According to folk etymologists, the term barbecue is derived from the French barbe coup, referring to the annual pig picking commemorating the infamous Bearded Rebellion. Celebrate saucy beards with today's Groupon: for $17, you get $35 worth of ribs, steaks, seafood, and more at Tony Roma's. Choose from three locations.

Launched in Florida in the early 1970s, Tony Roma's has since established itself as a cross-country franchise with a knack for cooking up a mean slab of ribs. Traditionalists should stick to the menu's original rack of pork baby backs ($18–$20) smothered in the restaurant's signature sauce. The adventurous might hunker down with the St. Louis rib sampler ($20), a dozen ribs covered in four different sauces, including Carolina Honeys and Blue Ridge Smokies. Beef lovers can savor the flavors in the Cabernet-glaze of the short ribs ($16), served with a guilt-free side of mixed veggies. If a hunk of bone-in meat isn't enough to appease the appetite, supplement dinner with a sampler starter ($13) that includes breaded boneless chicken poppers, fried onion, and spinach and artichoke dip, served up with plenty of sides for dipping. The extensive menu covers palate preferences galore with chicken and seafood dishes, along with tantalizing salad entrees, savory soups, sandwiches, and burgers.