FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Neeley Carlson Kansas & Hospitality Association 316.267-8383 [email protected]

Annual Survey of Favorite Kansas Reveals Kansan’s Love for Burgers & American Fare

Lawrence Again Ranks as City with Most Favorites

Wichita, Kan. - Everyone has a favorite place to grab a bite to eat, but which Kansas restaurants have the most fans? Each year, the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association (KRHA) conducts an online survey to find out. This years’ survey was completed by nearly 1,000 respondents across the state. They were asked one simple question, ‘What is your favorite Kansas-based restaurant?’ The results have been compiled and released as “Kansan’s Twenty Favorite Restaurants of 2018.”

“It’s inspiring to see so much support for Kansas restaurants,” said Adam Mills, CEO of KRHA. “One thing is certainly very clear; Kansan’s are loyal diners, as our top three favorites have made the list the last two years

The number one overall choice among Kansans, and one of three restaurants on the list was Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que. Second place went to the Lawrence staple, Free State Brewing Company, followed by its neighbor along Mass Street and Topeka favorite, The Burger Stand. The top five was rounded out by KC’s Jack Stack Barbecue and favorite Spangles, based in Wichita and now found in cities across Kansas. Lawrence remained the favorite foodie city in Kansas, with the most restaurants on the list with ten, followed closely by Kansas City with seven and Wichita with five. In terms of cuisine, American food was the undisputed favorite served up by 15 of 20 top vote-getters. Among American food, burgers are the featured menu item at 7 of the top 15 favorites.

KANSAS RESTAURANT AND HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION 3500 N ROCK RD BUILDING 1300 WICHITA, KANSAS 67226 TELEPHONE: 800.369.6787 IN WICHITA: 316.267.8383 FACSIMILE: 316.267.8400 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEB SITE: WWW.KRHA.ORG

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#1 – Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que #2 – Free State Brewing Company # 3 – The Burger Stand #4 – Jack Stack Barbecue #5 – Spangles

Rounding out the Top 20 Favorite Kansas Restaurants in 2018 715 Restaurant Lawrence Italian Anchor Inn Restaurant Hutchinson Mexican Bite Me BBQ Wichita American Bon Bon! Lawrence Asian/International Fusion Carriage Crossing Restaurant & Yoder/Hutchinson American Bakery Doo-Dah Diner Wichita American Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Lawrence/Kansas City/Wichita – American Steakburgers with additional location in KS Johnny’s Tavern Lawrence/Kansas City American Merchants Pub & Plate Lawrence American Paulo & Bill Restaurant Kansas City Italian Stroud’s Kansas City /Wichita American The Blue Moose Bar & Grill KC/Lawrence/Manhattan/Topeka American The Cozy Inn Salina American WheatFields Bakery Lawrence American Zen Zero Lawrence Asian

About the Kansas Restaurant & Hospitality Association: The Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association, founded in 1929, is the leading business association for restaurants, hotels, motels, country clubs, private clubs and allied business in Kansas. Along with the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association Education Foundation, the association works to represent, educate and promote the rapidly growing industry of hospitality in Kansas. For more information on the KRHA, visit KRHA.org.

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