Business Insider: There's a regional fried-chicken chain that is way better than KFC or Popeyes

Doobie Doo

Doobie Doo

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If you ain't been in the South you just won't understand.


There's a regional fried-chicken chain that is way better than KFC or Popeyes — here's what it's like to eat there
  • Dec. 29, 2015, 2:11 PM
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  • explosive IPO in Mayput the company on the map across the US — especially in regions outside the South sadly lacking in chicken and biscuits. But for long-time fans, the chain's appeal is nothing new.

    Bojangles' has reported 22 consecutive quarters of positive comparable restaurant sales, the company said in November. A large reason for that growth is what Bojangles' calls a "loyal, cult-like following."

    As a Bojangles' fan, I decided it was time to stop by the location in my hometown of Durham, North Carolina, and revisit how the chain has built its following.

    View As: One Page Slides



    Bojangles' was founded in 1977 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Today, the chain has 657 locations, primarily in the Carolinas, including my personal go-to restaurant in Durham.
    bojangles-was-founded-in-1977-in-charlotte-north-carolina-today-the-chain-has-657-locations-primarily-in-the-carolinas-including-my-personal-go-to-restaurant-in-durham.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    The chain is known for its "chicken 'n biscuits." The chicken is hand-breaded and never frozen, while biscuits are made from scratch and baked fresh every 20 minutes.
    the-chain-is-known-for-its-chicken-n-biscuits-the-chicken-is-hand-breaded-and-never-frozen-while-biscuits-are-made-from-scratch-and-baked-fresh-every-20-minutes.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    Other standouts on Bojangles' menu are the sides — or, as Bojangles' calls them, "fixin's" — including cole slaw, "picnic grits," Cajun-flavored pinto beans, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and "Bo-Tato Rounds" (mini hash browns).
    other-standouts-on-bojangles-menu-are-the-sides--or-as-bojangles-calls-them-fixins--including-cole-slaw-picnic-grits-cajun-flavored-pinto-beans-green-beans-mashed-potatoes-and-gravy-and-bo-tato-rounds-mini-hash-browns.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    The service is relatively speedy. In my experience, the longest wait tends to be before ordering. I can't remember an experience visiting a Bojangles' and not having to wait behind others in line, no matter the time — something that makes sense, as business is reasonably spread out throughout the day. Breakfast makes up 38% of sales, while lunch and snacks make up 39%.
    the-service-is-relatively-speedy-in-my-experience-the-longest-wait-tends-to-be-before-ordering-i-cant-remember-an-experience-visiting-a-bojangles-and-not-having-to-wait-behind-others-in-line-no-matter-the-time--something-that-makes-sense-as-business-is-reasonably-spread-out-throughout-the-day-breakfast-makes-up-38-of-sales-while-lunch-and-snacks-make-up-39.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    I ordered Chicken Supremes, Cajun fries, and a biscuit. The Supremes are adequate chicken tenders — a little drier than I remember, and much better when sandwiched between the delicious, crumbly biscuit.
    i-ordered-chicken-supremes-cajun-fries-and-a-biscuit-the-supremes-are-adequate-chicken-tenders--a-little-drier-than-i-remember-and-much-better-when-sandwiched-between-the-delicious-crumbly-biscuit.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    Along with the biscuit, the fries are what stood out in my meal. Bojangles' is known for its "Cajun" flavoring, and has a large container of spices that customers can shake on their fries. It's a specific-enough flavor that it gives the chain something special and crave-able that keeps bringing customers back for more.
    along-with-the-biscuit-the-fries-are-what-stood-out-in-my-meal-bojangles-is-known-for-its-cajun-flavoring-and-has-a-large-container-of-spices-that-customers-can-shake-on-their-fries-its-a-specific-enough-flavor-that-it-gives-the-chain-something-special-and-crave-able-that-keeps-bringing-customers-back-for-more.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    My friend ordered the two-piece dinner, with dirty rice. I much prefer Bojangles' chicken on the bone if it isn't going to be sandwiched in a biscuit. The dirty rice is tasty and, perhaps more importantly, something you're only going to find at a Southern chain like Bojangles'.
    my-friend-ordered-the-two-piece-dinner-with-dirty-rice-i-much-prefer-bojangles-chicken-on-the-bone-if-it-isnt-going-to-be-sandwiched-in-a-biscuit-the-dirty-rice-is-tasty-and-perhaps-more-importantly-something-youre-only-going-to-find-at-a-southern-chain-like-bojangles.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    Also noteworthy: Bojangles' uses sporks, perfect for offerings like mashed potatoes and dirty rice.
    also-noteworthy-bojangles-uses-sporks-perfect-for-offerings-like-mashed-potatoes-and-dirty-rice.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    One iconic Bojangles' offering that I skipped: the Bo-Berry Biscuit. The biscuit is good, but with the icing on top, way too sweet for me to actually enjoy. But I know that many believe the Bo-Berry Biscuit is the best thing on the menu. In any case, a Bojangles' article that skips over the treat feels incomplete, even if I personally am not a fan.
    one-iconic-bojangles-offering-that-i-skipped-the-bo-berry-biscuit-the-biscuit-is-good-but-with-the-icing-on-top-way-too-sweet-for-me-to-actually-enjoy-but-i-know-that-many-believe-the-bo-berry-biscuit-is-the-best-thing-on-the-menu-in-any-case-a-bojangles-article-that-skips-over-the-treat-feels-incomplete-even-if-i-personally-am-not-a-fan.jpg

