National burger chain opens first KC location: shakes, fries, more
National fast-food brand Wayback Burgers has opened its first location in Kansas City.
The location opened its doors about a week ago at 2626 E. Truman Road. While it has its own entrance, register and tables, it shares half its space with a convenience store.
Wayback sells burger wraps, patty melts, burgers, cheese fries, fried pickles, milkshakes and more.
The Connecticut-based chain has 150 locations across the United States, with a heavy concentration on the East Coast. It will soon open spots in St. Louis and Waukee, Iowa, according to its website.
Last year, the company was featured in Nation’s Restaurant News — a publication for the food industry — which noted that the brand was expanding at a “decent clip” as it expanded into Utah and Arizona.
“We don’t need to be the biggest better burger franchise,” company president Patrick Conlin told the publication. “We want to have the right people. We also have to go to sleep at night … and it’s a lot better dealing with nice people than people who are going to give you headaches or be unhappy in what they’re doing.”
Wayback could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
The chain started in 1991 in Newark, Delaware, then as Jake’s Hamburgers. It later rebranded to Jake’s Wayback Burgers, then became Wayback Burgers in 2018.
The chain is known for its retro-style decor.