Cultivating Connection Through Food and Sport

Reflecting on Chicken N Pickle’s 10th anniversary, President Kelli Alldredge said the brand is proud to have helped create a model that is intentionally more than a restaurant and more than a sports venue.

“From the beginning, we believed guests wanted more than a meal – they wanted experiences and opportunities to connect. We were blending chef-driven dining, craft beverages, pickleball, yard games, events and community programming long before experiential dining became an industry buzzword.”

Founder Dave Johnson’s original vision to create a space where people of all ages could connect through shared experiences has evolved into a broader hospitality brand. Since the first location launched in North Kansas City years before pickleball hit the mainstream, the concept has grown to 13 locations across multiple states with events, seasonal activations, wellness programming, and charitable initiatives that have invested more than $6.5 million into local communities. Investors and supporters include Kansas City Chiefs players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, and tennis player Jack Sock.

In this Q&A with Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine, Alldredge discusses the company’s core mission, expansion challenges and strategies, the impact of weather,  the brand’s commitment to local communities, and the future of eatertainment and play.

Chicken N Pickle was created to be a place where people could connect through food, play and community. How has that mission evolved?

Our mission has remained the same since day one: bringing people together through food, play and community. 

From the beginning, Chicken N Pickle was built around the belief that people were craving more meaningful, face-to-face connection in an increasingly digital world. We wanted to create a place where food, play, family and community could exist under one roof.

What has evolved over the past decade is the number of ways guests connect with us. Today, people come for pickleball, but they also come for corporate events, family celebrations, fundraisers, wellness programming, community gatherings and everyday moments with friends and family. While our offerings have grown, our purpose remains the same: creating meaningful human connection through food, play and community.

What have been the key challenges of Chicken N Pickle's expansion and what are challenges for future expansion? What are the plans for future thoughtful growth?

One of our biggest challenges has been maintaining the authentic culture and local feel of each venue while growing nationally. It would be easier to create a one-size-fits-all model, but that's never been our approach. Every Chicken N Pickle location is designed to reflect the character of its community and serve as a true local gathering place.

As we look ahead, thoughtful growth means continuing to expand without losing the culture, community focus and values that got us here. We remain interested in strategic growth opportunities, including acquisitions and community partnerships, but we're committed to making sure every new location feels authentic to its market. Growth is important, but preserving our mission and values is even more important.

How did the brand pivot during the pandemic and what operational lessons were learned?

The pandemic reinforced the value of what we had already built. Our indoor-outdoor design allowed us to adapt quickly while continuing to provide opportunities for safe social connection. At a time when people were isolated, our venues became places where families, friends and communities could reconnect responsibly.

Operationally, we learned the importance of flexibility, communication and meeting guests where they are. We also saw firsthand how much people value real-world experiences and human connection. That lesson continues to influence how we think about hospitality, programming and guest engagement today.

What is the impact of weather on the brand?

Chicken N Pickle was intentionally designed as an indoor-outdoor concept, which helps us remain active and welcoming throughout the year. Weather can influence guest behavior and participation in outdoor activities, but our indoor courts, dining spaces, event venues and year-round programming help us provide a consistent experience regardless of the season. 

From an operational perspective, weather can affect visitation patterns, particularly at locations with significant outdoor programming. However, our combination of indoor courts, dining areas, bars, event spaces and covered outdoor amenities helps maintain guest activity year-round and reduces weather-related impacts.

Growth is important, but preserving our mission and values is even more important.

Our business model is also highly diversified. Revenue comes from food and beverage sales, court reservations, leagues, tournaments, corporate events and private gatherings. During periods of unfavorable weather, activity often shifts toward indoor dining, social experiences, meetings and private events rather than disappearing altogether.

Court utilization follows a similar pattern. Outdoor court usage is naturally more weather-dependent, while indoor courts help support year-round play, leagues and programming. This flexibility allows us to adapt to seasonal conditions across different markets while continuing to provide guests with meaningful experiences.

We've also embraced seasonality as an opportunity to create new experiences, from Holiday Hideaway pop-ups and igloos to outdoor festivals, tournaments and community celebrations that give guests new reasons to visit throughout the year.

What makes an ideal site for a Chicken N Pickle? What do you look for?

