A shuttered highway diner north of Kansas City is about to get a second life as a drive-thru breakfast and lunch spot. Chad and Lauren Tillman are opening Tilly's Rise and Shine at 101 U.S. Highway 169 in Trimble, roughly 25 miles north of downtown Kansas City, in the former home of Billy T's Americana Cafe.
The couple owns Tilly's Rise and Shine. As of the Star's September 28 report, they were aiming to begin service at the start of October, pending inspections, according to the Kansas City Star. The restaurant will run primarily as a drive-thru with some interior seating, and it will serve breakfast, lunch and coffee drinks. Chad Tillman was previously one of the original chefs at Strang Hall, where he ran the Italian concept Norcini, the paper reports.
What's on the Menu
The planned menu leans hearty and specific: biscuits and gravy, a chorizo breakfast burrito loaded with eggs, potatoes, onions, cheese and red pepper relish, and an Italian sausage, egg and Cooper's sharp cheese sandwich. On the drink side, Tilly's is expected to offer the Tilly's Flapjack, a blueberry pancake-inspired latte, along with an espresso drink called the John Wayne.
Proteins for the menu will come from Paradise Locker Meats, a Trimble supplier. The company says on its website that it has operated since 1946 and that its more than 50 employees process and sell 300 to 350 local animals per week, per Paradise Meats.
Six Months of Work Behind the Counter
Chad and Lauren Tillman have spent the last six months reworking the restaurant's interior, adding new walls and equipment as they converted the space, the Star's report notes. The location previously belonged to Billy T's Americana Cafe, which served burgers, pizza and tenderloins for almost three decades before closing and going up for sale, according to the same account.
Betting on Highway Traffic
Chad Tillman pointed to the site's location on U.S. Highway 169 as central to the concept, saying the road sees “hundreds and hundreds — thousands” of cars a day, the outlet reports. He said the goal is simple: good food served fast. The couple has said they would like to open several more Tilly's locations in the future, according to the same report, though no further sites have been confirmed.
