HOTLINE Premium: Lessons from Evan LeRoy of LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue

The Guest: Evan LeRoy

Evan LeRoy is the co-owner and pitmaster of LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue in Austin, Texas. Since opening as a food truck in 2017, the restaurant has grown into one of the most inventive and respected barbecue destinations in the country. They’ve been recognized on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 list, climbed to #2 in their 2025 ranking, earned a Michelin star, and Evan himself was named a James Beard semifinalist.

But accolades aside, what makes LeRoy & Lewis unique is their approach: they broke from Texas barbecue tradition and built a loyal following by doing things differently.

The Interview: What We Covered

In our conversation, Evan and I talked about:

• His unusual path to barbecue, starting as an English major with dreams of writing, moving into fine dining, and ultimately finding his calling in Texas BBQ.

• How LeRoy & Lewis branded themselves as “New School BBQ, Old School Service,” and what that really means.

• The decision to source only from local farms—even though it meant no endless brisket or ribs—and how that shaped both their menu and their identity.

• Strategies for managing customer frustration around long lines, from his dad greeting guests with snacks to creating a bar menu for those who didn’t want to wait.

• How he built community through Patreon, turning behind-the-scenes content into both a revenue stream and a loyalty engine.

• The challenges of balancing guest expectations with his own vision, and the lessons he’s learned from missteps along the way.

My Learnings (and How You Can Apply Them)

Here are the big takeaways I pulled from Evan’s story—and how they can apply to any business:

1. Values Create Differentiation
   Evan’s commitment to sourcing locally limited what he could serve, but that constraint forced creativity.

   • Lesson: Constraints tied to your values can actually become your competitive edge. In your business, let your principles shape what you offer, even if it means doing something different from everyone else.

2. Set Expectations as Carefully as You Execute
   Early social posts sometimes hyped menu items that weren’t always available, creating friction.

   • Lesson: The story you tell must match the product you deliver. Overpromising is the fastest way to erode trust.

3. Own the Entire Customer Journey
   From parking to waiting in line, Evan designed touchpoints to reduce frustration and create delight.

   • Lesson: Every business has friction points. If you can anticipate them and turn them into moments of hospitality, you build loyalty instead of resentment.

4. Offer Multiple Entry Points
   Not every customer wanted the “line-up-for-brisket” experience. By adding a bar menu, to-go options, and dinner service, Evan welcomed different types of guests.

   • Lesson: Don’t assume one-size-fits-all. The more ways people can engage with your business, the broader and stronger your base of loyal customers will be.

5. Content Can Be Part of the Product
   Their Patreon didn’t just market the food—it was the product. Subscribers paid to feel like insiders, creating new revenue and deeper connection.

   • Lesson: Content isn’t just promotion. It can be a product in itself, a community builder, and a loyalty driver. Ask: what behind-the-scenes or premium access could your audience pay for?

6. Balance Novelty with Familiarity
   “New School BBQ, Old School Service” means offering unfamiliar food in the most classic, welcoming format possible.

   • Lesson: If you want people to embrace something new, deliver it in a context that feels safe and familiar.

Final Thought

What I took from Evan is that loyalty doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from making bold choices, sticking to your values, managing the customer experience with care, and building ways for people to feel like insiders.

Whether you’re running a restaurant, building a brand, or launching a new project, those principles hold true.

Thanks for being a Premium subscriber and supporting HOTLINE. If you’re in Austin, go see Evan and the team at LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue. And if you’re not, there’s still plenty to learn from the way they’ve built one of the most loyal followings in hospitality today.

— Dan