W.O. Giles started frying donuts and later, chicken, with his patented fryers in Montgomery, AL. His innovations in equipment paved the way for today's foodservice business. Chester's sells fresh, never frozen, marinated chicken that's double-breaded and fried using a secret, family recipe. There are over 1,300 locations in convenience stores, truck stops, and supermarkets.
- Super Tenders
- Bone-In
- Bites & Sandwiches
- Sides
- Biscuits
- Desserts
- Dipping Sauces
- Marinated Breast Fillet
- Crinkle-Cut Dill Pickles
- Martin's Potato Bun
- Extra Creamy Cheddar Cheese
- Cavatappi (Corkscrew) Noodles
- Smooth and Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Garlic
- Real Cream Cheese and Milk
- Roasted Chicken Gravy
The roots of the Chester's business date back to 1952, when W.O. Giles started frying donuts and later, chicken, with his patented fryers in Montgomery, AL. His innovations in equipment paved the way for today's foodservice business.
How It All StartedIn 1965, Chester the Chicken came to life with his cowboy hat, bandana, and spurs. Adding marinades, batter and breading products to the line, the brand achieved its world famous, signature tastes and became known as Chester Fried in 1974. In 2002, "Fried" was dropped from the brand name, and it became "Chester's".
In March of 2004, Chester's transitioned from a licensed QSR concept to a growth driven franchise model. Ted W. Giles, son of the founder and the second-generation CEO, is credited with growing the brand on three continents.
In 2017, Wynn Giles succeeded his father, Ted, representing the third generation of Giles family leadership at Chester's. Wynn and his team have focused heavily on new product development, streamlining the supply chain, and creating a more robust support system for existing franchise partners.
Today, Chester's remains a family-owned business with an aggressive growth strategy and over 1,200 locations in the US and Canada. The market primarily consists of store-in-store concepts, including convenience stores, truck stops, supermarkets, and other similar venues with locations all over the country.
Chester'sChester's Today
Chester's is a leading quick-serve restaurant (QSR) concept with 1,200 active locations and is constantly innovating to bring our customers delicious new products and set our franchisees up for continued success.
Chester's
WIKIPEDIAChester's International, Chester's, or Chester's Chicken
Fried chicken quick-service restaurant chain based in Birmingham, Alabama, United States.
- W.O. Giles founded Chester's in October 1965 and adopted Chester the Chicken as the company's mascot, named for the Chester Goode character on Gunsmoke, a favorite TV show of Giles'.
- In late 2012, they moved their headquarters to the Birmingham suburb of Mountain Brook, Alabama.
- They began franchising their concept in July 2004 and have grown to in-line locations in shopping plazas and mall food courts.
- According to Entrepreneur, as of November 2022, the chain has more than 1,098 locations worldwide.
Chester'sThe Chester's Difference
More than flavor, more than a process; it is our way of serving up the most delicious fried chicken and sides for our customers.Made Fresh
Our fresh poultry is marinated using a proprietary recipe that enhances natural flavors and ensures tenderness. Our chicken is made fresh throughout the day in our locations. Chester's is Always Fryin'!Double Breaded
Our chicken is double-breaded with our very own breading & batter dip, born from an old family recipe. Double breading is what makes Chester's Chicken unique, adding extra flavor, crunch, and tenderness.Fried to Perfection
Using a special blend of spices combined with our own formulated shortening produces the juiciest, crunchiest chicken on the planet. Each bite is truly fried to perfection.
Chester's Chicken and a BiscuitSouthern KitchenSeptember 2021
This is a story about an unsung Southern fried chicken chain, and it begins with love. Actually, I should say it begins with a place called Love's, and my own deep-fried feelings for Chester's, a fried chicken restaurant that may not sound familiar - and let's be clear: it's not the best fried chicken you'll find on the road - but has given me much comfort along life's travels.I didn't realize it when I was younger, but I kind of grew up on gas station fried chicken. When I was a kid, my mother or any other relative shuffling my cousins and me from one town to another would stop at Love's for gas, and if they had fresh fried chicken under the heat lamps behind the glass display, we'd get enough to eat in the car to hold us over until we arrived at our destination.
