If you're a fan of smokey, saucy, slow-cooked meats, then we've got some good news for you. A popular U.S. barbecue chain is expanding north of the border, and you'll be able to get your hands on these pit-smoked proteins very soon.

Dickey's Barbecue Pit will be opening up its first Canadian locations as part of a major expansion of the Texas-style BBQ brand, with the Dallas-based, family-run barbecue franchise on track to have over 600 locations by the end of the year. 

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But anyone hoping for traditional locations of the franchise might be in for a disappointment, as the latest cross-border expansion is being done through a partnership with Toronto-based Ghost Kitchen Brands. 

As the name implies, Ghost Kitchens prepares multiple foodservice brands in one kitchen. It acts as a sort of "virtual food court" where customers or third-party delivery drivers can pick up orders with a QR code or at a kiosk in a participating store or standalone Ghost Kitchens location. 

So if you were expecting a brick and mortar presence where you can dine in and enjoy Dickey's southern fare and sip from their big yellow cups, you might have to settle for the parking lot.

"We are beyond excited to partner with Ghost Kitchen Brands and expand our availability to our fans," said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. 

Susi Graf, Marketing Director at Ghost Kitchens, tells blogTO, "We're still working with Dickey's to see exactly which Ghost Kitchen locations Dickey's will be prepared out of. It will be a combination of both our standalone stores and our locations within Walmart."

"Once the supply chain is set up, we hope to have Dickey's in most of our GTA locations, including locations in Liberty Village and Etobicoke."

Graf confirmed one specific location to blogTO, sharing that Dickey's would be served up at Ghost Kitchens' 1993 Lawrence Ave. East location in Scarborough.