Wonder Whip has officially opened its second Owensboro location, bringing the longtime local favorite to Frederica Street while keeping its original spot fully operational.
The team held a semi-private event at the newest location (2600 Frederica Street) on Sunday as a dress rehearsal to iron out kinks before Monday’s opening.
“We did a small private training event to give our staff a chance to get their legs underneath them,” owner Seth Woodward said Monday evening. “It went pretty well. We learned some things yesterday, and we got an idea of what it’s like to be in a real-world-operated environment.”
Monday’s debut came without much promotion — intentionally. Woodward said the decision to forgo a grand opening allowed employees to adjust before handling large crowds.
“We had a nice, steady stream of customers,” he said. “Why would we not promote it? … We don’t want chaos. We don’t want calamity. We don’t want disaster. We want to ease into this thing and get ready for whatever might happen moving forward.”
Despite the rain, Woodward said the first day went smoothly and customer feedback was positive.
“I think we’ve done pretty well today,” he said. “I mean, there are some things to improve on, without a doubt, but I think that we’ll get that ironed out sooner than later.”
The new location features two full drive-thru lanes and outdoor seating on both a lower and upper level. The menu is mostly identical to the original Wonder Whip at 2434 East 4th Street (former U.S. 60), offering the same burgers, shakes, and fries at the same prices. However, Woodward said the Frederica location will temporarily offer a slightly more streamlined menu to improve efficiency.
Wonder Whip on Frederica will open daily at 10:30 a.m. (11 a.m. on Sundays) and close at 9 p.m. through the week, 10 on Saturdays, and 8 on Sundays, with the potential for later hours during summer months.
Woodward said staffing is nearly complete, with 50-60 employees currently on board. He emphasized that the original Wonder Whip will remain unchanged and continue operating as usual.
“With 100% certainty, there’s nothing happening to the original location,” he said. “We’re keeping it exactly the way it is. This is not the new Wonder Whip — it’s the newest Wonder Whip.”
Check out these photos we took prior to the official opening:
