Schlotzsky’s brings its new ‘Austin Eatery’ concept to the Kansas City metro

Schlotzsky’s is opening a new Blue Springs restaurant under its new brand — Schlotzsky’s Austin Eatery.

It will open at 9 a.m. Aug. 8, in a new freestanding building at U.S. 40 and Missouri 7. The first 200 customers in the door can spend $19.99 and receive a CinnaPack (six Cinnabon Classic Rolls), as well as a card for a free sandwich once a week for a year that they can use at any Kansas City area Schlotzsky’s.

The Blue Spring location will also have other specials that day. Hours will then be 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

“We are embracing the Austin food truck scene. Austin is known for its unique, fresh, high-quality ingredients,” said Bart Hastert, a partner with Mike Egan and Lance Strahm in the area Schlotzsky’s franchise LotzKC.

LotzKC owns the Blue Springs location as well as the restaurants in Lee’s Summit, Olathe and Overland Park, which will convert to the Schlotzsky’s Austin Eatery brand later this year.

Schlotzsky’s was founded in 1971 in a tiny shop in Austin, Texas. It served one sandwich, the Original, on a Frisbee. Menu items were made from scratch and when the shop ran out of food for the day, it just shut its doors.

Now it has more than 350 locations, and menu items include a variety of sandwiches — from the Fiesta Chicken with black olives and roasted red peppers to the Beef Bacon Smokecheesy with Angus roast beef, bacon strips and chipotle mayonnaise. It also has flatbread and entree salads, beer and wine, and a children’s menu.

In April, the chain started rebranding to Schlotzsky’s Austin Eatery. New items include brisket sliders, and hickory-smoked brisket mac and cheese.

“We have plans to do more restaurants in the city, up north and many more locations,” Hastert said.

This story was originally published August 1, 2019 at 1:30 PM.