Wichita will get this famous burger chain by summer, could have 2 locations by year’s end
It was more than a year ago that FAT Brands Inc. announced that it planned to enter the Wichita market in 2021 and eventually open three restaurants here selling both burgers and chicken wings.
The company didn’t get the job done in 2021, but it looks like 2022 is the year, and a spokeswoman from the Beverly Hills-based company said it’s possible Wichita could have two restaurants by the end of this year.
The franchise group, Uncle John’s Brands LLC, will open its first Fatburger & Buffalo’s Express restaurant at the Wichita Crossing Center, which is at Greenwich Road and K-96 and also holds Jersey Mike’s Subs and Crumbl Cookies. That restaurant should be ready to go by early summer, the spokeswoman said.
The group is now actively looking for spots to open a second and third restaurant in Wichita but haven’t yet settled on anything. The second restaurant could be ready by late 2022 or early 2023, and the third is slated for a 2024 opening.
The Wichita restaurants will all be co-branded stores featuring both Fatburger and another FAT Brands concept, Buffalo’s Express, which specializes in chicken wings.
Founded in 1947 by entrepreneur Lovie Yancey, Fatburger is a pop culture icon referenced in songs like “It Was a Good Day” by Ice Cube and “Going Back to Cali” by The Notorious B.I.G.
The chain started in Los Angeles and offers customizable burgers with traditional toppings as well as things like bacon, eggs, chili and jalapenos. It also serves steak fries, regular fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, turkey burgers, chicken sandwiches and milkshakes. The Buffalo’s Express side of the menu features bone-in or boneless wings that can be coated in a variety of sauces, including barbecue, Asian sesame, Coconut jerk and more.
I’ll keep you posted on the progress.
This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 1:45 PM.
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