On the Corner
For almost two decades, the drive-in on the corner of 10th and Kansas in Armourdale sat vacant - but no more!
Published September 2, 2022
This past spring, the Parade of Hearts captured the attention of the entire Metro as 156 giant fiberglass “Charlie Hustle” hearts overtook the city. The sculptures, each one uniquely decorated by local artists, pushed a number of Kansas Citians to explore parts of this city that they otherwise may not have. I was no different. Like Ash Ketchum, I found myself running around, camera in hand, ready to “catch ‘em all”. When the great art display came to a close and each piece was auctioned off, over $2.5 million had been raised for those in KC who were most impacted by the pandemic. And yet, as wonderful as that is, it may not be the greatest thing the Parade did for this city.
The Parade of Hearts took me into Armourdale, but the food at Quickies is one reason that I will return over and over again.
disKCovery has always been about pushing those who live in Kansas City to get out and explore the oft-overlooked neighborhoods of KC. It’s about a path of discovery that helps uncover the hidden gems that are littered throughout our city. For me, that’s exactly what the Parade of Hearts did. During my own quest to visit every Parade of Hearts sculpture, I visited the more familiar haunts of downtown, Northtown, and Country Club Plaza. The Parade also pushed me out to Olathe and Blue Springs, down to Red Bridge Road, over to Scarritt Point, and even across the river into Armourdale. In Armourdale, I was taken to Bill Clem Park to visit Kim Bruhl’s A Walk in Nature.
While this particular heart would be one of the best I would end up seeing during the entire public art display, something else caught my eye that day. Sitting directly across the street at the intersection of 10th and Kansas Avenue appeared to be a drive-in straight out of the 1950s. Despite the throwback feel, it looked brand new and really busy. The side of the building read Quickies Burgers & Fries. I did a quick web search and found very little on the spot. Yet, the curb appeal, combined with the place being seemingly unknown was too overwhelming for me to ignore. I knew the gleaming red, black, and white* burger stand with a full parking lot was a place I had to visit.
For as much of an eye-catcher as Quickies was, this was not always the case. It was not always so dazzling. Prior to being known as Quickies, the building in that corner lot had been home to Eaton’s Drive-In for a number of years. After Eaton’s closed in the early 2000s, the building sat abandoned for nearly 17 years. In a recent conversation, Quickies Owner and Founder R.J. Samuels made it clear that his restaurant “took a whole lot of work to get it where it is now”.
Samuels is a veteran of the Kansas City restaurant scene. At one point, he owned as many as 15 different restaurants across the city; Thirsty’s Bar and Grill, Dos Hombres, and Matchbox Bar & Grill being among them. A resident of Argentine, Samuels recalled driving past the abandoned Eaton’s building multiple times per week and always thinking the same thing, “I knew it was a great spot for a restaurant.” As Samuels sold off his other properties and left the restaurant business altogether, he could never get that old Eaton’s location out of his mind. “I was retired and that gets old. I couldn’t just sit at home. I needed something to do.” So he jumped on the opportunity to purchase that corner lot in Armourdale. After a lot of hard work, Quickies Burger and Fries opened their doors on February 16, 2021.
A Patty Melt and onion rings was the first meal I ever ordered from Quickies Burgers & Fries. It definitely would not be the last.
At the point I caught my first glance of Samuels’ burger stand, it had been open for over a year. About a week after I became aware of its existence, I made a specific trip back to Armourdale to grab a burger at Quickies and find out why that parking lot had been so full. Luckily for me, on that first visit, the line was much more manageable. When I walked inside, only a few people were in front of me. I immediately noticed that the interior matched the exterior. It was definitely a decades-old throwback that looked brand new. The entire restaurant was just so clean^! It was also abundantly clear that I was the only newcomer in the room. While it had flown under my, and much of the Internet’s, radar, Quickies clearly was known to those in Armourdale. On that first visit, a Quickies employee told me, “We have a lot of regulars and a lot of repeat customers, and you know what that means.”
“We’re a place that is doing things right. I don’t want to cut any corners.”
After stepping back and navigating a menuboard filled with sandwiches, hot dogs, sides and even a barbecue option**; I found the burgers portion and stepped up ready to order a familiar favorite. The woman working the register greeted me with the ideal combination of hospitality, warmth, and a welcome pinch of sass that felt ideal for this restaurant. I ordered the Patty Melt (burger with bacon, melted Swiss cheese, and grilled onion between two pieces of Texas toast), a side of onion rings, and a butterscotch shake. A sign that advertised the “Quickie Sauce” for 50 cents caught my eye so I figured I may as well try that too.
