Newk's Eatery Opens Second Wichita Restaurant Oct. 5 on North Ridge Road

WICHITA, KS — Newk's Eatery opens its second Wichita restaurant Monday, October 5, at 3905 N. Ridge Road, Suite 210, in the 37th and Ridge corner of the west side. It is the same local franchise team's second Newk's, ten months after their first opened on the east side. For west side job seekers, that means a fresh crew roster, a full schedule to cover, and a backfill round that usually follows within weeks.

A new Newk's on North Ridge Road opens Monday, and fast-casual hiring on both sides of Wichita is picking up this month.

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📍 At a Glance

Business	Newk's Eatery (second Wichita location)
Opens	Monday, October 5, 2026
Address	3905 N. Ridge Road, Suite 210, Wichita, KS
Size	3,600 square feet
Concept	Fast casual: scratch-made sandwiches, soups, salads and pizza, plus catering
Owners	Local franchisees Melody and Doug Matulewic and Scott and Jenny Hatchett
Industry	Restaurant and food service

Who's Behind the West Side Newk's

This is a homegrown franchise. Scott Hatchett owns several Wichita car dealerships, and Melody Matulewic runs marketing and development for dealership brands including Buick, GMC, Hyundai and Genesis. The two couples opened their first Newk's on the east side in December 2025 and took about ten months to get the second one built.

Newk's itself is a Mississippi-born chain with close to 100 restaurants in 12 states. The Newk's careers page sorts work into three buckets: hourly crew, full or part time; catering specialists who build platters and help plan events; and management.

💼 What the Jobs Look Like

No headcount has been announced for the Ridge Road restaurant, and we won't guess one. What we can say is how a fast-casual opening like this hires. The opening crew is usually set a few weeks before the doors open, which means most of that hiring is done by now. The round that matters to you comes next: every new restaurant loses people in its first month, and the replacements get hired quietly, often off a single online posting.

Catering is the role to watch. It runs on weekday office orders as much as dinner traffic, and a catering-heavy concept on the Ridge Road and 37th Street retail strip can offer steadier daytime hours than a typical counter job. Ask about it in the interview.

💵 What Wichita Restaurant Work Pays

Food preparation and serving jobs average $15.46 an hour across the Wichita metro, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the area. Newk's has not published a starting rate for this location, so ask about pay, shift length and meal policy before you accept.

Dave's Hot Chicken Is Next on the East Side

Across town, Dave's Hot Chicken is getting ready to open its first Wichita restaurant in the Greenwich Place center on North Greenwich near K-96 on the east side. Local reporting in early October pegged the opening for Friday, October 9, but treat that date as soft until the restaurant confirms it. The franchise group behind it also plans more Kansas restaurants, including one in west Wichita, so this is unlikely to be the last hiring round for the brand here.

🔎 Where to Aim Right Now

The west side's established kitchens are hiring today too, from New Market Square to the Maize Road strip. Start here:

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the new Newk's in Wichita open?

Monday, October 5, 2026, at 3905 N. Ridge Road, Suite 210, near 37th Street North and Ridge Road.

Is Newk's still hiring for the Ridge Road restaurant?

The company has not announced a job count or a hiring event. Opening crews are usually filled before launch, so watch for backfill postings in October and November and apply through the Newk's careers page.

Do I need restaurant experience to work at Newk's?

The company lists hourly roles as a fit for students and people who need flexible schedules. Prep, dish and counter jobs at fast-casual restaurants generally train on the job.

When does Dave's Hot Chicken open in Wichita?

Early reports set it for Friday, October 9, in the Greenwich Place center on North Greenwich. Confirm with the restaurant before planning around that date.

Get in Line Before the Next Opening

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