Beef-A-Roo’s first Kansas location will finally have its grand opening on Friday, June 16 — and the company hopes the Overland Park location is the first of many to come in the area.
What you need to know
• The first Beef-A-Roo in Kansas will have its grand opening on Friday, June 16.
• The restaurant is located in a building that used to be a Zaxby’s on the north side of 135th Street near Switzer Road.
• The restaurant is open every day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. They do not have a breakfast menu.
• They are still hiring, in person at the store.
As is custom with every Beef-A-Roo grand opening, the first 100 guests will receive golden tickets, redeemable for free junior cheese fries for a full year. Overland Park General Manager Michael Jacobs says he will be there to greet everyone and make sure they don’t experience Beef-A-Roo as “just another fast food restaurant.”
“This (place) should feel warm and more like grandma’s house than a fast food place,” Jacobs said. “Everyone who walks through the door should be treated like family.”
Illinois-based chain has wild west theme
Founded by Dave Debruler and Jean Vitale in Rockford, Ill., in 1967, Beef-A-Roo has found success as a fast food chain with a large menu of all-American options, including slow roasted beef sandwiches, burgers, soups, and salads.
They also tout their seasoned cheese fries, smothered in what they call “liquid gold” (two layers of melted cheese) and sprinkled with seasoned salt.
The chain also features gluten free and vegetarian options on the menu.
“We pride ourselves on the beef products, but it’s a massive menu,” Jacobs said. “The options are almost completely endless. Every menu item is not only fresh, but highly customizable to each customer.”
Beef-A-Roo has taken over former Zaxby’s building
The building, located at 9500 W. 135th St, was previously home to Zaxby’s from 2016 until December 2021, when that company’s corporate office decided to permanently shut it down after a string of COVID-19 cases had decimated its staff and forced its lone remaining manager into quarantine.
Jacobs left his home in Fort Wayne earlier this year, where he had served as food and beverage services manager for a Hilton hotel. He’s eager for the grand opening to arrive and finally introduce local residents to Beef-A-Roo.
“People will find something they love on this menu,” Jacobs said. “They’ll notice how we have a lot of freedom and flexibility to do things that other fast food places can’t.”
