By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Freshly made, crispy and golden, Pecking Order is bringing a new take on fried chicken with a bold new identity to Hays.
Pecking Order, 2401 Vine St., opens Wednesday under the direction of Chef Austin Petz and the team from his other establishment, Verdant Bistro.
"We needed to come in and create a whole new identity. I find that extremely important when doing restaurants," Petz said. "This is a whole new management and whole new ball game at the end of the day."
Petz emphasized a new era for the establishment as he takes it under his wing with a complete interior and menu transformation.
The interior has been reimagined, moving from the previous bright pink and green color scheme to a fresh, modern design that better reflects the new brand.
Petz said he is bringing to Pecking Order a menu expansion to include high-quality ingredients and chef-curated recipes.
"All of our chicken sandwiches are going to be really great, but what is going to stand out very differently than all the others is going to be our Pecking chicken roll," he said.
The Pecking chicken roll is a chicken tender in a hot dog bun that Petz said is more affordable for customers.
Other menu items include classic chicken sandwiches, Pecking chicken sandwiches, fancy chicken sandwiches, jumbo nuggets, wings and drumsticks. Spice options range from mild to extra hot.
Other plans for Pecking Orders include 50-cent wing deals, limited-time offers to keep things fresh, student discounts and an in-store kiosk for quicker service.
Petz said preparing to open Pecking Orders has been challenging, with delays due to weather conditions and tight budgeting. With the numerous changes, he hopes to change how customers approach the chicken joint.
"I hear tremendously that there's not a lot of parking here and that's absolutely true. What we're trying to do is push people more towards carry out, delivery and take out," Petz said.
Petz is striving to distinguish Pecking Order from past ownership and Kluckin' Chicken but acknowledges the contributions of Jacob Proffitt.
"I want to give him a lot of credit. He's been a great guy through this entire process, and he's done a lot for this community," he said.
In addition to Pecking Order and Verdant Bistro, Petz also owns Tiger Station and Shirley’s German To Go, which he acquired in a package deal.
Kluckin’ Chicken closed on Jan. 1 due to financial struggles, declining customer interest and branding challenges, prompting a complete rebrand that Petz aims to establish as a standout in Hays.
Pecking Order is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.
You can order online at Pecking Order's website and follow the restaurant on Facebook.