Local business: Full Service BBQ
As a school in the South, a common question on Maryville College’s campus is where to get the best BBQ in town. The answer to this question is almost always Full Service BBQ. The combination of great food and people makes it a hard place to beat.
Many MC students go to Full Service on a regular basis. The delicious and inexpensive food along with the unique atmosphere appeals to them.
“Their BBQ is the best I have ever had and their sweet tea made it even better,” said MC student Brooke Stallsmith,
The story behind Full Service started with Anthony DiFranco III’s idea to turn an abandoned gas station into a BBQ joint. The name actually comes from the location’s history as a full service gas station.
Full Service BBQ first opened in 2007 on South Washington Street, where it can still be found today. Since opening the business has had a large amount of success and has even opened another location in Knoxville.
They have a wide selection of food items on their menu, which includes chicken and pork sandwiches, ribs, brisket and specialty items. Some of the specialty items include BBQ nachos and Hawg Dawgs, which are beer-boiled hotdogs topped with BBQ. For their BBQ sauces they have TN Whisky, Apple Dapple, Sweet & Spicy and Carolina Mustard to choose from.
People come to Full Service for the tasty food, but stay for the atmosphere that Full Service provides. It is Full Service’s unique set up that helps them provide a welcoming environment for guests.
At Full Service there is only outdoor seating. The seating is underneath the cover where the gas pumps used to be located at. Along with the seating guests can find bubbles, checker boards and corn-hole boards to pass the time.
It is not just what they provide that creates the experience, but also the people. Everyone who works at Full Service is kind and helpful. The workers act as if they are one family, which then encourages the customers to follow suit. When people eat at Full Service, it is like eating with friends—even if you have just met.
The atmosphere encourages this sense of community. At times, groups will ask strangers to join in on their game of corn-hole. Even though the people were complete strangers this BBQ place connects them and makes them feel like old friends.
When it’s football time in Tennessee, Full Service provides televisions so everyone can enjoy the football game while eating their food. As people bond over food and cheering on their favorite team, it creates an atmosphere similar to tailgating.
For these reasons and more, Full Service has become a staple in the Maryville community combining good food with even better people.