Bradley Dethmers, franchisee of the Beef 'O' Brady's in Andover, Minnesota, has been named the brand's 2026 Franchisee of the Year — and also walked away with its Marketer of the Year Award — during the annual conference held by parent company FSC Franchise Co. The dual recognition highlights a community-first operating philosophy that the 120-unit family sports pub chain says sits at the heart of its brand identity.

Nearly 30 Years of Hospitality

Dethmers brings close to three decades of hospitality experience to his Andover unit, having previously opened restaurants internationally and worked across multiple franchise systems. He purchased the Andover Beef 'O' Brady's in May 2021, stepping into a location that was already marking its 18th year in business this past October 6. That accumulated expertise in franchise operations has shaped how he staffs, trains, and — crucially — markets the restaurant.

His approach leans hard on grassroots outreach rather than digital-only campaigns, a strategy that resonates with operators navigating tighter restaurant marketing budgets in today's environment. "With any brand that I've been a part of, I've always believed that grassroots marketing is the best way to go," Dethmers said. "People want to have their hands shaken. They want to be acknowledged. They want to know that whatever they're working on is just as important as what you're trying to grow within your business."

Community as a Growth Engine

Dethmers credits his small-town upbringing with shaping his community-engagement model. He has built the Andover location into a hub for school fundraisers, youth sports leagues, and local organizations — mirroring the mutual-support culture he grew up with. "When I was a kid growing up in my small town, if they needed to raise money for the football team, the entire town came together," he said. That ethos translates directly into foot traffic: high-volume fundraising events regularly fill the dining room, creating what Dethmers describes as a high-energy environment his team actively looks forward to.

The staffing dimension is worth noting for multi-unit operators. Dethmers emphasizes advance communication with his team ahead of busy community events, ensuring employees are prepared and motivated rather than caught off guard. "We have a very high-octane team here that likes to go," he said. "They get excited when they know about upcoming events because they know it's going to be a fast, high-energy day."

Chris Elliott, CEO of FSC Franchise Co., framed the recognition around Dethmers's leadership model. "He puts relationships first — with his guests, his team and the community around him," Elliott said. "He's built a restaurant where families, schools and local organizations know they have a partner, and that's exactly what this brand was built on."

What It Means for the Brand

For Beef 'O' Brady's, the awards signal the kind of franchise development culture the chain wants to project as it operates across 120 locations in 21 states. Elevating a franchisee whose playbook centers on handshakes and local partnerships — rather than purely transactional marketing — reinforces the family sports pub segment's differentiation from fast-casual and QSR competitors chasing digital loyalty metrics alone. Operators in similar community-anchored hospitality concepts may find Dethmers's dual-award sweep a useful case study in how local presence can become a measurable competitive advantage.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.