Today we’d like to introduce you to Dennis Alazzeh.
The idea of Chick-in Waffle came to be as co-founders Sara and Dennis were expecting a new addition to their family. Four months into her pregnancy, Sara began craving sweet and savory food combinations. Sara and Dennis began creating different recipes in their home kitchen and sharing them with friends and family. As fate would have it, Dennis’ father and longtime restaurateur was moving his 31-year-old restaurant to a bigger location.
The same location Dennis spent his summers and college years working at would soon become vacant. Dennis and Sara began toying with the idea of turning their new recipes into a full menu. They took over the old space, remodeled it themselves, and were open for business in less than 90 days. Chick-in Waffle quickly became a hit for foodies everywhere. It is not uncommon to see fast-moving lines, local celebrities, professional athletes, and neighborhood locals making their way to get served delicious, fresh chicken and waffles seven days a week.
Chick-in Waffle is now growing to our second location in south Kansas City with construction expected to be completed by fall 2021. Our new location will have a Drive – Thru option and be open seven days a week.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
With any new business hurdles are a package deal. About two months after opening the covid 19 pandemic had swept the nation and our city was shut down. It was definitely a scary time for us. We had sunk our savings into this restaurant and our families livelihood depended on it. When the stay at home orders kicked in we were forced to furlough our employees and really reassess a lot of things regarding our menu and operations. We overhauled our menu, quickly adapted to online ordering platforms and streamlined our process to make us more efficient which translated to more profits. About two months into the first stay at home order, we turned a profit and things have been growing at an incredible rate ever since. In retrospect, what seemed like a scary time was in fact a blessing and we truly believe it has been one of the core reasons for our success.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Our Mission statement: We aim to make every day a better day by putting a smile on a face. Customer service starts with a smile and ends with a warm waffle or cold lemonade, both will result in a smile. Smiles are contagious and we plan on starting an epidemic of positive smiles.
Everyone is family once they step inside Chick-In Waffle, so we cut no corners when it comes to our service or our chicken. Guests can expect quick service, a fun atmosphere, and a big smile. To us, chicken and waffles are a way of life and we know our guests feel the same! That is why they never have to wait more than 7 minutes for our crispy, made-to-order chicken!
Chicken and waffles is a classic dish loved by foodies everywhere. At Chick-In Waffle, we take this classic and combine it with tastes from around the world to craft completely new flavor combinations! With signature options such as Asian Chili, – KC BBQ, and Chick-in Queso, everyone can find a new favorite at Chick-In Waffle!
Chick-In Waffle also offers hot loaded fries and cold desserts to make the perfect meal on any occasion. Ask our customers and they’ll tell you no meal is complete without them!
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The most important lesson is Mind over matter. It’s hard to stay motivated when the dining room is empty without a customer in sight. Its times like that you must double down on the effort and press forward and truly believe it’s the only option.
Contact Info:
- Email: Chickinwaffleco@gmail.com
- Website: www.chick-in-waffle.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Chick_in_waffle_co
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChickinWaffleCo