Eat-ertainment brand to offer program as a tool to upskill workers who want to grow and advance in restaurant career-focused roles

KANSAS CITY, MO. (April 14, 2025) Chicken N Pickle – the original indoor/outdoor

“eat-ertainment” complex with a casual, chef-driven restaurant, pickleball courts, sports bar and variety of yard games – has announced a partnership with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) to invest in its team through its registered apprenticeship initiative. 

Employees across the brand’s 11 locations in Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Nevada will participate in the Foundation’s apprenticeship program, where they will benefit from customized training that reflects Chicken N Pickle’s culture and goals. Participating apprentices will develop skills tailored to their positions and gain advanced knowledge of how restaurants operate to prepare for growth opportunities. Upon completion of the apprenticeship program, team members will receive credentials backed by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Foundation. 

“We are thrilled to offer the apprenticeship programs to Chicken N Pickle employees nationwide, as it combines hands-on experience with courses designed to enhance the long-term skills of our employees,” said Ed Walden, Director of Training for Chicken N Pickle. “We believe that all team members deserve opportunities for growth as they pursue their chosen career paths in the restaurant industry.”  

125 of Chicken N Pickle’s 2,000 employees are currently enrolled in the registered apprenticeship program, with plans to grow participation to 400 by the end of June 2025.  

“With an emphasis on industry-specific skill and leadership development, apprenticeship is successfully equipping people for advanced roles in a restaurant environment,” said NRAEF president Rob Gifford. “We’re pleased to have Chicken N Pickle join our roster of industry employers who are leading the way in developing their up-and-coming leaders through apprenticeship.” 

The result of a multi-year partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor that kicked off in 2016, the Foundation’s registered apprenticeship initiative works with individual restaurant operators across the country to build customized programs that draw on an establishment’s unique culture, business style, and goals. While apprentices hone skills specific to their position, they also gain an understanding of how a restaurant business operates and prepare for advancement opportunities. Apprenticeship credentials are backed by the U.S. Department of Labor and transferable to other restaurant and hospitality workplaces. Apprenticeship tracks currently include restaurant manager, assistant restaurant manager, kitchen manager, assistant kitchen manager, and line cook. 

Chicken N Pickle can be found in North Kansas City, Missouri; Wichita, Kansas; San Antonio, Texas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Overland Park, Kansas; Grand Prairie, Texas; Grapevine, Texas; Glendale, Arizona; St. Charles, Missouri; Henderson, Nevada; and Webster, Texas. New locations in Allen, Texas and Thornton, Colorado will open in 2025.

About Chicken N Pickle

Chicken N Pickle is a family-friendly sports and games venue with a casual, chef-driven restaurant, bar with craft cocktails and local brews, pickleball courts and indoor/outdoor games for all ages and abilities in an atmosphere that fosters fun, friendship and community. Through the Our Hearts Are Local program, which focuses on creating philanthropic partnerships, we aim to strengthen our neighborhoods and beyond. Chicken N Pickle hosts dozens of charitable events annually and donates proceeds back to each of the communities we serve. Visit chickennpickle.com for more information.

About The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) 

As the supporting philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF’s charitable mission includes enhancing the industry’s training and education, career development, and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower, and Advance today and tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart® – a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready/HOPES – Partnering with community based organizations to provide people with skills training and job opportunities; Military – helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships – financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and the Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center (RHLC) – accredited apprenticeship programs designed to build the careers of service professionals. For more information on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.