Loaded fries food truck What The Fries to open first restaurant

Why it matters: Many food truck owners dream of opening a permanent location, and in just a few short days owners Greg Williams and Jamie Barnes will reach that goal.

While the food and service industry faced major setbacks due to COVID-19, What The Fries (WTF) actually saw an increased demand in their loaded fries and burgers over the past year.

Since 2015 the food truck has drawn long lines everywhere it parked. Now Williams and Barnes get to stretch out in a full-sized kitchen and serve their customers indoors.

• “You start to get a little bored,” Barnes tells me of cooking the same dishes. “There’s only so much you can do. This way it expands our creativity a lot.”

[Go deeper: What The Fries food truck serves what may be the city’s best loaded fries]

The menu will include classic What the Fries favorites, including their burgers and loaded fries, but there will also be new additions and twists on existing dishes.

• Loaded Fry Wrap: Order your favorite loaded fries conveniently wrapped up in a tortilla for a mess-free meal.
• Freshcut Chips: WTF has the fries down pat, and now they’re expanding their potato offerings with chips. The crispy waffle cut chips are made fresh with house seasoning.
• Wings: They’re available seasoned sweet & spicy or with house seasoning.
• Fried Snapper Sandwich: Fried snapper, mustard green slaw and spicy Yumm Yumm sauce on a potato bun.
• Loaded Purple Potato Soup: This dish keeps with one of WTF’s signature colors. It has bacon, scallions and boursin cheese.
• Chicken Salad: House recipe chicken salad served with lettuce and tomato on potato bread.
• Grilled Cheesy: American, gouda and boursin cheeses grilled up good and gooey on potato bread.

The space, which is a former Cici’s Pizza, is huge with nearly 3,500 square feet. It can seat about 100 people but will operate at 50% capacity in accordance with pandemic-related restrictions.

Similar to the food truck, the restaurant features bright art work with Charlotte themes.

• Teal and purple are used throughout as a nod to the Hornets.
• Local artist Garrison Gist painted the murals in the new restaurant.

Bonus space: The new restaurant has extra space in the back that Williams and Barnes hope to one day use to promote and sell work from local businesses.

Location: The restaurant is located at 10707 Park Rd., Ste. F.

Of note: Once the restaurant opens, the food truck will take a hiatus but won’t be gone forever. Williams and Barnes tell me once they find the right team to operate the truck they’ll send it back out.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect What The Fries’ opening timeline and menu offerings.