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Strip’s Chicken is a locally owned, made-from-scratch chicken-strip concept founded by Todd Johnson in Olathe, Kansas in 2016, built around fresh-never-frozen chicken breast hand-breaded in pretzel crumbs and fried for exactly two minutes and ten seconds.12 From its original express location at 1110 E Santa Fe in Olathe, the brand has grown into a three-unit KC-metro mini-chain with full-service “Strip’s Chicken & Brewing” restaurants in Merriam and Lenexa.345

Locations

AddressCityOpenedStatus
1110 E Santa Fe, Olathe, KS 66061Olathe, KS2016Open — express/quick-service original12
5831 Merriam Dr, Merriam, KS 66203Merriam, KS~2021Open — full-service “Strip’s Chicken & Brewing”; bar, patio, pool/darts36
12804 Santa Fe Trail Dr, Lenexa, KS 66215Lenexa, KSNov 2024Open — full-service “Strip’s Chicken & Brewing”; 9 craft beers45

Note: A former Kansas City, Missouri (Waldo neighborhood) location closed in early 2024 and is excluded from the active location table.5

Description

Strip’s Chicken is a local, family-owned quick-service restaurant specializing in made-from-scratch fried chicken strips.1 Founder Todd Johnson uses chicken breast cut to size, dipped in seasoned batter, breaded with pretzel crumbs, and fried “to perfection” for exactly two minutes and ten seconds.2 Beyond the namesake strips, the menu spans grilled chicken sandwiches, gluten-free crispy chicken nuggets, pork tenderloin sandwiches, pork burgers, wings, and smoked pulled-pork sandwiches.74 Johnson has emphasized the from-scratch ethos publicly, noting “the only thing we have in our freezer is french fries.”5

The original Olathe store operates as an express/drive-thru-style quick-service shop with a dining room and patio, and is notably family-friendly — Nintendo units are mounted at every booth.7 The newer Merriam and Lenexa stores trade up to a full-service “Strip’s Chicken & Brewing” format with a bar and a slate of locally crafted beers brewed through partnerships with area breweries.34 The brand also runs a “Round-Up-A-Hug for Foster Kids” community program providing matching funds for foster youth to purchase their first car through a partnership with YouThrive.2

Ownership and history

Strip’s Chicken was founded by Todd Johnson, who was born and raised on a farm near Erie, Kansas, where his grandmother owned the town diner he frequented as a child.2 Before launching Strip’s, Johnson worked as a national restaurant consultant — advising restaurateurs on menus and operations around the country — and appeared on television as a consultant to Lisa Vanderpump on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules.2 He opened the first Strip’s Chicken in Olathe in 2016.2

The concept expanded into Johnson County over the following years, adding the full-service Merriam restaurant and a short-lived Kansas City, Missouri (Waldo) location that closed in early 2024.5 In November 2024 Johnson opened the Lenexa “Strip’s Chicken & Brewing” store at 12804 Santa Fe Trail Drive, pairing the chicken concept with an in-house brewing program of nine craft beers and stated plans to add a vegetable garden and upscale menu items.45

Sources

Disputes

None recorded.

Footnotes

  1. https://www.stripschicken.com/ — asserts: Strip’s Chicken is a local, family-owned, made-from-scratch quick-service restaurant in Olathe, Merriam & Lenexa, Kansas; award-winning fresh food made from scratch. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. https://martincitytelegraph.com/2021/02/27/strips-chicken-is-open/ — asserts: owner/proprietor Todd Johnson; born and raised on a farm near Erie, KS; grandmother owned the town diner; former national restaurant consultant; appeared as consultant to Lisa Vanderpump on Vanderpump Rules; opened first Strip’s Chicken in Olathe in 2016; chicken breast cut to size, seasoned batter, pretzel-crumb breading, fried 2 minutes 10 seconds; “Round-Up-A-Hug for Foster Kids” / YouThrive program. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  3. https://www.stripschicken.com/locations — asserts: Merriam location at 5831 Merriam Dr, Merriam, KS 66203; dining room, patio, curbside, full liquor/beer/wine selection, dart boards and pool table; full-service format. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. https://johnsoncountypost.com/2024/11/18/strips-chicken-lenexa-open-247261/ — asserts: Lenexa “Strip’s Chicken & Brewing” at 12804 Santa Fe Trail Drive, Lenexa, opened ~mid-November 2024; owner Todd Johnson; fresh-never-frozen, made-from-scratch; nine craft beers via local brewery partnerships; Olathe original opened 2016 (express), Merriam sit-down; planned garden + upscale menu. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  5. https://johnsoncountypost.com/2024/06/05/strips-chicken-lenexa-235054/ — asserts: expansion to Lenexa with beer focus; “only thing in our freezer is french fries” quote; former Kansas City, MO (Waldo) location closed in early May 2024. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  6. https://www.yelp.com/biz/strips-chicken-and-brewing-merriam-3 — asserts: “Strip’s Chicken & Brewing,” 5831 Merriam Dr, Merriam, KS; brewery/restaurant; reviews updated October 2025. ↩

  7. https://www.restaurant.com/locations/strip-s-chicken-olathe-1110-e-santa-fe-st — asserts: Olathe at 1110 E Santa Fe, Olathe, KS 66061; phone (913) 210-5170; menu includes crispy chicken strips, grilled chicken sandwiches, gluten-free crispy chicken nuggets, pork tenderloin sandwiches, pork burgers; hours Mon–Sat 10:30am–9pm, Sun closed; Nintendo units at booths. ↩ ↩2

See also

  • Registry
  • Owner-And-History-Research-Toolchain
Categories
  • Locally owned
  • Chicken
  • Olathe Ks