Restaurant that broke records when it opened in west Wichita is now heading east

The west side of Wichita was the first to get a Culver’s last summer, when franchisee Nick Campe opened one at 3210 N. Maize Road.

Now, it’s the east side’s turn.

Wichita’s second Culver’s — a fast-food restaurant known for butter burgers and frozen custard — will open at 3620 N. Rock Road. Campe is putting up a new building on a piece of open ground that sits just across the street from the Braum’s at 3641 N. Rock Road.

Construction should start sometime in mid-October, Campe said, and he hopes to have the restaurant open by the summer of 2026.

Plans have always included adding an east-Wichita Culver’s, but Campe took his time choosing an address.

“We spent years looking for the right property,” he said. “We feel like this is the one.”

The west-side Culver’s is doing well. In fact, Campe said, when the restaurant at 3210 N. Maize Road opened, it broke the chain’s revenue record for both opening day and opening week.

“We were super appreciative that the town received us with the warm welcome,” Campe said. “We’re excited to hopefully have that on the east side, too.”

A different franchisee — Ryan Vaughn — is opening the Derby Culver’s, which is going up next to the QuikTrip at 2801 S. Rock Road. It should be open by Dec. 1, weather permitting, Vaughn said this week.

Campe, who has the franchise rights to Wichita, said that he’ll wait to see when and where he should add another local restaurant.

He’ll do it, he said, “if the market in the coming years allows us to be able to do more. We’re going to take it one restaurant at a time.”

This story was originally published September 3, 2025 at 5:03 AM.

Denise Neil

The Wichita Eagle

316-268-6327

Denise Neil has covered restaurants and entertainment since 1997. Her Dining with Denise Facebook page is the go-to place for diners to get information about local restaurants. She’s a regular judge at local food competitions and speaks to groups all over Wichita about dining.