Bono's Pit Bar-B-Q - Florida Barbeque, Catering, Ribs, Restaurant

Welcome

Welcome to Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q!!! At Bono’s, it’s not just about serving great food, it’s about providing the most authentic traditional southern BBQ experience you’ve ever had. We have worked hard to ensure that every time you walk into one of our restaurants you are presented with a genuine down-home experience, where customer service, incredible food, and full stomachs are never taken for granted. That is why we cook all of our award-winning BBQ fresh everyday and finish it on a live pit, the way real BBQ is supposed to be cooked. We are committed to our team, customers, and community to offer a sense of pride at every level.

Bono’s has been serving Real Pit Barbecue since 1949. We invite you to come join us whether it is your first time ever or first time this week. And remember, if you don’t see a Pit, it ain’t Legit.

Offer applies to Florida Residents only.

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Bono's Country Store

Click below to enter the Bono's online Store, don't forget to wipe your feet!

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Buy or reload a Bono’s Gift Card today and 10% will be donated to The ALS Association. Receive an additional 10% off your entire meal every time you use your Bono’s Gift Card! Visit www.alsafl.org »

Bono's has been catering your special events for over 60 years. We are now proud to introduce Bistro Catering prepared by The Patio at Pastiche. Under the professional direction of Catering Director Debra Malinis and with the culinary expertise of the chefs at The Patio, Bono's Bistro Catering has expanded its capabilities and now produces menus that span far beyond Barbecue. There is no limit to what we can produce for your event and we ensure the highest quality cuisine as well as unmatched customer service. We look forward to having the opportunity to cater your event.

FRANCHISING

A Bono's franchise could be just what you're looking for if you possess an entrepreneurial spirit. Bono's is continually looking for quality, enthusiastic individuals to become area developers of the Bono's tradition.

Being a Bono's franchisee is a great opportunity but it does take a lot of work. Luckily for Bono's franchisees, our corporate office has over 25 years of experience to pass along. If you are selected as a franchisee, Bono's will help you along the way - from selecting a location to training your employees to marketing your new Bono's. When you join the Bono's family, you may be on your own, but you will not be alone.

If you would like to receive a Bono's franchising packet, please call our corporate office at (904) 880-8310 or use our contact form.

FAQ

FUND RAISING

Settle down for real pit barbeque, and raise funds for your organization—all at the same time!

Looking for a fundraiser that’s a sure-fire hit for your organization? Heat up your efforts with a down-home fundraising night at Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q! It’s simple—just invite your friends and family to dine with us on a designated evening, and Bono’s will donate 15% of their bills that night back to your school, church or nonprofit organization.

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS

Call your local Bono’s manager to set up a meeting; he or she will be glad to speak with you about how the Bono’s fundraising program works. For a list of locations near you, Click Here.
Download customizable flyers that you can use to tell all your friends, neighbors, co-workers and colleagues about the fundraiser. And that’s all there is to it—just show up, chow down, and raise money for your organization in the process!

TIPS FOR TOTALING UP BIG PROFITS

Plan your fundraiser a month in advance to give people plenty of time to plan.
Hand out as many flyers as possible, and remind participants to bring their flyers to Bono’s on the designated night so that 15% of their bills will be donated back to your organization.
Encourage participation in the fundraiser through reminder calls, word-of-mouth and lots of high energy!

The Bono’s Fundraiser. It’s just one more way we stay involved with our community.

Download your customizable fundraising flyers here, then distribute to friends and family! (Please note: the file will open as a Microsoft Word document. Be sure to fill in the name of your organization and the date of your event before printing!)

FAQs

How much is the Franchise fee?: $50,000 for your first store. $25,000 for each subsequent store you open.
Does the Franchise fee include training and support?: Yes. Bono's requires two management personnel to complete our training program, In addition, Bono's will send five corporate trainers to assist you when your new store opens.
What is the monthly royalty fee?: Royalty fees are 4% of gross monthly sales, plus an additional 2% for marketing and development efforts.
Are you looking for single or multi-unit operators?: Bono's seeks Area Developers who are willing to have an exclusive development contract of a defined territory. The franchisee will have a negotiated number of stores which must be opened according to a development schedule agreed upon by both parties.
Will I own the territory?: Yes. We will not sell any other franchises in your given territory as long as you follow the agreed-upon development schedule.
What is the typical total investment?: The total investment ranges from $1.5 million to $2 million but the costs vary substantially depending upon the location and whether you build a freestanding restaurant or lease space.
Is there a minimum liquid net worth requirement?: Yes. You should have at least $500,000 in liquid assets (excluding primary residence) and the ability to borrow up to $1.5 million per location.
Do you offer financing assistance?: No. As the franchisee, you are responsible for obtaining your own financing.
Do I have to have restaurant experience?: Bono's strongly prefers that individuals or your franchise group have prior restaurant operating experience.

ABOUT BONOS

Barbecue is America's only true indigenous food. Native Americans cooked their meats over pits and history tells us that George Washington attended a barbecue. Americans light up their grills more than 2.9 billion times a year. Barbecue is also society's great equalizer; drive by a barbecue restaurant and it's not unusual to find pick-ups next to luxury cars next to motorcycles.

Great bar-b-q will do that.

We don't know if Lou Bono understood all this, but one thing's for sure: he knew how to cook authentic southern bar-b-q.

When Lou Bono fired up the pits of his first restaurant in Jacksonville back in 1949, little did he know that his food would one day be celebrated as the quintessential southern style Bar-B-Q. This was not just another barbecue joint, Lou cooked his meats the traditional way; in specially designed pits over wood, and watched carefully by a Pit Boss. Thanks to Lou's tireless efforts and a smoky sauce that out-zinged the competition, Bono's became an immediate success.

Bono's has never changed its authentic bar-b-q and today, under the leadership of Joe Adeeb and daughters Kirsten Martino and Katie Colley, it's grown from a small, local operation to a successful enterprise of more than twenty restaurants. Bono's restaurants are now located throughout Florida as well as Colorado.

Ask Harvey Green what the secret to good bar-b-q is and he'll smile and say, "You've got to take your time, y' know? Go slow and easy just like making love to a woman."

He should know. Since 1956 Harvey has been the Cutter at the original Bono's on Beach Blvd. in Jacksonville, Florida. Yep. That's right. More than 50 years of chopping, slicing, cutting, cooking and chatting up folks lucky enough to find a seat at his counter. His regulars know him and he knows his regulars, how they want their meat cooked and what sauce they like.

Every Bono's restaurant has its own version of Harvey Green, masterfully working the pit. But if you happen to be in Jacksonville, stop by and say hello to the Original. Then get ready to have some of the best darn southern bar-b-q this side of heaven.

BONO'S TEAM

Bono's Pit Bar-B-Q celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2009. Lou Bono fired up the pits in 1949 and the award-winning traditional Southern BBQ has kept people coming back for more ever since. As good as the food is, we know we are only as good as the fine people who represent Bono's on a daily basis.

As Mr. Joe, Owner of Bono's, would say, "We are not in the food business, we are in the hospitality business and hospitality is the foundation of our restaurant philosophy." It's about soul - and service without soul, no matter how great, is quickly forgotten by our guests.

The following Team Members have been with us for a minimum of 10 years. They represent the hospitality and the soul we strive for and we thank them for their dedication and commitment to excellence.