenson told WRAL News that the name came from many years ago when he used to use old trash cans to smoke meat.

"People would look at us and go, 'Look at those bunch of rednecks cooking barbecue in a trash can,'" Stephenson said. "I laughed so hard about it, I ended up trademarking the name 'Redneck Convection Oven.'"

Stephenson said complaints about the name of his restaurant are rare.

In addition to the franchise announcement, Stephenson announced that the business just broke ground on a 3,700 square-foot commissary kitchen in Johnston County. The space will be the center of the restaurant's catering and food truck operation.