You can find Love's Travel Shops all around the South. The sprawling tractor-trailer fill-up stations are known for having noticeably cheaper gasoline than other fuel stops, particularly along interstates like I-24, I-20 and I-75. Love's is also very random, even for a truck stop. It operates like a gas station, but also a sporting goods convenience store, a temporary place for the road-weary to rest and even shower, and a no-frills fast-food hall for travelers, with restaurants ranging from McDonald's to Godfather's Pizza.
When you see the towering, undeniably happy yellow sign with its orange hearts horizontally stacked next to the brand name and the friendly, '70s-style font that uses a tiny heart for an apostrophe, you'll know you've found it. And when you find Love's, be sure to look for the white-lettered logo for Chester's and the image of Chester the Chick, the anthropomorphic chicken mascot featured on the brand's logo. Then you'll know you have arrived at a place I trust for fried chicken on-the-go.
As far as chicken mascots are concerned, I trust The Colonel, I trust the cows, and I trust Chester the Chick. He wears a red cowboy hat; a blue bandana around his neck; big, friendly eyes; and a smiling expression coming from his beak. Something about that chicken's demeanor just feels right. The bright eyes, the smile, the all-American color scheme of his outfit, and the care that was taken to make sure his image was modernized - everything about him suggests that he has it all under control, and as long as I can find him, I can get enough fried chicken, seasoned potato wedges and barbecue sauce to get me over the inevitable road trip hump.
Sometimes Chester the Chick is printed on nylon flags outside the building; other times he is cast in plastic above the door. In his original 1965 rendition, according to the company's website, he wore a holstered gun, which over the years was replaced with a plain brown belt.
Chester's earned my trust because of this logo. He seems believable for some reason I haven't figured out yet, other than that he's drawn very carefully. Besides, I'm not here to question Chester the Chick's style or need to bear arms (He also wears a sheriff's badge); I'm here for his crispy poultry deliciousness.
And Chester's is more successful than you might realize. The 50-year-old Birmingham-based company switched from licensing its name to a franchising model in 2004, which is probably why I don't remember seeing the sign back in the '80s. Today, under the leadership of founder W.O. Giles' son Ted, it has grown to more than 1,700 locations at gas stations, colleges, airports and supermarkets across the country. They're obviously doing something right.
Let me be clear: Chester's is not the best fried chicken you'll find on the road. We established that recently in a Southern Kitchen taste-test. Its double-battered main menu item definitely gets the job done, but it is neither particularly noteworthy or memorable in terms of spices, seasoning or flavor. It's just keeping it real. Are they competing with beloved Southern chicken chains like Popeye's, in terms of taste? Probably not.
But that may not matter, or at least isn't the main objective to eat there. For what Chester's lacks in comparison to other fried chicken businesses, it makes up for in reliability. The restaurant also cares enough to have a logo design and mascot that looks believable for a fried chicken franchise, and I'm a sucker for above-average fried chicken and a nice design.
Fried chicken doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to be consistent, even if it requires the addition of a signature dipping sauce. As long as Chester's can consistently be there to comfort my soul on the highway of life when I didn't even know I wanted or needed fried chicken, along with a friendly, believable chicken mascot, that's good enough for me.
Chester's Core Purpose: To Provide Delicious Food in Surprising PlacesChester'sFried Chicken is Fun!
