Holy line batman! One of the longest I've seen. Friday is a popular day for meat it seems. #bbq #atx pic.twitter.com/GaCVxtoqDn
— Franklin BBQ Line (@FranklinBBQline) March 21, 2014
East 11th resident Tyson Ferguson has created Twitter account for the Franklin Barbecue line, which is notoriously long. Ferguson tells Eater that the ultimate plan is to launch a webcam. An app developer who lives across the street from the barbecue mecca, Ferguson is interested in making things "people can use." Eater spoke with him about what it's like to live across from Franklin and the evolution of his line tracking plans.
What was the inspiration behind the account?
I wanted to create something people could use. You know Shake Shack, their New York store has a live webcam feed, and I thought Franklin could use that too. I own the domain Franklinbbqline.com, and the plan is to set up a live webcam feed so you can see how long the line is at any time.
What is it like living across from Franklin Barbecue?
This all started with me waking up and thinking, let's go see how ridiculous the Franklin line is. When I first moved here, I'd sit out on balcony in awe of how long the line was on any given day. There was a live band, there were girl scout cookies, private events. There's a guy who rents chairs to people - he has a Twitter account too.
When are the lines the shortest at Franklin?
Shortest lines are at the beginning of the week, Tuesday and Wednesday. Though know that you will still wait three hours for barbecue. You can show up at 9 a.m. and the line will be long, and they don't open until 11.
Do you eat at Franklin?
I've eaten there, but I don't always have four hours to sit outside and wait for barbecue, especially during the week. Gotta pays the bills somehow. I do know that people take paid time off for a half a day and wait in line to eat barbecue.
· All Franklin Barbecue Coverage [EATX]