It was obvious that everyone behind the counter and in the kitchen enjoys what they do and love being a part of this restaurant. After paying, I noticed that my food was being made-to-order. There are no pre-made burgers or sides at Quickies. Samuels would later tell me that despite having the perfect building, parking lot, and set-up for one that “we don’t have a drive-thru and we’re not going to do it. [Pre-cooking the burgers] is not something that we’re ever going to do.” Even with that being the case, as the name implies, my order came out quick! What I would soon discover is that while Quickies does not, and will not, do is serve fast food; what it does serve is great food, made fast.
I grabbed a table in the parking lot and picked up my patty melt for the first time. It was griddled perfection. Golden-brown and buttery on the outside, not too toasty, not too soft, not greasy at all - just perfect. And the first bite matched the appearance. The nicely cooked smashburger works in concert with the grilled onion pieces and slices of crispy bacon. Gooey Swiss cheese holds it all together. Everything has the right amount of firmness, but is also soft enough that every ingredient perfectly breaks off into every bite. While the burgers are not nearly as “Famous” (yet!) as the menu claims, they really ought to be.
“... while Quickies does not, and will not, do is serve fast food; what it does serve is great food, made fast. ”
Likewise, the onion rings are perfectly cooked. The onion and the breading are one so that no one is left with an empty sleeve of breading from an over-eager, under-cooked onion. And the butterscotch shake itself was a swig of pure nostalgia that took me back to my childhood when the Werther’s Original inspired frozen treat was my drink of choice.
Return trips offered me an opportunity to work me way through some of Quickies daily specials and signature menu items. All their shake flavors are exactly what they should be, and the same is true of the Root Beer Float. The Pork Tenderloin Sandwich (Tuesday’s daily special) is a nicely, hand-pounded, incredibly large, filet of pork loin that is well-breaded with a great seasoning that offers a small bite of black pepper on the end of each bite. Served with everything (lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle), a dash of horseradish, on a lightly toasted bun, this is an oversized tenderloin sandwich that would make any Iowan proud.
The Pork Tenderloin (LEFT) and Italian Steak Sandwich (RIGHT) are among the daily specials at Quickies. Both are served on buns from local favorite, Roma Bakery.
The Italian Steak Sandwich (Monday’s daily special) feels straight out of Columbus Park. A nicely fried pork cutlet breaded in Italian bread crumbs, that have a nice hint of oregano, is drowned in marinara sauce, topped with melted provolone, and served on a pillowy soft sesame roll. While it is an additional charge, adding grilled onions and bell peppers to this sandwich is the only way to go, in my humble opinion. The chunky marinara is robust, yet sweet. The provolone gives this sandwich a most-welcome nutty profile and smokiness that mozzarella simply would not. It’s an inspired choice. Be warned, if you’re not willing to get your hands dirty, then order something else! The Monday special is a saucy lady.
I quickly learned that a side dish at Quickies isn’t complete without the signature sauce.
On my first visit, when I asked about the specials, I was reminded that “everything’s special”. At Quickies, I believe that’s actually true. While the hot dogs don’t get their day in the sun, Quickies does have an entire portion of their menu devoted to their line-up of four quarter-pound links. Aside from the first base line at Kauffman Stadium, this may be my favorite place to get a hot dog in Kansas City. Quickies’ hot dogs are certainly the best I have found in KC. The standout in their quartet is the All-American. Served on a soft white bun, the hot dog is topped with pieces of grilled onion and crispy bacon that effortlessly cling to the blanket of melted American cheese that envelops the hot dog below. The onions are perfect grilled. The bacon is not too crispy or chewy. Every ingredient is perfectly balanced so that no one flavor overtakes the others. Most amazing is the way that the hot dog stays together as you eat it. This is the rare example of a dish that looks much messier than it actually is.
