Chicken tender chain will open 10 locations in KC area. See where
The “filet mignon of chicken” has a five-year plan for Kansas City. Florida-based chicken tender chain Huey Magoo’s aims to open 10 area locations as part of its plans to expand across the country.
To start, Kansas Citians will see two Huey Magoo’s locations open this year. A restaurant in Independence will debut in September at 4049 Little Blue Parkway, then another location will open at the end of the year in Harrisonville at 2002 N. Commercial St.
The chain, which started in Orlando and now has nearly 100 restaurants, is comparable to Raising Cane’s and Zaxby’s because its menu focuses on chicken tenders, though there are other chicken dishes and fast food items available. Huey Magoo’s describes itself as the “filet mignon of chicken” because the restaurant makes its chicken tenders from the tenderloin, according to the Huey Magoo’s website.
A chicken tender meal comes with regular-sized tenders or smaller tender bites, a choice of chips or crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, coleslaw and a choice of dipping sauce (Magoo’s, Spicy Magoo’s or ranch). Guests can also get grilled chicken or get their chicken tenders on a sandwich, wrap or salad.
According to a press release, a franchisee named Midwest Restaurant Group is opening the 10 future Kansas City-area locations in Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth and Douglas counties in Kansas and Cass, Jackson, Platte and Clay counties in Missouri. In a statement, Huey Magoo’s president and CEO Andy Howard said the organization has “experience, regional familiarity and love for our brand to amplify our presence in the Midwest.”
The first two locations will be about 2,000 square feet, and the first restaurant in Independence will include a drive-thru, 26 indoor seats and 26 seats outside. The press release said the Harrisonville restaurant is one of the first of a Huey Magoo’s storefront redesign, a standalone eatery inside a modern farmhouse space with a dedicated drive-thru lane and both indoor and outdoor seating. At the Harrisonville location, there will be room for 37 guests inside and 18 diners on the patio.
The Independence address was the former location of a Lion’s Choice, a counter-service roast beef sandwich eatery that closed in 2024. It’s surrounded by other fast food and casual restaurant chains as well as the home improvement store Menards/ off of Interstate 70. A now-shuttered Hardee’s restaurant was located at the address where the Harrisonville Huey Magoo’s will soon be, next to other fast food chains off of Interstate 49.
The Huey Magoo’s coming soon to Kansas will be the brand’s first locations in the Sunflower State. There are a handful of Huey Magoo’s in the Springfield area.