An interesting thing happened when The Parthenon added curbside service.

The response was better than expected.

So much so that the Kazas family decided to do something about it:  They opened a fast-food restaurant in southwest Lincoln.

In May, Pita's Traditional Gyros & Gourmet Wraps joined Valentino's, Arby's and East Meets West in the shopping mall's food court, taking over the spot formerly occupied by Amigos.

The new restaurant, which also has a drive-through, features gyros, wraps, burgers and salads at prices that rival other fast-food places.

It's the Kazas family's third  restaurant in Lincoln. The first was  the full-service Papa John's in downtown Lincoln.

Fast food isn't new to the Kazases, but doing it in one place for an extended amount of time is.

The family has sold gyros and wraps out of a mobile trailer at festivals such as the Updowntowners' July Jamm, where it's been a multiple winner of best-food contests.

The key to making the new restaurant a success is keeping the menu simple, said Mike Kazas, who runs the fast-food operation.

Diners won't find the Greek favorite moussaka, which requires a large conventional oven to make, but they will find items that can be whipped up fresh and hot in a hurry.

There are 13 wraps, eight gyros, four veggie pitas, six burgers and five salads from which to choose.

Pita's works pretty much the same as the other food court vendors. Customers order at the counter, receive a number and wait for the number to be called when the food is ready.

On my visit, I took along College View Academy student Eric Ransone, who was job-shadowing me for the afternoon.

We were a little worried before getting there because Ransone is a vegetarian, and we weren't sure there would be much for him to order.

We were pleasantly surprised.

He chose the falafel pita ($3.95), which featured ground chick peas and seasonings rolled into balls, fried in virgin olive oil and served on pita with lettuce, onions and tomato. It came with choice of tahini (sesame) or tzatziki (yogurt) sauce.

Being the carnivore that I am, I went with the gyro supreme meal ($6.73). Pita's most popular dish, it  featured the traditional gyro with extra meat served on pita with lettuce, tomatoes, sauteed onions, bell peppers, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce.

The meals, which run between $1.50 to $2 extra, include a Greek potato or Greek fries and a medium drink.

We both enjoyed our meals, but I didn't expect anything less from the Kazas family, which has become one of Lincoln's great success stories.

Mike Kazas said if Pita's continues to do well — the lunch business has been great, thanks to the mall and nearby Lincoln Southwest High School — the family is thinking about another fast-food place in north Lincoln or Omaha.

It wouldn't surprise me if it happens sooner rather than later.

Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.

Dining Out

Pita's Traditional Gyros &

Gourmet Wraps

3020 Pine Lake Road, Suite A

Atmosphere: Casual

Specialty: Pitas, salads, wraps

Payment: Cash, major credit cards; no checks

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. every day

Notes: Parking, drive-through, take-out, no alcohol, no smoking, children's menu