At Chester's we put the FUN in food! We believe in working hard and playing hard! However, at the same time, we also don't take ourselves too seriously and try hard to balance hard work with celebrating our wins and making work fun.Embracing Constant Evolution
We take pride in the growth and development our organization has achieved, and we are dedicated to listening to ideas and always looking for a better way to do things. There is no “that is just how things have always been done” attitude at Chester's. We believe in the relentless exploration of new ideas and using those ideas to constantly advance and improve our business.Winning as a Team
We have a competitive spirit at Chester's and we like to win. But, no one wins alone here. Every team member at Chester's contributes to our goals and we win as a team. We never say "that's not my job". We make mistakes but we learn from those mistakes and we approach every day with a mindset that we are going to win this day. Winning is an attitude and our belief is that we only win as one at Chester's.Delivering Exceptional Value
Any team can focus on delivering value to their customers, but we are unique because we focus on delivering value in an exceptional way. Every decision and action we take is intentional with the ultimate goal being that we help our customers grow their businesses. We recognize an opportunity and we deliver on it.Being Direct, Respectful, and Honest
Our family of team members is the most important asset we have as a company. Our leaders are committed to building a sense of community through open and honest communication that is 100% of the time delivered in a respectful manner. We believe in doing our best, always being truthful and doing the right thing; even when no one is looking.
The Untold Truth of Chester's Chicken
MashedJuly 2022
You can find fast food chicken just about anywhere of course, but one chicken chain that you may have heard of is Chester's Chicken. Though it might not be the first fast food or chicken restaurant that pops up in your mind, it's still one of the better places to go if you like fried poultry. Chester's Chicken isn't in the spotlight, so even if you have heard of the chicken chain, there's a good chance you don't know too much about it, other than fried chicken and pie on the menu. There's a lot more behind this cowboy chicken-themed restaurant, however, and we're here to tell you all about it.The Chester's founder was originally frying donuts, not chicken
In 1952, W.O. Giles, the founder of Chester's Chicken, bought Hol-in-One Donut Co. in Arkansas (via Giles). He later took this business to Montgomery, Alabama, and sold frozen donuts along with a line of donuts fryers. The company still makes fryers and food prep equipment - which paved the way for Chester's Chicken.According to the Giles company site, the brand soon grew to include chicken fryers, and out of that stemmed Chester's Chicken. In 1965, the company created the Chester the Chicken mascot (via Chester's Chicken), and the family-owned business became a chicken chain, along with an enterprise that continues to sell donut and chicken fryers to this day. The Chester Fried Chicken chain, unfortunately, doesn't have any donuts on its menu, but it's good to know that while the owner didn't always fry chicken, he was an expert in selling different fried foods.
Chester's has rebranded recently
The redesign included a digital menu, packaging, and a simplified logo. This was done to add emphasis on Chester's freshly made fried chicken, reflecting this through the bright, fresh new look.They have over 1,200 locations, and are still expanding
They launched their chicken sandwiches the same time Popeyes did
Not only does Chester's have chicken sandwiches that are much like what you could find at Popeyes, but their sandwiches launched around the same time. According to a Chester's press release, the chain unveiled its chicken sandwich on August 15th, 2019. Popeyes' chicken sandwich was released on August 12th, just a few days before the Chester's chicken sandwich.The mac and cheese seems to be their most-favored side
Chester's mac and cheese is made using extra creamy cheddar cheese, along with cavatappi noodles. It's reminiscent of a home-cooked mac and cheese, and many Chester's fans seem to agree with this sentiment.Most of the restaurants locations are in gas stations
So if you're ever in a rush and need to get yourself some gas or groceries, you'll be able to kill two birds with one stone and get some chicken.Livers and Gizzards are on the menu - and surprisingly well-received
That's right. Both chicken liver and gizzards take up a good section of the Chester's menu, which should come as no surprise, as both items are common to find in the poultry aisle of grocery stores. What might come as a surprise is that there's a good number of Chester's fans who like these unique, interesting, and fun foods. If you take a look at numerous reviews online, there are many people who praise their fried gizzards and livers.Chester's teamed up with Love's Travel Stops to create Truckersgiving
