Chicken Restaurants That Are Taking Over The U.S.

If you've ever flown back to the United States from El Salvador, or a number of other Central American countries, you may have noticed your plane smelling oddly like fried chicken. The reason for that is Pollo Campero, a Latin American favorite that is often THE food people who've moved to the U.S. ask to have delivered via visiting family members. No exaggeration, you'll find more bags of its citrus grilled chicken in overhead compartments on these flights than you will suitcases.

Though Pollo Campero has been operating a number of stores in Miami, Los Angeles, and other cities with large Central American populations, the brand is expanding into other areas around the country. It recently hired Sam Wong, the man who oversaw exponential growth for Sonic, Popeyes, and others, to help bring Pollo Campero into new markets. According to QSR, he's aiming to open more than 250 new locations by 2025, focusing on Tennessee, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. If he ends up being successful, you may find a lot less chicken on your next flight home.

If you live in Florida, Georgia, or much of the territory covered by the SEC East, you'd probably think Zaxby's was already a major player in the fried chicken game. But the chicken strip specialists, who've been around since 1990, don't have much presence outside the southeast. And though the chain boasts over 900 locations, according to QSR, it still ranks sixth among chicken chains in terms of total locations.

The colloquial clucking is about to change, though, as in November of 2020 Zaxby's announced it sold a "significant stake" of its business to finance giant Goldman Sachs. While that doesn't mean you'll be seeing chicken strips on the New York Stock Exchange any time soon, it does mean you might see it in places north of the Mason-Dixon line, and further west of the Mississippi. In addition to opening more stores in Texas and Virginia, founder Zach McElroy told QSR he wants to make moves in the Midwest too. "Grow more in Illinois," he said. "We're on the border of going back into Ohio ... We were even thinking about possibly growing in the Washington, D.C. area."

Once a regional chicken chain relegated to curious road trippers through the American South, Raising Cane's (or just plain old "Cane's" if you know what's what) is America's fastest growing chicken chain by sales growth. This, according to Investopedia, listed Raising Cane's as the lone chicken joint on its list of fastest-growing restaurant chains with sales up 22.5 percent to just over $1.47 billion between 2019 and 2020. At just over six bucks for a three-piece combo, that's a whole lot of chicken strips.

Raising Cane's is raising attention from other publications too. The Louisiana-based chicken joint also landed itself on Nation's Restaurant News' "10 Fastest-Growing Restaurant Chains," noting a 14 percent increase in Raising Cane's number of restaurants, up to 457 across the southeast. According to Forbes, it's almost tripled its revenues, notching $3.6 million in revenue per unit (that compared to about $2.8 million for an average McDonald's) in 2020.

When your favorite college town haunt goes out of business, it truly feels like a death in the family. But sometimes, the right group of alumni can help bring a place back to life. The memories Dan Leyva and his friends made at the Wings Over in Ithaca, New York during their days at Cornell were strong ones, and when the local franchise bit the dust Leyva texted his friends suggesting they take over and open it back up. "I was really just joking when I sent that text message," Leyva told QSR. But fast forward a few years, and his group now owns the entire brand, poised to take the concept well beyond its college town roots.

With a breath of fresh life, the new owners gave Wing Over a makeover, updating the brand's look, ordering systems, website, and restaurant design in 2018. With that, the restaurant has expanded to 38 stores as of February 2021, with plans to open a few more locations by the end of the year. Wing Over is looking to branch out further into the Northeast and Midwest next, opening in markets that cater to more than just hungry college kids.

Nashville hot chicken is becoming as much of a brand name as Buffalo. And just like you don't need to go to Nickel City to get an order of hot-sauce-and-butter-basted wings, neither do you need to deal with throngs of bachelorette parties to experience Music City's hot chicken. This is especially evident at Fry the Coop, a Chicago chicken chain that's poised to be the nation's first big Nashville hot chicken spot.

