John Snedden

Rocklands Barbeque & Grilling Company

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Check Out Rocklands’ Auction Lot 
Saturday, May 9, 2026 at the Grand Tasting Reception

In the Washington-area world of barbeque, Rocklands stands for reliability and quality – really good barbeque, served in an inviting environment by welcoming people.

Rocklands’ founding story is one of hard-work, good service, and great food – honest gain for honest work. Because John started as a caterer – shaping each party to the customers’ desires – Rocklands restaurants put a premium on customer experience and customization. The first Rocklands opened in December 1990 in Washington, DC. That makes Rocklands a homegrown place, one that has added locations as the city’s love for barbeque has grown.

Sustainability has always been a focus and has been a motivating factor in all things Rocklands. We have taken numerous steps to ensure that we proactively increase our energy efficiency to save resources, and to protect our footprint on the planet.  In July of 2021, Rocklands Barbeque “went solar” in Arlington and received a significant amount of press as we were the first business in the entire state of Virginia that used a private sector financing program that helps local businesses go green. The Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program financed the project. Rocklands was very proud to be a historic first for Arlington and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Since the beginning, Rocklands has been giving back to the communities where the restaurants are located. Rocklands managers participate in community groups like Chambers of Commerce and neighborhood associations. Rocklands as a company gives away thousands of dollars in food and gift certificates allowing our friends, neighbors, and organizations to raise many more thousands of dollars for their efforts.