Fat Daddy’s Q&A

Nothing says summer in southern Delaware like delicious barbecue. As soon as the weather heats up, stands advertising chicken and ribs appear all over the county. While it’s great to be able to grab your meal and go, it’s even better to have a place to sit down and thoroughly enjoy every ounce of seasoning and sauce the chef has prepared. Near Georgetown, that place is Fat Daddy’s BBQ & Grille. We sat down with owners Jeff and Brenda Frey to chew the fat about how Fat Daddy’s came to be, their tips for restaurant success, and their future plans for the business. 
Q: How did you get started with Fat Daddy’s?
A: “Jeff was just basically a mad scientist when it comes to barbecue at home. He barbecued  all the time. We were his guinea pigs. Then, one year, he got laid off and we participated in local community events. People always wanted to know when we were going to open a restaurant, but we didn’t have a place. We were always looking for a unique hole-in-the-wall kind of place, and then this place opened up for us. Five years later, here we are.”
Q: How has the community embraced your restaurant?
A: “They are behind us 100 percent. We always said that if we could cater to our local community, everything else would be icing on the cake. Because if you are not going to take care of and cater to your community, then nothing is going to work. They want to know that you care. We opened up in April of 2012 and we said if we opened up in the spring, then our locals could carry us through our first winter. And that’s exactly what happened. 
And I mean it’s incredible. They are amazing.” 
Q: What are your most popular items on the menu?
A: “I have to give you the top three at least; the brisket, pulled pork and our ribs. And everybody loves our wings, because they’re fresh. They’re not frozen, they’re big, and we deep fry them or smoke them. And, they come in five different ways, and they just fly out of here.” 
Q: What makes your food 
stand out?
A: “Everything is fresh, homemade and cooked to order. Nothing is out of a box or a can. All of our sides are homemade. We make all the barbecue sauces. Even our hot and sweet Italian sausages are all homemade now.”
Q: What is some of the best advice you have for people starting out in the 
restaurant business?
A: “Understand that there are long, hard hours. It takes a ton of commitment, and if you are not 100 percent committed to being here and working 60+ hours a week, then there is no reason to start. You have to be consistent with your food. You have to be a people-person, you have to be able to give excellent customer service, and just be committed.” 

Hours:
Sun.: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mon.-Tues.: Closed
Wed.-Sat.: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
13203 Seashore Highway 
Georgetown, DE 19947
www.fatdaddysbbqde.com
302-956-0381