At its core, Chicken N Pickle is a community gathering place, so we look for communities that value connection, recreation and shared experiences. We want locations where we can become part of the fabric of the community and create opportunities for people of all ages to gather. We also look for markets that support our unique blend of hospitality, recreation, events and community engagement.

From a development perspective, we target high-growth suburban and urban markets with strong population density, regional accessibility and active lifestyle demographics. We look for communities that can support a variety of guest occasions, including dining, pickleball, tournaments, fundraisers, family celebrations and corporate events.

Site size is also important. Typical locations range from approximately 2.5 to 4.5 acres, providing sufficient space for indoor and outdoor courts, dining venues, event areas, outdoor gathering spaces and parking.

Visibility and accessibility are critical factors in our site-selection process. We prioritize highly visible locations with strong traffic patterns and convenient regional access. We also seek opportunities within mixed-use and entertainment-oriented developments where complementary uses can help create year-round activity and increase guest engagement.

Community partnerships are another important consideration. Because Chicken N Pickle is designed to be more than a restaurant or entertainment venue, we look for markets where we can build relationships with local nonprofits, schools, businesses and civic organizations. These partnerships help us create meaningful local impact and reinforce our role as a true community gathering place.

Ultimately, the most successful Chicken N Pickle locations combine strong visibility, regional access, complementary surrounding uses, active lifestyle demographics and opportunities for community engagement. We view every venue as an experiential entertainment destination that brings together hospitality, recreation and community connection in a way that reflects the character of the local market.

In what ways has the chain balanced growth with quality control?

We've balanced growth by staying focused on the guest experience and our core values. Whether someone visits our first location in North Kansas City or one of our newest venues, they should experience the same commitment to hospitality, inclusivity and community engagement.

We've also invested heavily in team development and hospitality training. While every location reflects its local community, our standards for service, food quality and guest experience remain consistent. Our goal has never been growth for growth's sake; it's been creating memorable experiences that guests can trust no matter which Chicken N Pickle they visit.

Explain the brand's "Our Hearts Are Local" philosophy and why staff and local investments are important to the brand.

"Our Hearts Are Local" is much more than a slogan – it's how we operate. Every location is deeply connected to its community, and we believe businesses should actively contribute to the neighborhoods they serve.

We believe the demand for authentic, face-to-face experiences will only grow.

That philosophy influences decisions across the company, from nonprofit partnerships and fundraising events to community programming and volunteer initiatives. In 2025 alone, we supported more than 11,000 nonprofit organizations, hosted more than 8,800 fundraisers and continued investing in programs that create meaningful local impact. 

Our team members are at the center of that work. They're often the ones creating the relationships and experiences that make Chicken N Pickle feel like a community asset rather than simply a business.

What sets Chicken N Pickle apart from its competition?

What sets us apart is that we intentionally combine hospitality, recreation and community engagement into one experience. We're not simply a restaurant with courts attached, and we're not just an entertainment venue that serves food.

Everything we do – from our chef-driven menu and craft beverages to our programming, events and community partnerships – is designed to foster connection. The result is a destination where grandparents can play with grandkids, coworkers can build relationships, nonprofits can raise funds and friends can create memories together. 

We live in an increasingly digital world, so what does the future of play look like for the brand?

The future of play is still rooted in human connection. Technology will continue to influence how people work, communicate and entertain themselves, but we believe the demand for authentic, face-to-face experiences will only grow.

Our role is to continue creating spaces where people can disconnect from screens and reconnect with one another. That means continuing to innovate around recreation, wellness, hospitality and community programming while preserving the simple, timeless value of spending meaningful time together. Whether that's through pickleball, events, food or new experiential offerings, connection will remain at the center of everything we do.

What do you hope guests take away from a visit to a Chicken N Pickle?

More than anything, we hope guests leave feeling connected. Whether they came for lunch, a fundraiser, a corporate event, a family celebration or a pickleball match, we want them to leave with a positive memory and a sense of belonging.

If guests walk away feeling welcomed, included and closer to the people around them, then we've accomplished our mission. After 10 years, that's still what matters most. We hope Chicken N Pickle is remembered as a place that brings people together and creates joy in the communities we serve.