Though it's only got four locations in Chicagoland, Fry the Coop found ways to innovate during the COVID-19 pandemic that set it apart. By converting his doorways to takeout windows, and investing in tents for throngs of to-go customers (a must in the Windy City), Fry the Coop was able to make it through shutdowns without laying off a single employee. They even saw a sales increase of 20 percent, according to Fast Casual. This impressive pivot has set Fry the Coop up for great future growth, so much so that QSR named it one of its 40 top food startups of 2021.

Here's a stat that'll blow your mind (and make you really glad you weren't born a chicken): According to the NPD Market Research Group, quick service chains sold a whopping 2.5 BILLION breaded chicken sandwiches in 2020, a 9 percent increase from the year before (via QSR). And that kinda popularity is why Max Sheets decided to get into the chicken game. The man who was on board when Smashburger went nationwide and Ted's Montana Grill took off is looking to make Chick N Max the "better chicken sandwich,' as he told QSR. And he's doing it by offering a lot more than just fried breast on a bun.

The Chick N Max menu might be the most comprehensive of any chicken chain, where you'll find pulled, smoked chicken alongside chicken tenders and an impressive slate of gourmet chicken sandwiches. There's also smoked wings and roasted leg and breast quarters. Sheets told QSR the variety isn't just to give customers options; it's also so the restaurant can purchase whole chickens from suppliers, reducing the restaurant's costs. As of right now, the chain is limited to three locations in Wichita, Kansas. But with a franchising vet at the helm, look for Chick N Max to be a major player soon.

Popeyes really did the entire chicken industry a favor when it launched the chicken sandwich wars. Because it allowed places like Salt Lake City-based Super Chix –- who've been cranking out chicken sandwiches for years with little acclaim -– to finally hit the spotlight. What first started in Dallas in 2014 has now spread to a dozen locations in Texas, Alabama, Utah, Idaho, and Montana. The menu is long on fried chicken specialty sandwiches, with stuff like Nashville Hot, Korean BBQ, and Buffalo Ranch.

But with the chicken sandwich explosion, Super Chix has cashed in. In May of 2020, it signed an agreement to open 10 new stores in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina. A few months later, it inked another franchise deal for 13 restaurants in Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle. Then capped off its franchise spree in January 2021 with a contract for a whopping 20 new stores in Las Vegas, Atlanta, Reno, and St. George, Utah. That's 43 new agreements in under a year, if you're keeping score.

Once upon a time, if you wanted Hattie B's famous Nashville hot chicken, the first thing you had to do was actually get yourself to Nashville. After that, you had to navigate a nearly perpetual line that could last over an hour. During which point someone in your group probably said something like, "Ya know, we could get this other places too ..." And you ended up never getting Hattie B's at all.

This, however, is no longer the case, as Hattie B's has moved into seven locations, all of which are more than double the size of the cozy original. The newest Hattie B's is –- where else –- in Las Vegas, its first store outside the South and a marker for a potential nationwide expansion. With a young but iconic brand name and a product that's universally loved, the potential to take over America is strong. And though no franchised locations exist yet, founder and owner Nick Bishop Sr. isn't opposed to making it happen. "We're going to be smart and thoughtful in our approach as we grow," he told QSR, "and I think the sky's the limit."

This Taiwanese chicken chain has been bringing its unique flavors to the world for nearly 50 years, according to TKK. Though wildly popular back home with 67 locations, TKK only recently landed in the United States, making its move to America with a Manhattan debut in 2018, according to Eater. Despite plenty of stateside competition, the chain has stood out with its fresh-tasting fried chicken which is available in a variety of preparations including sandwiches and tenders. But bone-in pieces are your best and for some nice spice and a terrific crunch, especially if you select the crispy spicy flavor option

We're also fans of the TKK sides which go beyond the basics and around the world, including Asian-style blistered shishito peppers and Midwestern-inspired deep-fried cheese curds. Then there's the kwa kwa bao, a blend of sticky rice and mushrooms that's wrapped in chicken skin and deep-fried. Try this decadent spin on a dim sum classic and you'll be hooked for better or worse. 

