King’s Sandwich Shop’s success comes from something money can’t buy — a good reputation.
The Iola staple has been in business since 1955. In its almost 60 years it has always been in the King family.
Though business fluctuates, Kyle King, current owner, said the restaurant “holds its own.”
King spends about $1,500 on food each week, not including operational costs, insurance and employees.
“The economy doesn’t help right now,” King said. “To keep a business going it needs consistency in product and service.”
Along with consistency King wants to keep the restaurant feeling homey.
Most days King is in the restaurant working and personally checks on customers.
“I have my regulars,” King said. “I know them on a good business level. Where else can you go and the owner interacts with you.”
Apart from good service and food the regulars enjoy going to King’s because of its sense of nostalgia.
A lot of customers remember going to King’s after high school or having their first job working the front counter.
The number of employees King keeps on staff fluctuates depending on the time of year but usually there are about three to seven employees. Some of those are family. Kyle worked there when he was younger and his daughters worked there when they were growing up.
One of the most important elements King would never change about his restaurant is the quality and quantity of the food.
“I am little biased, but we have better quality and quantity than anyone else,” he said. “You are not going to leave hungry.”
King’s also serves food not many of his competitors have on their menus, such as fried mushrooms and the pizza burger.
King attributes the difficult business climate to the decrease in area population, which has steadily declined over the past 50 years. “We have the same number of restaurants fighting for fewer dollars.”
Kings’ success spans 58 years
