PITTSBURG, Kan. — Although trivia nights have existed for decades, a recent surge has overtaken the area within the past couple of years.   

At least four nights a week, area bars and restaurants invite community members to test their knowledge. This popular activity has drawn a large crowd of regulars and die-hard trivia buffs who fill seats at Drop the H, Pickled Pete's, Opie's, and Chatters. 

Providing an activity besides live music is part of a recent trend called “eatertainment,” which rose in popularity after the COVID-19 pandemic. Eatertainment refers to restaurants or bars that have additional activities to engage consumers. This encourages customers to stay longer and potentially make additional purchases.  

But another reason for restaurants to provide eatertainment is to build a community within their space.  

Trivia Host Stephanie Powers said when people first start attending trivia nights, she encourages them to try visiting each place to find the space that matches their “vibe.” 

“Each place has a different kind of demographic that's going and enjoying, and so that community has a little bit different spin each place you go,” she said. “So, it's a cool opportunity for the public who haven't got into this trend yet, to one night go Wednesday, one night go Tuesday, Thursday, and kind of decide, OK, this is my vibe.’” 

Though the venues often serve alcohol, Powers pointed out that participants don’t have to drink and can enjoy a snack or meal while playing trivia. It’s good for families and she loves seeing kids run the answers up to her, she said. 

Powers was first asked to host trivia at Drop the H in 2020. As a former disc jockey (DJ) at KKOW 96.9, she was excited to lead this event.  

“It kind of comes naturally to me, doesn't feel like work,” she said. “It's very, very fun to me. And I love the community part of it, but getting paid doesn't hurt either.” 

After moving to Arkansas in 2021 and then returning to Pittsburg in 2025, Powers fell back into the trivia scene first as a participant and then as a host.  

While she was playing trivia at Pickled Pete's, What the Trivia Co-owner Matt Pendergrass asked her if she would be interested in hosting.  

What the Trivia is a locally-owned trivia business that crafts their own questions and can create themed trivia nights. Pendergrass and Ren Gilmore started the business as a part-time gig roughly three years ago. What the Trivia currently hosts at Pickled Petes on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and every two weeks at Bricks & Brews in Baxter Springs on Monday nights.  

During What the Trivia, a DJ asks questions either based on general knowledge or centered around a theme. Participants can wager two, four or six points based on their confidence of having the correct answer.  

Players have the length of one song to write the answer on a piece of paper and turn it in to the hosts. Each trivia night lasts roughly two hours, and hosts ask a total of 20 questions. Participants can either play as a team, with others or answer questions by themselves.  

Pendergrass said a lot of people are initially hesitant to attend trivia nights. 

“You talk to people and somebody will say, ‘Well, I don't know much about trivia,’ and I’m like, ‘No, you know more than you think, actually,’” Pendergrass said. “Our job is to draw that out of you.” 

First-, second- and third-place winners are typically awarded gift cards to the restaurant. Those who participate in Thursday trivia at Pickled Pete's also get a coupon for $1 off a single scoop of ice cream at Granny’s Chip Chocolate Ice Cream and Candy Shop.  

What the Trivia hosts trivia events for fundraisers such as the Arma VJ Homecoming, PEO Sisterhood Girard Chapter, PittNaz church and many other organizations.  

While most questions are centered around general knowledge, Pendergrass and his crew also host themed-question nights. Their most recent themed night at Pickled Pete’s was Binge-Worthy TV Shows. Powers said she had fun coming up with questions based around popular television shows.  

Other themed nights through What the Trivia included True Crime, Military, Christmas movies and many more. Although these theme nights can be fun, Pendergrass said people are more likely to come to general knowledge trivia events.  

Hearing reactions from people who say they don’t know much trivia is one of Pendergrass’ favorite aspects of hosting trivia.  

“It's kind of a rush. You'll be sitting there and you'll ask a question, and you'll hear somebody like, ‘Oh, I know that! Give me the pen! I'm gonna write it down!’ And so, you just kind of sit there and you just kind of smile and laugh, because the reaction you get from it when they know it.” 

If someone doesn’t know many of the answers one night, Pendergrass and his team encourages people to come back the next week because the categories change. Since he first started What the Trivia, Pendergrass said he and his hosts have asked more than 2,500 different questions.  

Jordan Simoncic, a regular trivia player, said he loves the banter that happens with his teammates.  

“Trivia night is my favorite excuse to overthink questions with friends, going back and forth between ‘no, I think it’s that’ and ‘no, it’s this,’” he said. “Then they announce the answer, and no one on the team is right. We laugh about how confidently we thought we knew it, only to realize we were all wildly wrong.” 

Community members can play DJ Trivia, which is a national trivia company, at 7 p.m. Mondays at Chatters, 2401 S Rouse Street Suite D, at Opie’s Pizza Poolroom and Pub, 607 N. Broadway, on Tuesdays, and at Drop the H, 107 E. Rose, on Wednesdays. Participants can play What the Trivia at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at Pickled Pete’s, 303 E. McKay Street in Frontenac.  

This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.