Broussard, LA (June 1, 2026) – In downtown Broussard, BJ’s Poor Boys & Plate Lunches continues a tradition familiar to many Acadiana residents.
Owned by Glenn Murphree, who also owns Olde Tyme Grocery and Sandra’s Cafe & Healthy Marketplace in Lafayette, BJ’s has operated under Murphree’s ownership since 1997, according to Kyle Maurer with BJ’s and Olde Tyme Grocery.
Murphree’s goal was to bring the Olde Tyme Grocery experience to Broussard, and many of the same traditions remain in place today.
The French bread used for the restaurant’s poor boys is picked up daily from Langlinais Baking Company. For customers looking forward to a Monday muffaletta, the muffaletta bread also comes from Langlinais.
Maurer said the restaurant’s food is prepared from scratch, from its poor boys to its daily plate lunches.
In addition to its regular menu, BJ’s offers daily lunch specials and participates in community giveback events that support local schools.
The restaurant operates from a historic building at 107 North Morgan Avenue. According to information provided by the City of Broussard Tourism, the structure was built in 1902 and has housed a variety of businesses over the years.
Customers can follow BJ’s Poor Boys & Plate Lunches on Facebook for daily plate lunch offerings and restaurant updates.
A Louisiana Tradition
The poor boy sandwich has been part of Louisiana food culture for nearly a century.
Historians generally credit Bennie and Clovis Martin, former streetcar conductors who became restaurant owners in New Orleans, with helping popularize the sandwich during a streetcar workers strike in 1929.
According to historical accounts, the Martin brothers provided free sandwiches to workers participating in the strike. The workers were commonly referred to as “poor boys,” and the name eventually became associated with the sandwich itself.
The original poor boys associated with the Martin brothers were roast beef sandwiches served on French bread with gravy. Over time, the sandwich evolved into the many varieties found across Louisiana today, including seafood, sausage, and other regional favorites.
At BJ’s, that tradition continues with generously filled poor boys served on French bread picked up daily from Langlinais Baking Company.
Nearly three decades after Murphree acquired the restaurant, BJ’s continues to serve downtown Broussard while maintaining traditions associated with Olde Tyme Grocery and Louisiana’s enduring poor boy culture.
BJ’s Poor Boys & Plate Lunches is located at 107 North Morgan Avenue in Broussard and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Customers can find daily plate lunch offerings and restaurant updates at www.bjsinbroussard.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bjspoorboys.
