Bill Crooks is a University of Kansas graduate who spent eight years with Gilbert/Robinson before founding his own restaurant group; PB&J. For more than 20 years, Crooks was the driving force behind the entity’s creative new concepts and opened more than 35 restaurants in two decades. Simultaneously, he also became one the largest Red Robin franchise owners at that time.
After selling his share of PB&J, Crooks went on to create Good Food Good Futures (GFGF). Bringing collaborative expertise from the farm, food retailing, information technology and healthcare, GFGF innovates practical solutions to improve health outcomes of employees and patients through increased health literacy and nutrition information exchange.
He has served on the executive committee for the American Royal, as a board member for the Food Conservatory, and is a current board member of the Texas State Restaurant Association.
Crooks' most recent endeavor has been the creation of Chicken N Pickle, a wildly popular indoor/outdoor destination that combines delicious, locally-sourced food with America’s fastest growing sport - pickleball. The brand was launched in North Kansas City, Mo. and has opened locations in Wichita, Ks., San Antonio, Tx., and Oklahoma City, Ok. Two more in Grand Prairie, Tx. and Overland Park, Ks. will open in late 2021.