Melody Matulewic and Scott Hatchett will open their 3,600-square-foot Newk’s restaurant at 3905 N. Ridge Road on Monday, Oct. 5, strengthening the brand’s presence in Kansas.
WICHITA, Kan., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Newk’s Eatery, the fast casual restaurant chain known for its fresh, scratch-made sandwiches, soups, salads and pizzas, is continuing its strong 2026 growth trajectory. Following a year of significant development milestones, the brand is proud to announce its latest opening on Wichita’s up-and-coming west side, known by locals as 37th & Ridge Road, located at 3905 N. Ridge Road, Suite 210, on Monday, Oct. 5.
The new location marks another step in Newk’s mission to bring its fresh ingredients, open-kitchen cooking and signature hospitality to more communities across the country. Grand opening promotions will be celebrated at both Wichita locations. On opening day, Monday, Oct. 5, guests can enjoy 50 Free Drink giveaways and 50 Free Cake giveaways.
During opening week, guests can enter to win free Newk’s for a year. From Oct. 11 through Oct. 17, visitors can enter to win free drinks for a year. From Oct. 18 through Oct. 24, both locations will offer 99-cent kids’ meals every day and double Newk’s Rewards points for the week. Throughout October, guests who sign up for Newk’s Rewards will receive a free pepperoni pizza redeemable in their account at both Wichita locations.
Newk’s is also partnering with the Wichita Cancer Foundation as part of the opening. Donations collected during an invitation-only Friends & Family Night on Oct. 3 and Oct. 5 through Oct. 10 will benefit the foundation through Newk’s Cares x Lori’s Light. Newk’s Cares will match all donations up to $2,000.
The Wichita expansion is led by franchisees Melody Matulewic, her husband Doug, Scott Hatchett, and his wife Jenny. Scott is the longtime owner of several Wichita auto dealerships where Melody serves as the Marketing and Development director that includes brands such as Buick, GMC, Hyundai and Genesis franchises. Neither had restaurant experience before discovering Newk’s during a visit to its Bentonville, Arkansas, location. They liked the food, the variety of menu options and the opportunity to bring a relatively unknown brand to Kansas. Having operated automotive franchises for years, they also recognized the value of Newk’s established systems and franchise support. They are now opening their second Wichita restaurant, approximately 10 months after their first, which opened in December on Wichita’s east side.
“We’ve had a great response to our first Wichita location, and we’re excited to bring Newk’s to the west side of town,” said Matulewic. “When we got into this business, we knew we wanted to open multiple restaurants in Wichita, so it’s exciting to see those plans moving forward. We’ve learned a lot from running our car dealerships, and the same principles apply here. It comes down to having the right people, following the right processes and running a profitable business.”
As Newk’s Eatery continues to grow, the brand is looking to partner with experienced operators to open more restaurants. Newk’s now has nearly 100 locations and was recently ranked No. 25 on the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list. The newest Wichita restaurant will be its second location in Kansas.
“Wichita has been a great example of the kind of momentum we’re seeing across the Newk’s system,” said Chris Elliott, CEO of Newk’s parent company FSC Franchise Co. “Melody and Scott have brought a strong operator mindset to the brand, and their decision to open a second location so quickly speaks to the opportunity they see in Wichita and their confidence in the Newk’s model. As we reach 100 locations, we’re excited to continue building on that momentum and bringing Newk’s to more communities through experienced franchise partners who share our commitment to quality, hospitality and long-term growth.”
About Newk’s Eatery:
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, Newk’s Eatery is a fast casual restaurant brand known for its signature hospitality and scratch-made meals. With nearly 100 locations across 12 states, Newk’s offers a diverse menu of handcrafted salads, sandwiches, soups and pizzas — all made in-house with fresh, premium ingredients and without the use of fryers or microwaves. Guests can also enjoy convenient grab-and-go options and mobile ordering through the Newk’s app, available on Google Play and the App Store for curbside, in-store pickup or delivery.
Newk’s has earned national recognition from Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Business and Entrepreneur, and continues to be celebrated for food quality and guest loyalty. To learn more, visit Newks.com, join the Newk’s Rewards program, or follow along on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X. For franchise opportunities, visit franchise.newks.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Julie Maw
Mainland
209.617.6518
jmaw@hellomainland.com
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SOURCE NEWK’S
