Bojangles is a quintessentially American fast food restaurant. With locations primarily in southern and deep southern United States, they make classic southern dishes. Best known for their Cajun-spiced fried chicken and traditional, made-from-scratch, buttermilk biscuits. With over six hundred locations across the United States, they have found a successful formula.

Bojangles’ has been praised many times over the years by multiple different institutions. In 1981 they even had the highest restaurant sales average in the entire country. It was recognized as one of the fastest growing private companies land they have been in multiple top tens and top fives recognizing fast food excellence.

History

Bojangles’ opened in 1977 in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was founded by Jack Fulk and Richard Thomas. In 1981 it was bought by Horn and Hardart. In the nine years they owned it, they grew the chain to over three hundred locations, with a significant portion of those in Florida due to the incorporation of a smaller chain.

In 1990 it was purchased again, and leadership passed to a seasoned veteran of the fast food business. The chain was purchased again only a few years later, and was passed between owners multiple times over the next twenty years. In that time the chain grew to have locations in over eleven states.

In 2003 they opened their three-hundredth restaurant, and in 2008 it was recognized for its performance by the Wall Street Journal. By 2015 there were over six hundred Bojangles across the country and did, at other times, have locations outside the United States like Mexico, China, and Ireland. In fact there are still locations in Honduras.

Minimal changes have been made to the menu over the course of the life of the restaurant. A few items have been added like boneless chicken options. Primarily the menu is based on their famous fried chicken and southern classic sides like red beans and dirty rice.

Review

Bojangles prides itself on speed and hospitality. Staff is expected to be courteous and kind, and is. The wait is short and the smiles from the happy crew make it feel like no time at all. The inside of the restaurant is vibrant and welcoming.

All items on the menu are very reasonably priced and a whole lunch wont cost more than $10. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and each meal has the go-to southern staples. Breakfast has biscuits and gravy; the lunch/dinner menu has bone-in chicken “boxes” and chicken sandwiches like the “Cajun Filet Club.”

They offer a kids menu with kid-friendly favorites like chicken tenders and mac and cheese. They also offer combos with some of their signature sides. They are options for the health-conscious like “Roasted Chicken Bites Combo” and a “Garden Salad.” They also offer catering for bigger parties of people who want spicy Cajun flair.

Bojangles’ cares deeply about providing a clean and inviting place to eat their food, so they provide it. While variety is not their strong suit, what they have they do well. They focus on providing a fun and warm environment and high-quality ingredients to bring and keep customers, and it has worked.