And what of the Quickies Sauce that I ordered on my first trip? It’s an ideal complement for every fried side on the menu. As Samuels explained to me when I asked about the signature sauce, “You stick a fry or tot or onion ring in there and it just tastes terrific!” The aioli-type sauce clearly has a barbeque sauce base that gives it definite smokiness. The mayo and barbeque combined with a signature blend of sauces makes this creamy, smoky, and tangy dip one that you will only find at Quickies. Quickies Sauce a must when I order the Patty Melt. This sandwich dipped in that sauce remains my favorite thing on the menu. R. J. Samuels is a fan of the Patty Melt as well. However, he insists that as good as the sandwich is, it is best if you “try it with grilled mushrooms”.
Whether it be the Patty Melt, Pork Tenderloin, hot dog, or Italian Steak, the common denominator in every single dish is the meat quality. Perhaps it is kismet that Quickies lies in Armourdale, a district that was named for and originally home to one of the nation’s largest and premier meatpacking plants. And it is not just the meat. Seemingly, every ingredient is of a very high quality.
Quickies’ All-American is one of the best hot dogs in KC.
That same standard of excellence that makes Samuels adamant that his restaurant will never have a drive-thru, goes into every single detail. “We’re a place that is doing things right. I don’t want to cut any corners.” And he doesn’t. The meat comes from nearby Mies Family Foods. The Italian steak comes from Scimeca’s. The produce is delivered three days a week from Liberty Fruit. As I knew from my first bite of a Quickies’ sandwich, all the bread and buns come from, local favorite, Roma Bakery. Samuels doubled down saying, “When you’re going through 800 buns a week, [the price difference] adds up” but emphasized that the quality of Roma’s breads is always worth the investment. In a matter of words, you get what you pay for.
Over the past 18 months, that commitment to delivering a quality, local product has made this Armourdale small drive-in a neighborhood favorite. Slowly but surely, that perimeter of devotees continues to grow. Count me among them. While the Parade of Hearts brought me into Armourdale and Quickies has kept me coming back, I look forward to discovering what other gems this neighborhood has been hiding. I will be the first to admit that up to this point I have not given this vibrant, historic district nearly the attention that it deserves. R. J. Samuels was quick to tell me that his drive-in is “a new reason for people to come to Armourdale!” Quickies has drawn me back again and again,but I am already realizing that there are so many other great foodie spots in this district. Quickies is not the only such place, simply the newest. And much like the neighborhood it calls home, Quickies has spent too long flying under-the-radar. I am hopeful that will begin to change.
Back in April, I walked through the doors of a spot I knew nothing about. I remember that, while I waited for my food, I sat on the bench against the wall and snapped a couple of pictures of the restaurant on my phone. The woman at the register, who had taken my order moments earlier, shouted out, “Y’ain’t gonna put me on the Internet, are ya?!” And all I could do was chuckle. I didn’t want to say “yes” but I couldn’t quite say “no”. Deep down, I knew, that if this place was that great, if it was truly outstanding, there was a good chance that I would.
And it was. So, that’s exactly what I did.
Those Pesky Endnotes That I Often Insist Upon
* I mean, is there a more eye-catching color combo than red, black, and white? #SnoutsOut to my fellow Mules & Jennies!
^ The overall cleanliness of Quickies is something that sticks out to me on every single visit. Down to the most minute detail, everything about this burger stand screams quality.
** Barbeque beef burnt ends FTW! I mean, it is Kansas City after all.
The 411
Quickies Burgers & Fries
1000 Kansas Avenue
Kansas City, KS
HOURS: Monday - Saturday, 10:30am - 8:00pm; Sunday 12:00pm - 6:00pm
PHONE: 913.233.0333
https://www.facebook.com/Quickiesburger
So, What Do I Get? This is one of the few places that I have found in the Metro to get a quality, loaded-up hot dog, so if that’s your thing - go that route. Thus far, I have not been able to go wrong, but my favorite items have been the Patty Melt and the Tenderloin. Whatever side you go with, just make sure to get a cup or two of Quickies Sauce! Even without a side, it probably goes great on the majority of the sandwiches. I dip my Patty Melt in it! And always, always upgrade the drink in your combo to a shake or float. That’s just a given!
DD’s Pro Tip: While Quickies does accept cards, they do charge a small amount to cover the cost of the credit card processing fee. This is a move that is becoming more and more common among small restaurants. If you do want to save yourself a couple bucks, be sure to bring cash.
Have you made it to Quickie’s yet? What’s your go-to? Any other Armourdale favorites that I need to try? Tell me in the comments.
