Floyd “Sonny” Tillman spent most of his life working. Not the kind of work that draws attention, but the kind that fills days and wears on your hands. He believed in showing up, doing things the right way, and letting the results speak for themselves.
Born in 1929, Sonny grew up in a world where money was tight and expectations were clear. You earned what you had. You didn’t complain much about it. Those early lessons stayed with him. Before barbecue ever became his livelihood, Sonny worked different jobs, served in the military, and focused on providing for his family. Stability mattered to him, because he knew what it felt like not to have much of it.
The First Sonny’s BBQ Opens In 1968
When Sonny and his wife, Lucille, opened a small barbecue place in Gainesville in 1968, it wasn’t part of some grand plan. It was a risk taken by two people who believed they could do one thing well. Owning and operating a restaurant is never easy, and life at the first “Sonny’s” was not different. The restaurant demanded everything they had. Long days turned into long years. There were slow nights, equipment problems, and constant pressure to keep the doors open. Sonny didn’t romanticize those years. He just handled them, fixed what needed fixing and moved on to the next day. Meanwhile, he was always a friendly face to his customers.
He wasn’t a natural salesman or a showman. What he had was consistency. He paid attention to details. He noticed when something wasn’t right and fixed it. People who worked with him often said he didn’t raise his voice, but he didn’t lower his standards either. If you worked hard, you were welcome. If you didn’t, he had little patience for excuses.
As the restaurant grew and others wanted to copy what he’d built, Sonny faced a new challenge: letting go of control. That wasn’t easy for someone who trusted his own hands more than systems or spreadsheets. But he learned to step back without disconnecting. He stayed involved, asked questions, and made sure the work still meant something to the people doing it.
What mattered most to Sonny wasn’t expansion or recognition. It was whether people felt comfortable in the places that carried his name. He believed food should bring people together without pretense. Sit down, eat, talk, stay as long as you like.
Later in life, after selling the business, Sonny lived more quietly. He lost Lucille, his partner of more than 70 years, a loss that weighed heavily on him. Still, he remained connected to the community he’d been part of for decades. He showed up. He remembered people. He listened more than he spoke.
Tillman’s influence extended far beyond smoked meats and sauce. Those who knew him remember a mentor and community figure who made deep connections with employees, franchise partners, and guests alike. Long-time Sonny’s BBQ head pitmaster Shannon Snell, among others, spoke of Tillman’s kindness, generosity, and the way he shaped not just a business but a family around it.
Sonny Tillman didn’t think of himself as a founder or a figurehead. He thought of himself as someone who worked hard and got lucky enough to make a living doing it. His legacy isn’t found in logos or slogans. It’s in the ordinary moments his work made possible: families eating together, friends lingering at tables, strangers becoming familiar faces.
That was enough for him.
Tillman Passes in December, 2025
Floyd “Sonny” Tillman, the founder of Sonny’s BBQ and a beloved figure in the Southern barbecue world, has died at the age of 96. Tillman passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 7, 2025, surrounded by family, according to statements from his loved ones and the company he helped build.
“Sonny Tillman embodied everything that is special and everlasting about Sonny’s BBQ,” said Jamie Yarmuth, Chief Executive Officer of Sonny’s Franchise Company. “His kindness and generosity were unparalleled, and while he may have made his name in the barbecue world, his philanthropic heart and an ability to create a true family dynamic at Sonny’s were undoubtedly his greatest accomplishments.”
Today, Sonny’s BBQ has around 92 locations primarily in the Southeast US (especially Florida), with other locations in operation across several states, like Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Those restaurants will serve to carry the legacy of a good man who made good.
