Wichita ‘better chicken’ restaurant wants to enter the Kansas City market
Wichita’s Chick N Max, a fast-casual restaurant specializing in almond wood smoked chicken and wings, and fried chicken tenders, is eyeing the Kansas City market.
The company is looking for franchisees to open seven to 10 restaurants in the metro, with one opening in early 2022.
CEO Max Sheets — the Max in Chick N Max — has more than 30 years experience in the restaurant industry. He said he was with Ted’s Montana Grill when Ted Turner and George McKerrow pioneered the “better burger” segment.
Now he wants to do something similar in the “better chicken sandwich” segment with freshly made products.
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Sandwiches include Chicken & Waffles to the Max (chicken tenders on two sweet waffles, pepper jack cheese, bacon and spicy sauce), the smoked chicken BLT, and the California Dreamin (smoked chicken on a toasted potato bun with guacamole, bacon, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and jalapeño cream sauce).
It has a choice of 11 sauces made in-house daily — from barbecue to habanero pepper. It also has 10 sides, including smoked white beans, turnip greens, deviled egg potato salad, and red skin mashed potatoes and gravy.
“We are carving out a unique niche in the better chicken market. We are very, very cutting edge with flavor profiles, the brioche bun on the fried sandwiches and potato bun on the smoked chicken sandwiches. Everything is made fresh,” Sheets said.
The executive chef, Robert Kabakoff, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1986, and was previously corporate executive chef and director of culinary training for Hillstone Restaurant Group, which owns Houston’s and other restaurant brands. He formed RHK Consulting Group 14 years ago.
Chick N Max was founded in 2017 and now has three Wichita locations.
The company started franchising a month ago and on Monday announced four targeted markets. Along with Kansas City, it also is looking to open seven to 10 restaurants in St. Louis, as well as at least three restaurants each in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
Franchisee fees are $35,000. Total investment for a 1,800 to 2,400-square-foot restaurant ranges from $450,000 to $550,000. They typically seat 60 to 80 people and have 15 to 20 employees.