North Kansas City burger shack with cult following to expand into Johnson County

Kent Harrison keeps it simple at his Tay’s Burger Shack.

“I know where the beef comes from. The buns are made fresh daily. The fries are hand-cut. No freezers, no microwave, “ he said. “It’s like they used to do it.”

Since opening at 1019 Armour Road in late 2014, Tay’s has built a bit of a cult following. Now he is adding an Overland Park location.

He plans a March opening at 7724 W. 151st St. The former Hardee’s building has a drive-thru.

“We need to grow so we have been searching and searching for locations, very hard,” he said. “Anyone who has a space, the big commercial companies come in and snap them up. Locations are hard for the small guy. But Hardee’s closed in October, and our landlord got it in November.”

Tay’s keeps its menu small: organic, grass-fed beef burgers (standard toppings are lettuce, tomato, pickle and cheese), sauces on the side and a choice of add-ons — chili, cheese sauce, jalapenos, raw or grilled onions, bacon, and mushrooms.

It also has Nathan’s hot dogs, chili dogs, hand-cut fries with house-made seasonings, and chili cheese fries, as well as its own Tay’s orange fountain drink.

Harrison said the new location will have about 30 employees, and he offers higher hourly pay than some fast food operations to attract the best workers.

Tay’s Burger Shack is named for Harrison’s daughter, Taylor, soon to turn 21. It opened in December 2014.