Full Moon BBQ Marks 40 Years With 15 Units and Expansion Plans

Full Moon BBQ operates 15 locations across Alabama and is marking its 40th anniversary this year, with the Southeast flagged as the natural next market for a brand that started as a single Birmingham restaurant in 1986.

The chain remains family-owned, run by brothers David and Joe Maluff. Its catering arm can serve events from family gatherings to crowds of 10,000, using portable hickory-fired pits. The core menu has not changed method: pork and other meats smoked low and slow over hickory wood, with the same Southern recipes.

"For us, staying authentic means knowing which parts of the business should evolve and which parts should never be compromised," said David Maluff. "Full Moon can embrace new technology, new customers and new opportunities while continuing to make barbecue the way it has for four decades."

How does the brand scale without losing consistency?

The answer is equal parts training and data. New teams are taught standardized operating procedures covering food preparation, smoking processes, portioning and service. The goal, per David Maluff, is structure strong enough that quality does not depend on any single person or location.

On high-volume days, pit masters arrive as early as midnight to fire the hickory pits while kitchen teams prepare sauces, trimmings and desserts. The POS system supplies year-round ordering data that lets the company compare a typical day against major football weekends and holidays, then adjust staffing and food production to expected demand.

What does Full Moon want from franchisees?

Franchise partners get training and ongoing operational support across staffing, food preparation, inventory and daily operations, plus access to processes refined over four decades.

"We look for people who understand the importance of managing costs, staffing effectively, maintaining quality and creating a consistent customer experience," said Joe Maluff. "Local market knowledge and a willingness to be actively involved in the business are also important."

Site selection weighs population and growth trends, traffic patterns, visibility, accessibility, surrounding businesses and overall trade-area strength, plus whether the market can support the volume a restaurant needs. "The right location is about more than a strong piece of real estate," Joe Maluff said. "It needs to support the operation, the customer experience and the long-term growth of the business."

What challenges come with growth?

The Maluffs cite rising labor and food costs, supply chain pressure and technology's growing role as the industry's core balancing act, set against customers who have more choices than ever. Barbecue carries an added constraint: tradition is central to the category, so the brothers frame longevity as knowing what to protect rather than freezing every process in place.

"Ultimately, longevity comes from earning trust over time," said David Maluff. "Great barbecue brings people through the door, but hospitality, consistency, meaningful community relationships and the ability to be there for customers wherever they gather are what give people a reason to keep coming back."

Community ties are operational, not ornamental. The company has built relationships with hundreds of schools, charities and local organizations, runs monthly giveback programs and honors local figures with complimentary meals.

Expansion will be deliberate. "We want growth to be intentional," said David Maluff, targeting markets with strong Southern food culture and franchise partners who can represent the brand locally — a playbook designed to carry an Alabama story into new markets without diluting it.