Lenny Burger, replacement for Yellowknife's much-mourned KFC, opens at last
Owner admits ‘frustrating’ year as once-iconic northern name returns
When Yellowknife's KFC winged its way out of existence last year, Lenny Burger was the name on everyone's lips.
But the lips is where those burgers stayed: despite early plans to open in KFC's old location before the end of 2015, the building spent all of this year shuttered.
Until now.
The Lenny Burger, inheriting its name from Len Jason's once-renowned former Yellowknife burger emporium, was quietly opened by his son on Thursday afternoon.
"I'd like to say it's exciting but it's more just been frustrating. It's more of a relief than excitement," said owner Matthew Jason, who admits funding trouble hurt plans to open earlier.
"You've got to make money, right? It's been a long process.
"It's not like we're a franchise. We had to start from absolute scratch. No one's rolling it out for us — the menu, everything was invented by us."
Jason's family also operated the city's KFC before deciding to close it down in August 2015, citing a difficult relationship with the franchise's headquarters.
At the time, losing the territory's only KFC outlet prompted minor outcry. However, Jason has long maintained his independent burger bar will trump fond memories of fried chicken.
"People are not losing anything. In fact, they're gaining more by us being here," he said as the first lines formed inside Lenny Burger.
"This was my dad's place. He would be stoked on this place and glad that we're doing our own thing."
A year-long delay in opening appeared not to have curbed some locals' enthusiasm.
In the line-up to order, one man declared: "We've been watching every day on Facebook and 24 minutes ago it was open, so here we are."
The Lenny Burger is takeout-only for now. Jason is working to acquire a liquor licence and open a lounge area in the spring.
With a nod to the effort and delays so far, he added: "We'll see how that goes."