Floyd "Sonny" Tillman and his wife, Lucille, founded Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q in Gainesville, Florida. The year was 1968. Their goal was to create a casual restaurant that offered the very best authentic southern Bar-B-Q including slow-smoked Bar-B-Q Ribs, Sliced Bar-B-Q Pork and Beef, and Bar-B-Q Chicken. You could tell it was real Bar-B-Q by the pinkish ring around the meat and the smokey flavor that only comes from a real hardwood smoker, and the authentic Bar-B-Q Sauces served tableside. Great Bar-B-Q wasn't the only reason folks stopped by. They could always count on fast, friendly service every time they visited. It was this commitment to authenticity and friendly service that set the stage for things to come. Soon, Gainesville's best kept secret wasn't a secret anymore and Sonny and Lucille's restaurant succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.