KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Westport Flea Market in Kansas City, Mo., is known for its burgers.

“We’re almost out of space to give out these ‘best of’ awards,” Joe Zwillenberg, owner of the Westport Flea Market, told KSHB 41 proudly.

But since Zwillenberg stopped the company from becoming Hooters in 2006, they’ve gained many everyday customers: schoolchildren.

Today, the award-winning restaurant claims to serve 17 Kansas City area schools and is expanding.

KSHB

New refrigerators and a new building are to meet growing demand, which Zwillenberg says will continue to rise.

The figures are impressive: 4,000 breakfasts and 5,000 lunches every day.

Currently, nearly 70 percent of the Westport Flea Market’s annual revenue comes from the school lunch program.

“We are one company but with two different names,” Zwillenberg said.

After closing at midnight, the restaurant side of the Westport Flea Market doesn’t open to the public until 10 a.m.

But at 4 a.m., many of their employees are already in the kitchen.

“There’s always something going on here,” Zwillenberg said.

Cook Claudia Vega is there before sunrise.

“Sometimes it’s cold food, but right now with the cold weather it’s more like hot food,” Vega said.

KSHB

Variety comes in many forms.

According to Director of Compliance Trish Ferguson, they need to make sure they cater to the different demographics of the students they serve.

“We want to cover all the bases: finding foods that meet nutritional standards, are tasty and fit the demographics of the students we serve,” Ferguson said.

KSHB

Kurt Browning is in charge of the kitchen.

He has witnessed the children’s enthusiasm, especially when they eat hamburgers for lunch.

“School can be frustrating for some kids, so they’re like, ‘Man, we’re ready to have hot scrambled eggs for breakfast, biscuits and gravy, and then a good old hamburger for lunch.’ .There’s nothing better than that,” Browning said.

KSHB

“We’ve gone from just eating school meals to asking, ‘What’s for lunch today?’ to ‘Oh my God, what’s for lunch?'” Zwillenberg said.

—