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We all have memories of those special chain restaurants — the ones we would go to as kids or for a family gathering, for a late-night fix, or a sense of comfort.
But life happens, and we move away from where we grew up. That can mean leaving behind the regional chain restaurants that made us feel welcome.
And sure, another chain restaurant serves a burger and fries, but it’s not quite the same, is it?
Luckily for some of us, a number of these fan favorites, once-geographically isolated restaurants, have expanded over the years and made their way to Kansas City.
After all, the Kansas City metro continues to grow, drawing visitors and new residents from around the country and the world. So more chains are realizing that there’s an eager market here to explore. (Still waiting on you, In-N-Out and Cookout.)
Here are some of the regional chains with devoted followings that have made a home in KC.
Whataburger
The arrival of Whataburger was a huge deal here in the Kansas City area. The Texas-based burger joint was a favorite of Patrick Mahomes, who went to college at Texas Tech. Many locations are open 24 hours and are the perfect place to congregate late at night after a big game or other extracurriculars.
Whataburger followed Mahomes to Kansas City — the QB is a big investor in the local franchises — with the first location opening in Lee’s Summit in 2021. There are now more than 29 Whataburgers on both sides of the state line.
Originally opened in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1950, Whataburger offers wide, flat all-beef burgers. You can add jalapenos to get just an offering of that Tex-Mex taste, and even their ketchup has more of a kick. The fries are thinner than others, and their Family Fry Box makes it easier to share. Because they’re open all day, Whataburger is also well-loved for its breakfast menu, especially their honey butter chicken biscuits.
Raising Cane's
Customers are passionate about Raising Cane’s. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, restaurant opened in 1996 and came to Kansas City in 2016. The journey of founder Todd Graves is a dramatic one. He originally came up with the concept of a chicken-finger restaurant in college, and the story goes that the professor didn’t think a place that only sold chicken fingers would work.
Undeterred, he took jobs in construction and eventually as a fisherman in Alaska to raise the capital for his first restaurant. He named it after his dog, Raising Cane, and a cult following was built.
The base of every meal is the chicken finger at Raising Cane’s. Breaded and fried on site with their secret spice mix, each tender is golden and delicious — order it extra crispy if you want more of a crust. With just a few sides — coleslaw, crinkle cut fries, Texas toast — Cane’s offers that Southern comfort meal without many complications.
But no combo from Raising Cane’s would be complete without their sauce. People have been trying to recreate it on their own for years, and although many have probably gotten pretty close, there really is no substitute for the tangy original.
You can find a Raising Cane’s in just about every area of Kansas City, from the Northland to midtown to Olathe.
Chicken Salad Chick
Chicken Salad Chick started as a cottage operation. Coming off a divorce, founder Stacy Brown began making chicken salad from her kitchen and selling it to her community in Auburn, Alabama. Soon, she became known as the “chicken salad chick” and opened her first restaurant in 2008.
The chain came to the Kansas City area recently, with its first store opening in Lee’s Summit in 2024. A second location arrived over the summer in Overland Park.
Chicken salad itself is a simple recipe of shredded chicken, mayonnaise, and spices such as paprika and garlic powder. However, Chicken Salad Chick takes this basic recipe further and has created at least 12 different varieties named after people in her life. The Fancy Nancy features Fuji apples, grapes, and crunchy pecans, while Kickin' Kay Lynne combines Buffalo, ranch, bacon, cheddar, jalapeños, and sriracha.
Then turn any of your preferred chicken salads into a sandwich, such as the Bacon Cheddar Melt or the Melt Sandwich, topped with provolone. And there’s no skimping on the sides. Broccoli salad, fresh fruit, and pasta salad are all options.
Swig
Swig offers a different take on the classic soda shop. Originally founded in Utah in 2010, the drive-through drink chain showed up in the KC area in 2024. They gained popularity by serving a “dirty soda,” a fizzy drink with added flavors or creamers.
