Ghost kitchens on the rise: Wings in Waldo, Northland BBQ joining a Kansas City trend
Macho Taco. It’s Just Wings. Epic Burgers. Smash-N-Nash.
These are just a few of the new offerings popping up in the metro. But you can’t dine in to try them out.
Ghost kitchens, also known as virtual or cloud kitchens, are delivery-only concepts that were in their infancy before COVID-19, just waiting for the delivery orders to catch up. When the pandemic hit, delivery-only, takeout and drive-thru orders surged as consumers sheltered in place.
Ghost kitchens seem tailor-made for the pandemic — delivery only, with food that travels well and simpler menus for these stressful times.
Here are some new choices:
Waldo’s District Pour House + Kitchen launched Johnny Wings in January. It offers wings in “breadless,” crispy breaded, boneless or extra crunchy styles with a choice of seven sauces, including sweet chili, sriracha Buffalo and hot honey. The menu also includes garlic cheese curds, fries, sweet potato fries, truffle fries, tater tots, spicy cauliflower, salads and dessert waffles.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Customers order online for delivery or pickup at 7122 Wornall Road.
Co-owner Dan McCall said Johnny Wings is a way to make up for some sales lost during the pandemic, without spending funds on a new brick-and-mortar spot. But if it proves popular, it could eventually get its own spot.
In recent months, new offerings have included Macho Taco at Michael Forbes Bar and Grille in Brookside, The Post Chicken at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar in the West Plaza, Epic Burgers at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Cosmo Burger in Dodson’s Bar & Commons in Waldo, and Summit Restaurant Group’s Smash-N-Nash in several of its restaurants. Brinker International also opened It’s Just Wings in its Chili’s and Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurants.
Unlike those concepts, Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que is serving about 90% of its regular menu as a ghost kitchen through 10 Granite City Food & Brewery locations, which are owned by the same company. It planned an early March opening at the Granite City in Zona Rosa, 8461 N.W. Prairie View Road in the Northland. But that date has been pushed back.