Church’s Chicken is a fast food restaurant in the United States of America. The restaurant serves fried chicken. There are also a variety of side items on the menu such as cole slaw, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, fried okra, and honey butter biscuits. The food is said to be handmade from scratch. Every piece of chicken is hand battered. The biscuits are drizzled with sweet honey-butter and are served fresh straight out of the oven. The food is made in small batches every day to ensure that it is hot and fresh.

The chain has expanded tremendously throughout the United States and the world over the years. It has also gone through numerous changes, including new images and looks, new products, and new marketing, to name a few. According to may of the fans of the place, Church’s Chicken serves the best chicken in the world. Aside from serving great chicken, the chain is also very active in its community by supporting neighborhood programs. Examples are the Church’s Scholar Program and the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department Community Christmas Event. The establishment puts love in its food, so when customers taste it, they get love out of it.

History

Church’s Chicken was established on April 17, 1952 by George W. Church, Sr.  The chain was named “Church’s Fried Chicken To Go.” It was opened in downtown San Antonio, Texas across from the Alamo. The company’s headquarters are in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Church’s has 1700 locations throughout the United States. The chain also has international locations, which include Bulgaria, Canada, Curacao, Egypt, Georgia, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, St. Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, St. Kitts, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, UAE, Venezuela and Vietnam.

At first, the restaurant sold only chicken on its menu. However, in 1955, the chain eventually added fries and jalapenos. George W. (Bill) Church, Jr. took over the company after his father passed away. By the 1960s, Church’s had over 100 restaurants in seven states.  The chain soon became a publically held company and the national headquarters complex opened in San Antonio, Texas. By the 1970s, Church’s joined the New York Stock Exchange. The 1000^th restaurant also opened in Phoenix, Arizona in the 1970s. The restaurant’s first franchise outside the United States was opened in Vancouver, Canada.

The chain also operated a hamburger franchise for a short period of time in the eighties. By 1989, Church’s merged with Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and became the second largest restaurant chain. However, the brands were both marketed as separate chains. The store introduced its new Big Chicken sandwich, which was a big hit. In fact, 1400 sandwiches were sold in one day. A few executive board members include the Chief Executive Officer, Jim Hyatt; EVP and Chief Financial Officer, Dusty Profumo; and EVP US Operations, Joe Christina.

In the 1990s, AFC Enterprises took ownership of the chain.  As the new parent company, AFC moved the headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia, more specifically, Sandy Springs. AFC owned and operated the restaurant for 12 years. The chain was then acquired by the private equity firm, Arcapita (formerly known as Crescent Capital Investments). All pork products were then removed from the menu since Arcapita is an Islamic venture capital firm. Beverage products were also switched to Coca Cola for locations in the United States. On August 10, 2009, Fleischer & Lowe bought the chain from Arcapita.

Review

The restaurant specializes in delicious fried chicken. One of the most popular dishes on the menu is the original chicken. This juicy and crunchy chicken is quite tasty. The chain also serves spicy chicken. The spicy chicken is well marinated. Customers like the spicy flavor of this chicken. Boneless wings are served with the customer’s choice of buffalo, honey barbeque, and sweet and spicy sauces. The boneless wings are made-to-order and are priced between $5 and $6. The tender strips are strips of hand-battered white meat chicken. The tender strips are priced between $5 and $7.

The restaurant also serves tasty sandwiches. The Big Tex Tender Sandwich is priced between $2 and $3. This sandwich consists of crispy all-white meat tender strips served with lettuce, pickles and mayo. The original chicken sandwich is between $1 and $2. The original sandwich consists of crispy chicken served with mayo and fresh lettuce. There is also the double chicken and cheese sandwich priced between $2 and $3. This sandwich has two chicken patties served with two slices of American cheese, mayo and lettuce on a sesame seed bun.

Items on the menu are comprised of various combinations of mixed chicken parts, such as breasts, wings, legs, and thighs. A variety of combos are available. The family meals come in sizes of ten pieces, fifteen pieces, or twenty pieces. The sides include honey butter biscuits, mashed potatoes, fries, baked macaroni and cheese, jalapeno peppers, jalapeno cheese bombers, cole slaw, corn, and fried okra. The sides are priced between $1 and $4. The dessert features the store’s apple pie, which is between $1 and $2.

The establishment offers customers both dine-in and drive-thru options. The general hours of operation are from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Sundays right through to Saturdays. The restaurant does not accept reservations nor does it deliver. It does, however, provide take out. The chain has a casual and relaxed atmosphere, which is typical of most fast food operations. The restaurants are fairly clean and the service is decent. The staff is friendly and helpful. Customers love the delicious chicken. The moist, buttery, biscuits are also a favorite. Overall, the establishment is a great place to grab some delicious fried chicken and complementary sides.