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Chicken N Pickle splits spotlight with the Chiefs as FOX News broadcasts live from OP location
While the national focus this week is on football — and the Kansas City Chiefs’ drive for their third straight Super Bowl championship on Sunday — hometown pickleball got its share of the spotlight early Thursday thanks to a visit from “FOX & Friends” co-host Steve Doocy.
Doocy — a Kansas City Chiefs fan who grew up in Kansas — brought the FOX News Channel morning show’s Breakfast with Friends series to Chicken N Pickle in Overland Park, broadcasting live — largely before dawn — from the award-winning restaurant and sports entertainment destination. Thursday’s segments featured appearances by KC Wolf, Chiefs cheerleaders, and the Lincoln University Marching Musical Storm.
“FOX & Friends” host Steve Doocy tries his hand at pickleball at Chicken N Pickle using a specially made paddle featuring his face; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
Kelli Alldredge, president of Chicken N Pickle, said the business’ leadership was grateful for the opportunity to show the entire country Chicken N Pickle and highlight the Kansas City region alongside its Super Bowl contenders.
Kelli Alldredge, president of Chicken N Pickle; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“We are so proud of Chicken N Pickle,” Alldredge said from the business’ PrairieFire location. “We’re very well known throughout the Midwest, but I guarantee there’s so many viewers who are like, ‘What is this place? I didn’t know a place like this existed.’ So we were so humbled when Fox reached out.”
Chicken N Pickle — founded in 2016 in North Kansas City by David L. Johnson — now has 11 locations (two in Kansas, two in Missouri, four in Texas, one in Oklahoma, one in Nevada, and one in Arizona) and five more slated to open within the next two years (two in Colorado, one in Nebraska, one in Indiana, and one in Texas).
Alldredge enjoyed meeting community members — many seemingly new to Chicken N Pickle — and people who drove to the business just for the broadcast, she said. The crowd also included several former Chiefs players and cheerleaders, as well as a group of young students who didn’t have school Thursday.
KC Wolf parades FOX News personality and former Kansan Steve Doocy through Chicken N Pickle’s Overland Park location; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“I kept telling our staff, ‘this is bigger than us,’” Alldredge continued. “‘This is all about Kansas City, all about highlighting the Chiefs.’ And we’re just really humbled to have Fox here.”
Doocy spent the morning chatting with Chiefs fans, showing off his pickleball skills, admiring the Lombardi Trophy with KC restaurant owner Jasper Mirable, and parading around with KC Wolf.
“We always love when we can get out of the studio and talk to everyday people,” noted Sarah Popple, “Fox & Friends” senior executive producer. “Hundreds of Kansas City Chiefs fans brought energy and excitement to our Super Bowl pregame party. Chicken N Pickle was the perfect place to host our celebration.”
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