Because they’re drive-through only, Swig often has a staff member outside helping you decide which combination to try. With bases that include soda, tea, water, and energy drinks, there are tons of options. The Texas Tab is a Dr. Pepper base with a squirt of vanilla and coconut cream. Or get an island-inspired soda with Hula Girl, a combination of Sprite, lemonade, mango, pineapple, strawberry, and coconut cream. It’s like a fizzy piña colada.
If you are craving a thirst-quenching option with less of a sugar crash, the Sandy Cheeks mixes water, sugar-free peach, and fresh lemon.
Swig has seven locations throughout the area: Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, Liberty, Mission, Kansas City North, and two in Overland Park.
Dave's Hot Chicken
Riding the wave of Nashville hot chicken, Dave’s Hot Chicken began in 2017 as a pop-up in Los Angeles. It made it to Kansas City in 2023, and now has four area locations sprinkled south of the river.
There are seven heat levels for Dave’s Hot Chicken, so customers can customize for their tolerance. Their hottest option is Reaper, made from the Carolina Reaper pepper, but you have to sign a waiver first.
Instead of parts like wings and legs, Dave’s specializes in tenders and saucy bites, their version of nuggets. For vegetarians, Dave’s serves up fried cauliflowers with just as much of a punch. Top it all with their special sauce, which is a semi-sweet, slightly hot sauce with a bit of tang.
Kura Revolving Sushi Bar
Kura Sushi is the second-largest sushi restaurant chain in Japan. It came to California in 2009 and entered Kansas City in 2023. Located at the Country Club Plaza, they have mastered eater-tainment — making the dining experience as much fun as eating the food.
A procession of sushi options goes by each table on a conveyor belt; all you need to do is grab what you want and start eating. After you’re done, you deposit the plate into a slot — at the end, you’ll pay per plate. Plus, there are incentives for eating more. Once your table gets through 15 plates, you get to watch a little animation and receive a prize that is delivered in something resembling a Pokéball.
For appetizers or other non-fish options, you can add other dishes via touch screen at your table. Drinks are delivered to you by robots somewhat reminiscent of the serving droids on Jabba’s barge in “Return of the Jedi.”
Kura’s menu is extensive and sure to capture the taste buds of even sushi first-timers. Salmon, tuna, snow crab and beef are just a few of the options. Try their Tempura Philadelphia Roll, which is salmon, avocado, and cream cheese wrapped in rice and dried seaweed.
For soup lovers this winter, check out their Miso Ramen or Kitsune Udon — tofu and green onion with udon noodles.
Bojangles
Although Kansas City clearly has many options for fried chicken lovers, fans of Bojangles are loyal, loud, and not afraid to tell you why it’s the best. And there’s not long to wait: Bojangles announced that Blue Springs, Merriam, and Overland Park will all get a franchise soon.
Coming from North Carolina, Bojangles has been cooking fried chicken since 1977. Their special spice mix gives them their signature taste. Their biscuits are made in 49 steps, and end up wonderfully buttery, salty, and layered when you pull them apart.
Bojangles in other states are also very affordable; it’s refreshing to get a 12-piece bucket of chicken for under $30 bucks. Add in some classic tea (sweet or unsweet), and you have one of those comforting meals that will bring your family together for a night.
Other regional chains in Kansas City
Because some of these chain restaurants have avid followings, we’re certain to get plenty of feedback about not highlighting the best ones.
Here are a few of the other regional favorites you’ll encounter around the Kansas City metro.
- Zaxby’s
- Imo’s Pizza
- Culver's
- Shake Shack
- Mo'Bettah's
- Hawaiian Bros
- Andy's Frozen Custard
- Waffle House
- Sonic Drive-In
- Village Inn
- Pizza Ranch
- Steak ’n Shake
- Church’s Chicken
- Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
- Dutch Bros Coffee
- 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee
Is there a regional chain you’d love to see in Kansas City? Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know and we might include it.
