Kelli Alldredge isn’t your typical brand president. Before taking the helm of the chef-driven eatertainment concept, she was a Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader and a devoted patron of Chicken N Pickle. In 2016, she met up with her tennis friends every Sunday to play a round of pickleball and grab lunch.
At the time, she was helping a Kansas City nonprofit raise money for a local cancer center. She needed a space where families, friends, and colleagues could connect for a good cause—and she landed on Chicken N Pickle as a potential venue. She had no idea this decision would change the trajectory of her life—and the brand’s.
“I got the guts to approach the founder [Dave Johnson] and pitch my idea. He gave me the courts, but I had to figure out the rest,” Alldredge says. “For months, I worked with the team and outlined Chicken N Pickle’s first-ever fundraiser.”
Despite the frigid January weather, the fundraiser was an overwhelming success, drawing nearly 300 attendees and raising $80,000 for charity. The following week, she was offered a job.
“I remember laughing because I wasn’t looking for a job, but I challenged the founder. I told him he had something special, with strong potential to make an impact in this community, and these events could become a part of the brand’s ethos,” Alldredge says. “I worked part-time for a month before transitioning into a full-time role. I wholeheartedly believed in the company.”
She gradually took on more responsibility, immersing herself in the brand’s pickleball, marketing, and partnership teams. When news broke that Chicken N Pickle would add a second location in her hometown of Wichita, Kansas, Alldredge brought her sister, Kim Blackman, on board to lead the brand’s outreach programs as senior director of community partnerships.
“I was a teacher, and I had been out of the workforce to raise my family while remaining on the school board, but I came back in full force to what I’m considering my first career,” Blackman recalls. “Everything I’ve been able to do for communities through Chicken N Pickle just makes it easy to be excited to be a part of this unique team.”
Today, Chicken N Pickle has 11 locations across Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Arizona, Nevada, and Oklahoma, with five additional restaurants—including new markets in Colorado and Indiana—set to open by 2026.
Even as it expands into a nationwide eatertainment destination, the brand remains committed to understanding the unique needs of each community. Chicken N Pickle’s nonprofit, Our Hearts Are Local, hosts other 501(c)(3) organizations almost daily to assist with fundraising efforts. To date, the brand has fostered more than 8,000 nonprofit partnerships.
“We offer the space during non-peak court times for these organizations to raise as much money as they can and help get their stories out there,” says Carrie Bartlow, senior director of communications. “Every Tuesday, our social media managers highlight our local community partnerships to amplify the incredible work they’re doing. Often, these groups don’t have a lot of resources, so I like to think we go above and beyond for them.”
Chicken N Pickle’s community impact coordinators set it apart in the restaurant industry. Under Blackman’s leadership, she hires what she calls “caring hearts” to bridge internal and external communities at each location. Their sole mission is to use the restaurant’s property to serve a greater purpose.
“The essence of Chicken N Pickle is to cultivate a vibrant community through playful experiences, delicious food, and shared celebrations in a setting that fosters human connection and support for our neighbors,” Bartlow says. “Our impact coordinators communicate our values to customers in a tangible way, and their main goal is to go out and make their community a better place.”
Inclusivity is also central to the brand’s identity, which considers its broad audience a strength. Alldredge believes pickleball is for everyone, and she encourages her teams to create an environment where every guest feels welcome—like they’re in their best friend’s backyard, grabbing a bite and staying active.
For her, “all” truly means all.
“It’s not uncommon to see people ages 8 to 88 on our courts and at our tables. We see multiple generations enjoying a game of pickleball and a meal together at the same time. We support all ages, all abilities, all backgrounds,” Bartlow says. “For example, our foundation purchases two sports wheelchairs for every location when they open. No matter what, we’re going to get you out there having a good time.”
Chicken N Pickle’s commitment to inclusion extends beyond its customers. The company launched a women’s employee resource group, which now has 86 members supporting one another through mentorship, open discussions, and even a book club that fosters personal connection.
“Every month, women in our company have an opportunity to join a call where we encourage open conversations about the challenges and successes our women-led teams face. We watch women-led TED Talks, listen to podcasts and welcome guest speakers,” Bartlow says. “We celebrate women on our teams—everyone from our pickleball pro athletes to our chefs and social media mavens. Diversity of thought strengthens our brand and helps us resonate with a broader audience.”
Alldredge echoes Bartlow’s sentiments. As more people experience Chicken N Pickle as a community staple—whether as employees or guests—she champions diversity, opportunity, and kindness.
“I believe women are strong, valuable, and can do anything they set their minds to. Everyone has their strengths, and the men on our team are allies through and through,” Alldredge says. “Mutual support is important. Our founder saw something in me, believed in me fiercely, and took a chance on me. I wouldn’t be where I am today otherwise.”
