I was raised on Gates, but TBH, I don't think there's a wrong answer. My only complaint about KC barbecue is I don't like Bryant's sauce much, but I know that's just a reflection of my own tastes rather than the quality of it. I live on the same block as one of the Jackstack's, so that's usually my go-to if I"m not cooking myself.
These days, with slabs being fairly cheap at the market, I usually get a slab, pre-slice it, sauce and spice it, let it sit my fridge for a couple of days marinading and soaking up that flavor, and then bbq them myself.