Patrick Mahomes is on a mission to open dozens of Whataburgers in Kansas City

KMO Burger, the Whataburger franchise that includes Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, opened its first restaurant this week.

It opened at 11 a.m. Tuesday at 10780 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, just north of the Legends Outlets Kansas City.

Mahomes grew up with Whataburger in Texas, where the company is based. In a statement, he said: “As part of KMO Burger, I am excited our team is opening our first location in Kansas City. It’s great to bring a gift from my first home to my second home.”

It will be the fifth area Whataburger. Corporate-owned restaurants have opened in Blue Springs, Independence, Lee’s Summit and Overland Park.

Openings tend to attract long lines of customers, eager to try the famed burger that is a Mahomes favorite.

Traffic at previous area openings was blocks long. So KMO is paying for police and private security to help direct traffic as needed.

The first two dine-in and first two drive-thru customers will receive a gift basket that includes vouchers for free Whataburger for a year.

The Kansas City, Kansas, team of 110 employees (called family members) will be led by operating partner Cesar Vera.

The dining room will be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and the double drive-thru 24/7 daily. It also will have self-order kiosks, a custom mural, and a Mahomes jersey and a plaque featuring #15, his jersey number.

Next, at 3 p.m. June 14, KMO will break ground on its new restaurant at 400 N.W. Barry Road, in the redeveloped Metro North Shopping Center project called Metro North Crossing. It is scheduled to open this year. A Hawaiian Bros Island Grill also is planned for the site.

KMO Burger plans to open 30 Whataburgers over the next seven years, spanning from Wichita to St. Joseph. In addition to the Barry Road restaurant, other announced locations are:

2022

▪ 11300 Nall Ave., Overland Park. Summer opening.

▪ Bluhawk, 7791 W. 159th St., Overland Park. Summer opening.

▪ 5630 Bannister Road. Fall opening.

2023

▪ 14123 W. 135th St., Olathe, near Menards.

▪ 9100 block of Missouri 45, Parkville.

▪ Missouri 152 and North Booth Avenue, near Liberty.

▪ 8851 N. Ambassador Drive. This is a newly announced location.

New corporate-owned locations:

▪ 1921 W. Foxwood Drive in Raymore, for summer.

▪ 95Metcalf, 9505 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, for fall.

Whataburger has been focused on fresh, made-to-order burgers and friendly customer service since it was founded in 1950. It is headquartered in San Antonio and has more than 890 locations in 14 states and sales of more than $3 billion annually.

This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 11:24 AM.