First Johnson County Whataburger about to open. It will pay police to direct traffic

The first Kansas Whataburger will open at 11 a.m. Monday in Johnson County.

The location, at 8420 W. 135th St. in Overland Park, was formerly a Salty Iguana Mexican Restaurant.

Whataburger has opened two other metro locations that have attracted lines of cars stretching for blocks for the grand openings. The company said it will pay for Overland Park police and private security to help manage traffic flow during the latest opening.

The dining room will then be open from 6 a.m. to midnight and the drive-thru 24/7. Curbside pickup and delivery for online orders will be available in the coming weeks.

The location will have 120 employees.

The chain already opened locations in Independence and Lee’s Summit. Additional corporate-owned stores are scheduled:

▪ A spring opening at 905 Missouri 7 in Blue Springs.

▪ A summer opening at 1921 W. Foxwood Drive in Raymore.

▪ And a fall opening for its second Overland Park location, which will be in 95Metcalf at 9505 Metcalf Ave.

Items are made to order, and it uses 100% beef and a 5-inch bun. The menu also includes mushroom Swiss burgers, patty melts, a honey barbecue chicken strip sandwich, a sweet and spicy bacon burger, fish and chicken sandwiches, salads, and breakfast items such as a honey butter chicken biscuit, pancake platter and taquitos with cheese.

After the beloved San Antonio, Texas-based burger chain offered to send Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes some of his favorite ketchup and a T-shirt in late 2018, he tweeted back, “I just want a store in Kansas City!”

Plans for a Lee’s Summit Whataburger in June 2020 were the first confirmation that the chain was coming to the metro.

Now Whataburger franchise partner KMO Burger, which includes Mahomes as a partner, plans to open 30 locations from Wichita to St. Joseph. But the group plans to concentrate on the metro.

Its locations and scheduled openings:

▪ 10780 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. Spring.

▪ 11300 Nall Ave., Overland Park. Summer.

▪ Metro North Crossing, 400 N.W. Barry Road. Summer

▪ Southwest corner 159th Street and U.S. 69, Overland Park. Summer.

▪ Southeast corner of Interstate 435 and Bannister Road. Fall.

▪ 14123 W. 135th St., Olathe, (near Menards). 2023.

▪ 9100 block of Missouri 45, Parkville. 2023.

▪ Missouri 152 and North Booth Avenue (near Liberty). 2023.