Rebuilt KFC on William Street draws long lines after reopening

After a sudden closing and several months of construction, Cape Girardeau once again has a KFC.

The restaurant quietly closed in February with little fanfare.

The employees were laid off, and the building, along with several surrounding houses, was razed.

All this was done with the intent of building a bigger and better KFC.

And general manager Brent McHugh said that’s just what was done.

“This is a brand, brand-new design. It’s called the ‘American Showman,’” McHugh said of the remodeled facility.

Customers enter the red-and-white-striped building directly into a brightly lit ordering area.

The entryway flows into a dining area with a variety of seating options and a lighting fixture shaped like a traditional KFC bucket.

KFC restaurants all follow a number of specific designs, but one like Cape Girardeau’s is relatively rare, McHugh said.

“You’re not going to see another KFC like this for miles,” McHugh said. “I don’t think they even have one in St. Louis.”

Though the restaurant received a makeover and has doubled in size, the menu itself has not changed.

“No buffet,” McHugh said without prompting.

“That’s a question I’ve been asked a bunch of times.”

Former employees of the Cape Girardeau KFC were told to reapply for their positions if they wished to return.

McHugh said no former employees were hired for the grand opening, however.

Instead, 40 new employees are manning the stations of the restaurant, which had a drive-through line that stretched out to the street Wednesday afternoon.

McHugh said Tuesday’s grand opening saw a similar turnout.

“We were slammed,” McHugh said.

McHugh looks forward to customers experiencing the new restaurant.

“Come see it to believe it,” McHugh said, praising the new design and the landscaping. “They really hit it out of the park.”

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

2101 William St, Cape Girardeau, Mo