It all seemed very simple and straightforward: Dave Johnson, Kansas City entrepreneur, launched Chicken N Pickle in North Kansas City to create a place where people could connect through food, play, and community. Ten years ago, practically no one had heard of pickleball, much less needed a place to play it. Now, a decade later, there are 13 locations in the nation, and the Chicken N Pickle brand has forged its own category in the field of entertainment! It has always been the dream to become the best backyard people don’t want to leave.
In addition to providing a safe, fun place to eat and play, Dave felt strongly about the word “community,” and he envisioned a company that gave something back to its communities, an investment. Now, starting their 11th year, Chicken N Pickle can boast $6.5 million donated to non profits across all locations. Focusing on hospitality, engagement, and fun for all ages, the brand also includes the philanthropic tagline of “Our Hearts Are Local.” As a part of their initiative to be generous in their communities, all employees are given a paid day off to volunteer at their charity of choice. The brand also hosts blood drives, they are an official sponsor of Special Olympics, they donate meals to teachers and first responders, and each location donates, on average, 530 gift certificates per year.
Kelli Alldredge serves as the Chicken N Pickle president, and her position, no doubt, requires many skills in the form of executive function, hiring, training, strategic planning, and economic prowess, just to name a few. But what Kelli brings to the brand, and everyone who encounters her, is a childlike wonder and playfulness that infects everything she does, and every decision she makes. “What we’ve really built is a hospitality company centered on human connection.” Before she could complete the thought, she was giggling about the throng of kids racing through the facility on a summer camp day. “Oh, this is so fun, these kids are having a blast,” she continued. If Kelli had a paddle in her hand during our conversation, we would likely have been chasing down stray balls!
The business plan started out as a mechanism whereby community members gather to play, connect, eat, and make memories. It included chef-driven dining, pickleball, yard games, events, social experiences, and connectedness. Four years into the plan, COVID-19 hit. Connectedness was not part of the “shelter-in-place-plan” for virus survival. The suddenness, immediacy, and seriousness of the shutdown was clearly going to affect the foundation upon which the business was built. But, Chicken N Pickle did a huge pivot, and realigned the business with the current conditions. With an outdoor setting, they could create boundaries, use precautions, and still entertain people while providing a much-needed outlet for physical activity.
Post-COVID-19, lessons were learned and taken to heart. People were literally craving celebratory events to make up for all of the ones cancelled in the wake of the shutdown. Chicken N Pickle became the place to go to celebrate something, anything! They realized that their locations were good for more than just pickleball and food. Activities like line dancing, yoga, pilates, holiday pop-ups, and glamping would draw people in, and people started scheduling class reunions, family gatherings, weddings, birthdays, and more!
If nothing else can be said of Kelli and Chicken N Pickle, let it be said that they are adaptive. “We have the same core values we’ve always had. We love experiences, we thrive on fun, and we want to help make memories,” declared Kelli. “We are so grateful to our communities, and we know everyone has a different experience at our locations, there is no ‘one size fits all.’ We want to foster the idea that everyone can find something fun at Chicken N Pickle.” After a decade of hard work and a lot of recreation, the business is poised to keep moving into new markets. They recently asked a marketing consultant what their target audience might be. The reply was, “Ages four to 104.” Assignment accepted.
Featured in the July 11, 2026 issue of The Independent.
By: Anne Potter Russ
