This Is What Your BBQ Plate Order Says About You

If you’re from the South, you know that folks tend to take their barbecue quite seriously, from which joints they’ll wait in line for to what type of sauce they prefer. While we have our dedicated list of best barbecue restaurants, we know that people often tend to stick loyal to their favorite spots and definitely to what’s on their plate. What you order at a BBQ joint can vary between the many side dishes—which include saucy baked beans, creamy potato salad, ham-infused greens, and more loose “vegetable” interpretations—as well as the smoked meat selection, which varies greatly according to state. Plus, it’s always to be assumed that cornbread and pickles are on the table, regardless of side dish choice. 

Southerners are a specific bunch, and they like what they like, without any apologies. In that spirit, here is what your BBQ plate order says about you. 

Pulled Pork Sandwich + Mac & Cheese + Collard Greens

If you pull up and order these classics, you’re bound to get a nod of respect. It’s the kind of plate that you know will never disappoint because it covers all the bases between saucy, cheesy, tangy, and vinegary. You’re not here to take risks, and that’s not a bad thing. Plus, the addition of something green never hurts, even if we all know that there’s ham hock in those collards.

While some might say it’s not necessary to get a sandwich when you can easily order a piece of bread on the side, there’s something so perfect about how a potato bun soaks up all the delicious juices of pulled pork and, what should be, a tangy vinegar sauce, especially if you hail from somewhere like South Carolina where whole-hog pork barbecue and mustard-based and vinegar sauces are king. 

Beef Brisket + Pinto Beans + Cole Slaw 

This is what Texans would call the “only way to eat barbecue.” It’s simple, sure—but highly effective. There are no frills because good barbecue shouldn’t need them, and you’ll go to the grave on that fact. However, you’re still not too proud to order a side of frito pie or a link of jalapeño-cheese sausage. While we find that spicy-sweet tomato-based sauces reign supreme in places with plates like this one, you’re most likely in the category of those who argue that no sauce is needed at all.

You’re a person of principle and know that if you don’t have your mind made up by the time you get to the counter at a reputable place, you’ll get hollered at to get out. You also know to show up well before opening time, lest the heavenly brisket be sold out.

Smoked Chicken + Green Beans + Banana Pudding

You’re letting your Alabama roots show with this plate, which is outrageously Southern in construction. While we all know you’d rather get the mac & cheese most days, the Alabama white BBQ sauce that sometimes comes with smoked chicken has enough creaminess to pair perfectly instead with a side dish like braised green beans.

You’re an old-fashioned barbecue enthusiast, which means there’s no way that banana pudding is getting skipped. Your Southern grandmother would be proud, as long as you make sure to tell her that her recipe is still better. Like most orders on this list, it’s not complete without adding a side of cornbread, but that is as inevitable to you as the styrofoam cup of sweet tea. There’s no need to mention it. 

Pork Ribs + Potato Salad + Baked Beans

You’re the type of person who would get annoyed at anyone trying to order a salad (or green vegetable for that matter) at your favorite barbecue joint. A traditionalist by nature with a weakness for indulgence, what you call a perfect plate are these two hearty side dishes and dry-rubbed ribs that come clean off the bone with each bite. Sure, it might seem like you lack originality, but you just know what you like.

Most likely a Memphis-style BBQ loyalist by birth, you wouldn’t scoff at seeing barbecue spaghetti on the menu and will defend the unique delicacy to anyone who tries to argue against it. You don’t typically order a dessert, because the sweet sauce on the table is enough. 

Loaded BBQ Baked Potato + Cup of Chili

What does it feel like to not give a hoot? That’s what most people are thinking as you taunt your five-pound tray across the room. It takes a brave barbecue place to offer loaded baked potatoes topped with smoked meat and everything but the kitchen sink and you’ll find plenty of nothing-fancy, old-school joints in small towns offering up mammoth spuds. You don’t feel stuck in the box of the typical BBQ plate, and so you don’t conform to such confines, even if your great-uncle says that your plate is a souped-up Wendy’s order. Who wouldn’t love a buttery baked potato topped with smoked meat? Secretly, some folks are jealous as they see you dunk into the over-the-top dish. 

There are countless variations and combinations to be enjoyed at Southern BBQ joints, and we certainly couldn’t do them all justice. To all the lovers of burnt ends, boudin, wings, and even BBQ salads—we still see and respect you. Keep on doing your thing, and let us know your perfect order.