Can McKinney’s new H-E-B barbecue joint stand out from local favorite Hutchins?

McKinney resident Jose Andazola, who has been dining at Hutchins for 16 years and says the ribs and brisket are his favorites, tried H-E-B’s True Texas BBQ at the Frisco location and said the two are hard to compare.

“It’s day and night,” Andazola said of Hutchins Barbeque compared to True Texas BBQ. “This [Hutchins] has a more authentic smoke flavor.”

But others think it’s pretty spot-on.

Robert Ware Jr. worked up an appetite while shopping on Friday afternoon and stopped in to True Texas BBQ for a brisket sandwich. He said the meat has a ‘familiar taste’ to one of his local favorite joints — Hutchins.

“That’s the first thing I thought of when I took a bite,” he said.

Each joint offers something different: H-E-B touts its low prices — like the one or two meat plate served with two sides for $12.99 or $15.49, respectively — and its convenient drive-through or dine-in option, while Hutchins is all about a classic barbecue joint environment where people can smell the smoke in their face as they walk by the pits to the front door. However, both take pride in quality and consistency, smoking their all-natural meat low and slow.

And while Texans can be picky about their barbecue, True Texas BBQ has taken to the tastebuds of many. Of the top five busiest True Texas BBQ locations, two are in North Texas with the other three being in Austin, San Antonio, and Midland, said Ingrid Valenciano, H-E-B Restaurant Operational Excellence Leader. And Texas Monthly has called True Texas BBQ the best chain barbecue in the state.

‘On my list now’

“It’s great to have guests who come in and say they weren’t expecting much and then they say, ‘Oh my gosh this is going to be on my list now,’” Valenciano said. “Competition is good. We all love a challenge, and the guests benefit from having so much great BBQ around.”

Krishnapal and Preet Chhabra live 1 mile from the new H-E-B. They like the convenience of being able to get groceries and eat all in one place, they said while enjoying a rack of natural St. Louis ribs.

“We had to try it because we’ve been hearing about it through friends and all over the place,” Krishnapal said. “We will be coming back.”

McKinney’s H-E-B is the third to have a True Texas BBQ joint in North Texas, behind locations in Plano and Frisco. A fourth location will be in the new Allen H-E-B, which is slated to open before the end of the year.

Among the 329 H-E-Bs in Texas, just 25 have this barbecue joint — which has been around since 2014, first in Pleasanton, a small town south of San Antonio. H-E-Bs in North Texas open in Mansfield, Alliance and another in Frisco next, and each of those will also have a True Texas BBQ.

All the meat is trimmed, seasoned and smoked on site daily with post oak wood, following traditional Central Texas style, and their sausage is made specially for the restaurant out of Bellville.

Customer favorites include the brisket, brisket beans and mac & cheese, Valenciano said. Though, the turkey, St. Louis-style ribs and sausage are also popular. Depending on the day, True Texas BBQ in McKinney smokes between 550-775 pounds of brisket. That’s about 5,500 pounds of brisket each week.

“Brisket smokes overnight slow and low like BBQ should be,” said Juan-Carlos Rück, executive vice president of H-E-B.

‘A whole different environment’

Wayne White, general manager of the Hutchins in Frisco, said Hutchins isn’t worried about possible competition from larger chains like True Texas BBQ, as their BBQ is a staple for so many and a “destination” for others. Too, as more development moves into the area and when other stores open, like the H-E-Bs, White said Hutchins only gets busier.

Even on weekdays a line crawls out of the door and into the parking lot where smoke from the outdoor pits wafts in the air as people wait eagerly to get inside. On weekends employees hand out samples of sausage, beef ribs and other meats.

“We always want to think we’re a notch above — we’re a little biased — but it’s a whole different environment,” said White who has been working for Hutchins since 1988. “More people come here from all over the world. We’ve become a destination.”

Roy Hutchins started the barbecue business out of his home in Princeton in 1978 before opening locations in McKinney and Frisco with his sons in 1991 and 1994, respectively, where it became a go-to spot for ribs and smoked brisket

Some Hutchins customers, like Jay Olive, claim it’s the best barbecue around. Others find themselves standing in line for the second time in a few weeks— back for more.

Chad Thummel, a first-time customer at Hutchins, couldn’t get enough.

“There ain’t any chain that’s going to touch this,” Thummel said. “It’s impressive, and I haven’t gotten to the main course yet.”

Customers rave abot the Texas Twinkies — a jalapeño wrapped in bacon, stuffed with cream cheese and chopped brisket, smoked and glazed — and the free dessert. Banana pudding, peach cobbler and ice cream are set out in the restaurant with spoons, so customers can help themselves.

“We’re one of the local favorites because you know you’re going to get great consistent food, great customer service, a great family environment, and who else gives out free dessert?” White said.

On slower days, 640 transactions are made while the weekend reaches well-over 1,000 in transactions. At the Frisco and McKinney locations combined, at least 30,000 pounds of raw brisket are smoked each week. Hutchins’ prime brisket is grass-fed, the chicken is cage-free, the turkey breast is all natural and all sausage is made in house.

“Starting with top quality meats, putting a lot of love and passion into it and surrounding ourselves with an amazing team… it starts with product and we trump that with the best BBQ experience starting with the pits outside and great customer service inside,” said Trey Hutchins, who owns the two Hutchins Barbeques in McKinney and Frisco with his brother, Tim Hutchins.

White added that great customer service comes from long-time employees that feel like family.

“It’s very family oriented,” said AJ Dawson, who has been working at Hutchins for six years. “We’re a close-knit group.”

The pit master at the Frisco location has been smoking brisket for the company for 30 years. The kitchen manager has been there for 25.

“The BBQ is good, but the people are what really brings it back,” said Olive, who has been eating at Hutchins for eight years.