Fast-Food Restaurant Uses Locally Sourced Ingredients
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Genny McGregor is on a mission to make good, local food accessible to everyone via her fast-food restaurant. Spark’s Burger Co. in Manhattan, Kan., has the same foods found in big chains—burgers, fries, and shakes. Customers order from a counter, pay, and are served at their table within about 10 min.
The visual difference is the décor with huge posters of smiling farmers and cows along with signs saying “Know your Farmer. Know Your Food.”
The taste difference is in the meat and dairy products purchased directly from farmers within a 120-mile radius.
“I’m in Kansas because people understand the (agriculture) industry and what it’s like losing family farms,” McGregor says. She sold her Colorado home and moved to Kansas in 2022 to pursue her dream.
Ironically, her diet is mainly vegetarian, though she eats meat occasionally. With her focus on animal welfare, she buys products from farmers who take good care of their animals. She knows because she visits the farms.
Kansas diners appreciate the support Spark’s Burger provides for local farmers. Customers like the fact that they can eat out and have affordable local meat, cheese, and ice cream as often as they want and not just at special farm-to-table events.
Burgers start at $7, and the chefs have taken customer suggestions to create specialty burgers like the Thunder Burger with cheese, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and Spark’s creamy BBQ sauce.
In addition to serving local food, creating a great working atmosphere is very important to McGregor.
“I take care of employees through compensation and conscious leadership, so we all love coming to work,” she says. Happy employees give quality service, and customer reviews often mention how great the staff is.
At 52, McGregor hopes to add more restaurants in the future, to make fast food/local food more mainstream. The name “Spark’s” reflects her hope that her restaurants that support local farmers “take off like wildfire.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Spark’s Burger Co., 307 Seth Child Rd., Manhattan, Kan. 66502 (ph 785-775-0500; hello@sparksburger.co; www.sparksburger.co).
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Fast-Food Restaurant Uses Locally Sourced Ingredients FARM HOME Food Genny McGregor is on a mission to make good local food accessible to everyone via her fast-food restaurant Spark’s Burger Co in Manhattan Kan has the same foods found in big chains—burgers fries and shakes Customers order from a counter pay and are served at their table within about 10 min The visual difference is the décor with huge posters of smiling farmers and cows along with signs saying “Know your Farmer Know Your Food ” The taste difference is in the meat and dairy products purchased directly from farmers within a 120-mile radius “I’m in Kansas because people understand the agriculture industry and what it’s like losing family farms ” McGregor says She sold her Colorado home and moved to Kansas in 2022 to pursue her dream Ironically her diet is mainly vegetarian though she eats meat occasionally With her focus on animal welfare she buys products from farmers who take good care of their animals She knows because she visits the farms Kansas diners appreciate the support Spark’s Burger provides for local farmers Customers like the fact that they can eat out and have affordable local meat cheese and ice cream as often as they want and not just at special farm-to-table events Burgers start at $7 and the chefs have taken customer suggestions to create specialty burgers like the Thunder Burger with cheese sauteed mushrooms caramelized onions and Spark’s creamy BBQ sauce In addition to serving local food creating a great working atmosphere is very important to McGregor “I take care of employees through compensation and conscious leadership so we all love coming to work ” she says Happy employees give quality service and customer reviews often mention how great the staff is At 52 McGregor hopes to add more restaurants in the future to make fast food/local food more mainstream The name “Spark’s” reflects her hope that her restaurants that support local farmers “take off like wildfire ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Spark’s Burger Co 307 Seth Child Rd Manhattan Kan 66502 ph 785-775-0500; hello@sparksburger co; www sparksburger co
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