    Bojangles

    But the sweet tea is one of my personal favorite aspects of the Bojangles' experience. The company says that the tea is "steeped the old-fashioned way," which makes the drink sweeter than it ever could be if you simply added sugar to cold iced tea. In fact, one of the few high-school chemistry lessons I remember is going to Bojangles' to learn how "supersaturation" works, as sugar is absorbed by the hot tea in preparation.
    but-the-sweet-tea-is-one-of-my-personal-favorite-aspects-of-the-bojangles-experience-the-company-says-that-the-tea-is-steeped-the-old-fashioned-way-which-makes-the-drink-sweeter-than-it-ever-could-be-if-you-simply-added-sugar-to-cold-iced-tea-in-fact-one-of-the-few-high-school-chemistry-lessons-i-remember-is-going-to-bojangles-to-learn-how-supersaturation-works-as-sugar-is-absorbed-by-the-hot-tea-in-preparation.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    At Bojangles', tea refills are readily available. I get one, despite the fact that a regular, 22-ounce sweet tea with ice contains 25 grams of sugar — half of the FDA's recommended daily dosage.
    at-bojangles-tea-refills-are-readily-available-i-get-one-despite-the-fact-that-a-regular-22-ounce-sweet-tea-with-ice-contains-25-grams-of-sugar--half-of-the-fdas-recommended-daily-dosage.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    Despite my love for Bojangles', I must admit that the location's design isn't anything special. But with 80% of revenue generated by drive-thru and take-out, it doesn't have to be.
    despite-my-love-for-bojangles-i-must-admit-that-the-locations-design-isnt-anything-special-but-with-80-of-revenue-generated-by-drive-thru-and-take-out-it-doesnt-have-to-be.jpg

    Kate Taylor

    While I consider myself a Bojangles' fan, I only visit about twice a year — once every time I'm in North Carolina. The true "Bo fanatics," as the company calls them, visit multiple times a week. Currently, most of these fanatics reside in the Carolinas, but the company hopes to expand to more than 3,500 locations nationwide. While some of Bojangles' core offerings are foreign in regions to the north and west, the company is well-positioned in the current culinary zeitgeist, as fried-chicken chains like Chick-fil-A explode and the appetite for all-day breakfast increases. If these trends continue, Bojangles' cult could take over the entire US.
    while-i-consider-myself-a-bojangles-fan-i-only-visit-about-twice-a-year--once-every-time-im-in-north-carolina-the-true-bo-fanatics-as-the-company-calls-them-visit-multiple-times-a-week-currently-most-of-these-fanatics-reside-in-the-carolinas-but-the-company-hopes-to-expand-to-more-than-3500-locations-nationwide-while-some-of-bojangles-core-offerings-are-foreign-in-regions-to-the-north-and-west-the-company-is-well-positioned-in-the-current-culinary-zeitgeist-as-fried-chicken-chains-like-chick-fil-a-explode-and-the-appetite-for-all-day-breakfast-increases-if-these-trends-continue-bojangles-cult-could-take-over-the-entire-us.jpg

    Kate Taylor

There's a regional fried-chicken chain that is way better than KFC or Popeyes — here's what it's like to eat there
 
TRAP AMERICAN TV

TRAP AMERICAN TV

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Would I be a c00n if I open up my fried chicken chain?





If not could you brother and sister of the coli give me some good names for a fried chicken restaurant?
 
It is a mystery

It is a mystery

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Hip Hop Coders said:
Would I be a c00n if I open up my fried chicken chain?





If not could you brother and sister of the coli give me some good names for a fried chicken restaurant?
Click to expand...

It wouldn't make you a c00n but i dunno man

The majority of new businesses that fail are non-franchised restaurants. Any innovation that has anything to do with improving the process of the restaurant in any customer-facing manner has a significantly higher chance of failure than an innovation in anywhere else. New restaurants deal with fierce competition, high employee turnover, and less-than-ideal supply chains. You start at a loss as the (setup for a restaurant is going to cost $$$) and you gotta battle hard to go even/profit. As you scale your expenses grow with you, and while this somewhat happens everywhere, this happens to a smaller extent in more lucrative industries.

If you still are interested try looking into punny names or names that can stick in people's heads and stand the test of time. A lot of restaurants just use the owners names though. A name too complicated works against you so something simple is ideal
 
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