Kerri Pitts radiates likability. She emerges from the counter with a quick handshake and showers me with compliments. In a rapid-fire manner, she compliments my Aggie Ring, shakes my hand again and insists that I try some fajitas. “Our fajitas are the best in town,” she announces.
Then, as quickly as she sat down, Pitts breaks away to seat customers. Hustling back, she apologizes and wants to know what I think about the fajitas. They’re good. Actually, they are some of the best fajitas I’ve had in a long time. I tell her that, but she’s nodding like she already knows.
“Our fajitas are why we’ve catered the Kyle Field Zone Club twice this season. People want us to bring them back,” she said.
Pitts loves hearing praise for her entrees.
“Stacking,” she explains, “is the theme. We have ‘stackatizers,’ stacked enchiladas, fajita stacks and so on.”
The “stacked” theme includes the restaurant’s logo, which prominently features a buxom brunette. Did the logo generate any criticism?
“Some people have made comments about it, but I think students get that it’s a caricature of being stacked – it’s our theme,” Pitts said. “We want our customers to leave feeling ‘stacked.'”
Atmosphere: While the interior isn’t very different from the original Wings ‘N More, Pitts did a fantastic job collecting Aggie memorabilia. Autographed posters line the walls and glass cases contain pictures of the Pittses with players and head football coach Dennis Franchione. General Manager Ro Cortez and staff add to the atmosphere with an extraordinarily friendly staff.
Drinking: Pitts’ features a maroon margarita with its own refill mug. Competing with the margarita is the “Stack Daq,” which bills itself as the “manly daiquiri” and mixes frozen pina colada layered with the maroon margarita. Happy hour is every weekday from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., and all night on Thursday. Happy hour includes $1 drafts, $1 wells, $2 margaritas and $3 martinis.
Crowd Appeal: While the stacked enchiladas is the mainstay at Kerri’s, other items on the menu are equally appealing. The steak fajitas have a sweet and spicy kick, and you have to credit any restaurant that has Frito Pie on the menu.
Collateral Damage: $$$ of $$$$$. Most plates are reasonably priced from $5 to $8, and the daily lunch special, including chips and salsa, and is only $5.
Regulars Say: More impressive than the regulars, Kerri’s has won the favor of Aggieland visitors. After the OU game, Kerri’s received an e-mail from a Sooner saying the restaurant “had contributed to a great experience in Aggieland” and they were grateful for the hospitality and friendliness. Compliments like this hit to the core of what Pitts is trying to do: “We are all about showing hardcore support for the Ags from sports, fraternities, charities.”