TKK locations are found across the East Coast, from New Hampshire to Virginia with additional locations in Dallas and Houston. Current plans for expansion include outlets in Michigan and Kentucky.

Love him or hate him, Guy Fieri continues to be an unstoppable force in American food culture. His latest target for mass-market domination is fast food with his recently hatched Chicken Guy! concept. In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel, Fieri's business partner Robert Earl revealed the inspiration for the franchise, acknowledging, "We would love to be the Shake Shack of chicken."

It's an ambitious goal, but with a menu highlighted by chicken tenders that have been "brined in fresh lemon juice, pickle brine, and buttermilk," the potential is there. Those tenders, which are served fried or grilled, can be ordered on their own, in a sandwich, or atop a salad, alongside a selection of sides and shakes. Fans of Fieri know the mayor of Flavortown isn't afraid to get saucy so it makes sense that dipping sauces are a restaurant signature. In fact, there are an astonishing 22 sauces offered at Chicken Guy!, including spicy South African-inspired Peri Peri to classic BBQ with bourbon and brown sugar, and of course, Fieri's infamous Donkey Sauce, a blend of mayo, roasted garlic, Worcestershire, and lemon.

Chicken Guy! appears to be targeting high-traffic areas as the initial rollout has included busy spots such as Florida's Disney Springs and a kiosk at Levi's Stadium, the home of the 49ers located just outside of San Francisco. Plans are in the works for several more franchises in the Sunshine State as well as an outlet in the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN.

This fast casual chicken joint is highlighted by a funky farmhouse vibe with food to match. Launched by Top Chef winner Richard Blais (who has since parted ways with the chain, per Eater), The Crack Shack offers familiar fare alongside inventive eats with quality serving as the menu's unifying factor. So yes, you'll be able to order your standard bone-in breasts and thighs, only here they're prepared using Jidori chicken which means the birds are free range, contain no dye injections, and consume feed with no additives. There's even a gluten-free option fried in a quinoa flour-blend.

Chicken nuggets? The Crack Shack offers those too, only these "nugs" are tossed in fire sauce and served with a side of house-made ranch. And yes, they offer biscuits too. The one-bite wonders (don't worry, they come six to an order) are scratch-made and baked fresh, then paired with umami-rich miso butter.  There's something for everyone whether your brow is high, low, or somewhere in between.

While The Crack Shack roosts in just four outlets in San Diego, Orange County, and Las Vegas (as of 2021), according to Nation's Restaurant News, a Utah, Colorado, and Midwest expansion is imminent in the same year, with plans for up to 50 stores over the next four to five years.

Plenty of new chicken franchises are cooking up different variations on the same theme. That's not the case with Project Pollo, although, to be fair, the Texas-based eatery doesn't actually serve chicken.

According to My San Antonio, Project Pollo is the very first vegan chicken fast food chain in the country. That's right, the "chicken" served here is of the drop the "e" and add an apostrophe variety. The pioneering concept has sparked plenty of buzz and, according to Texas Tasty, the meatless menu is more than just a gimmick.

Sandwiches made with house breaded cutlets are the must-order menu items at Project Pollo. Currently, there are three options to choose from: the basic Original Project, The Deluxe with all the (vegan) fixings, and the Spicy Project which is prepared with a picante garlic Buffalo sauce. If you have a hankering for faux cow, Impossible Burgers are also available. Sides include mac & cheese that combines shells and cashew queso. These come along with "papas" (your choice of fries or tots), which you can get loaded with pico de gallo, grilled onions, chipotle ranch sauce, and more of that cashew queso.

Project Pollo is moseying its way across the Lone Star state and 14 locations are slated to open in Texas by the chain's first anniversary in September 2021. According to Veg News, founder Lucas Bradbury hopes to 100 locations by 2024.