KANSAS CITY FOODIES DEMAND 'WOKE' RESTAURANTS!?!

Cuisine is culture and a quick look around at local waistlines should reveal that Kansas City takes its food very seriously. 

Accordingly, amid bitter political debate, threats and discord . . . And because we're in the midst of a homicide spike as well . . . Locals haven't really noticed a foodie trend taking hold.

Sadly, because this blog subsists on turkey slices, Dr. Pepper and the occasional take-out meal . . . We have to keep things simple or risk revealing our unrefined palate that never really matured out of Friday pizza night with the fam. 

Nevertheless . . . 

We share a truism and what seems like a new demand requirement of local restaurateurs . . . 

SUCCESSFUL KANSAS CITY RESTAURANTS MUST ASCRIBE TO PROGRESSIVE POLITICS!!!

This isn't a value judgement or endorsement but merely recognition of a trend.

Consider . . .

Don Chilitos recently shut down this week.

Go ahead and believe the retirement cover story.

However . . . 

Let's not forget that the beloved JoCo Tex-Mex establishment was at the forefront of COVID mask resistance and suffered brutal election season rebuke for just a bit of opposition to public health rules.

Moreover . . . 

A welcomed focus on diversity, inclusion and equity has catapulted minority owned biz to the local forefront and media spotlight.

But the NextGen places have a new spin beyond the mere "urban" tagline . . . Some of them even attempt to cut trans fat or serve healthy salads and/or expensive juice & smoothies to customers. 

Translation . . . 

All the fun has been taken out of slumming for authentic places thanks to social media activism.

Meanwhile . . . 

Jackson County government played an active role in chasing Rae's cafe out of town because of a policy dispute.

And so . . . 

Most locals didn't know their entree had political viewpoint but that's an outdated way of thinking. 

As the pandemic persists and local independent restaurants are fighting for survival . . . TKC merely serves as a resource to help working people approach challenges armed with something better than mainstream propaganda.

And so, here's the news . . . 

Restaurants are a shaky biz at best and it might be tempting to speak out on partisan issues or offer alternative viewpoints . . . However, what we've seen over the past two years is that only progressive eateries can avoid devastating Internets roasting that can kill a biz.  

To be fair, there are a couple of anti-police instances where critics of the cops earned hard times. 

For instance . . . 

Not so long ago a coffee roaster d-bag was the toast of the town before he complained about his Tesla getting towed and slammed the po-po . . . A couple of years later he dumped the biz because his sterling rep was ruined. 

But that's pretty much the exception and not the rule . . . Generally . . .

The locals who pay premium prices to support high-end successful restaurants are younger, traditionally more idealistic and demand the same of their foodie choices.

Accordingly . . . 

Politics has moved to the top of the menu and the only way for local restaurants to distinguish themselves is to push the envelope and play the progressive foodie game. 

One last example to sum things up . . . Oprah's "True Food" now sits proudly on a corner of the Country Club Plaza where an iconic steakhouse once resided.  

And so . . .

The era of the stuffy, old school Kansas City high-end restaurant has long since passed and what remains is a collection of local joints who also serve a nuanced worldview along with their daily fare. 

You decide . . .