Pent-up demand for fun during the COVID-19 years resulted in a boomlet of sorts in the post-pandemic years for food-and-games concepts, sometimes called eatertainment. But lately the trends have been souring a bit for sports-themed concepts, like TopGolf, Puttshack and Pinstripes.
But then there’s pickleball.
Kansas City-based Chicken N Pickle is preparing to open unit No. 12 in Allen, Texas, this week, with No. 13 coming in mid-summer to Colorado, a new market for the brand. Currently, Chicken N Pickle operates in Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Nevada, Oklahoma and, soon, Colorado. The plan is to fill in some of those existing markets with more locations.
The concept has attracted investors like football champions Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, who have helped raise about $10 million for the concept’s growth. (Kelce’s girlfriend Taylor Swift last year was briefly spotted playing the sport, or at least dressing to play.)
Bill Koning, Chicken N Pickle’s regional vice president of operations, said the chain is moving forward with about two openings per year, which is modest but doable growth for a brand that targets big pieces of real estate, starting at about half an acre and going up to an acre and a half. All are company owned.
Chicken N Pickle units tend to require at least about 21,000 square feet. | Rendering courtesy of Chicken N Pickle
Rather than being a pickleball court with dining, Koning describes Chicken N Pickle as a restaurant and bar with pickleball as an amenity.
Pickleball, of course, is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. It appeals to all ages, from kids to seniors. And it is, by nature, a social sport that attracts groups with league play from morning until night, along with corporate and catered events. Guests typically hang out for two to two and a half hours and often dine twice in a visit, said Koning.
It was that “camaraderie and community” aspect of pickleball that prompted founder Dave Johnson to create the concept in 2016, said Koning. At the time, he was enamored with concepts like Topgolf, but he thought he could build a concept “faster, better, cheaper.”
And he wanted the restaurants to be gathering spaces.
Typically, Chicken N Pickle units have both indoor and outdoor pickleball courts, along with other games, but the primary revenue driver is food-and-beverage sales. The fast-casual menu is built around wood-fired rotisserie chicken, though it varies by location.
In Kansas City, for example, a quarter or half rotisserie chicken with various sauces is accompanied by a half rack of ribs and hand-held offerings like burgers and chicken sandwiches, salads and tots. (Yes, there are fried pickles on the menu, but they don’t go overboard with the pickle references.)
The menu is built around wood-fired rotisserie chicken. | Photo courtesy of Chicken N Pickle
Units have a full bar, and guests can open a tab with their credit cards that will stay with them through the facility. They might first book a game, for example, followed by a meal while watching a tournament and drinks on the roof or in the beer garden to cap the day. Regular “Newbie Nights” invite in those who have never played before.
Courts open early but the restaurants currently are open between 11 a.m. and around midnight, depending on the location. Koning said a breakfast menu is in test to see what pickleballers might need or want earlier in the day.
Because it is a private company, Koning declined to reveal systemwide sales. But he said, “We’re pleased with the way we’re trending.”
While other restaurant chains are expressing concerns about uncertainty in the economy, causing consumers to pull back on spending, Koning said Chicken N Pickle is somewhat concerned about the cost of construction being impacted going forward.
But, he said, for now, “Our approach is that we’re going to do what we can to control what we can, and that’s the food-and-beverage program and our service model. Our focus is to continue to execute at a high level, and, in turn, people will seek you out.”