Winning Strategies from Restaurant Leaders

Brian Bailey is the Founder and CEO of Old Carolina Barbecue Company, an award-winning fast-casual BBQ chain with eight locations across Ohio and Pennsylvania, including both corporate-owned and franchise-operated restaurants. Since launching the concept in 2003, Brian has grown Old Carolina into one of the most respected barbecue brands in the country, earning more than 150 competition awards along the way. Under Brian’s leadership, the brand has become a leader in off-premises dining, with catering accounting for nearly 40% of total revenue. Old Carolina offers robust catering solutions including pickup, delivery and full-service formats, serving everything from office lunches to nearly 200 staffed weddings each year. Brian is passionate about helping other restaurant operators build scalable, high-performing catering programs. He frequently shares proven strategies for operational efficiency, off-premises growth and maximizing catering revenue in fast-casual concepts.