"Truckersgiving" was a day in which Love's and Chester's celebrated truck drivers, claiming that truck drivers alone are responsible for the delivery of many critical goods. According to QSR Magazine, with Truckersgiving, truck drivers had the chance to go to a Love-Chester's location on the day of the event, show the employees a commercial driver's license (CDL), and get themselves a hat, along with a side of Chester's delicious mac and cheese - even if you're not a truck driver, mac and cheese is a pretty enticing thing to go to Chester's for.The fried part of the brand name was dropped
Originally, the chicken chain was known as "Chester Fried," as opposed to Chester's (via Chester's), and was known as such since 1974. This likely reflected the wide range of fried chicken foods that they sold within each fast food restaurant. However, in 2002, the "Fried" aspect of the name was dropped, and it simply became known as Chester's. According to QSR Magazine, Ted Giles, the CEO of Chester's, claimed that this name change was done to ensure brand consistency. It isn't the biggest name change out there, and doesn't really change anything in terms of the chicken the company makes, but if you were to ever wonder what exactly happened to Chester Fried, the answer is nothing: It's just Chester's now.The fried chicken is made using the brand's own special recipe
According to Chester's itself, the company's chicken is never frozen and is made freshly over the course of a day. The chicken is made out of a double-breaded coating, created from Chester's own breading and batter dip. Chester's also uses a blend of special spices, along with their own formulated shortening. After this, the chicken is fried, and we get delicious, juicy chicken.They are ranked the No. 5 franchise in the Chicken Category by Entrepreneur Magazine
Their TikTok account posts a lot of fun chicken-related content
[ https://www.tiktok.com/@chestersintl ]
Our History
Giles EnterprisesFood Service Equipment
Today, Giles remains a privately held, family owned business, developing, producing and marketing a wide variety of innovative food service equipment solutions ... sold worldwide.Every year, new products & features such as KitchenTrac remote equipment monitoring via WiFi, an Ultra-high Efficeincy Multi-purpose Gas Fryer w/patented heat exchanger design, and Fryer Oil Management options, are being introduced to keep pace with the changing demands of the marketplace. Giles continues striving to exceed customer expectations for performance, reliability, profitability & service.
In 1952, W.O.Giles acquired the Hol-in-One Donut Co. in Arkansas. He ran the company for a number of years producing and distributing donut mix blends, along with representing a line of small donut fryers. He eventually settled the business in Montgomery, Alabama and continued operations.
The complexion of the market began to change and the dount business started to wane. Mr. Giles took advantage of the consumer popularity for classic fresh fried chicken, created "Chester the Chick", and began to transition the company into a more mainstream food service equipment business by introducing and marketing a line of electric chicken fryers capable of cooking delicious, crispy, moisted fried chicken. The company initially produced its fryers with parts supplied by a third-party metal fabricator.
The business grew and Giles Enterprises, Inc. was incorporated in 1967. Giles started up a full-scale manufacturing facility that later expanded so that the company could completely fabricate and assemble his line of affordable, reliable, electric fryers and other food service equipment.
Through innovative, leading-edge thinking, Giles engineered, fabricated & patented a revolutionary Ductless Recirculating Ventilation Technology, which was approved for fryers & ovens ... an industry first. A patented High-efficiency Gas-fired Kettle Fryer design followed.
Throughout the years, the innovations continued, including: Large-capacity Banked Fryer Battery concepts, used by a national chain in their deli operations ... Heated Food Merchandiser display cases ... large-capacity Gas Kettle Fryer ... Giles custom Computer Controller ... ingenious enhancements for Food Prep Equipment models, and much more.
Chester's
Fried ChickenEntrepreneurChester's
Founded in 1952, a quick-serve restaurant that sells fresh, never frozen, marinated chicken that's double-breaded and fried using a secret, family recipe. There are over 1,300 locations in convenience stores, truck stops, and supermarkets. After more than 50 years of business, Chester's may know how to fry with love and is happy to share what they do.Though they may sell fried chicken nowadays, Chester's started in 1952 frying doughnuts. Since the shift in product offerings, the company operated strictly as a corporate-owned entity before branching out to franchising in 2004.
2024 Franchise 500 Rank: #267
Ranked #381 Last YearChester's sells a simple menu of bone-in chicken, chicken tenders, and biscuits. For sides, you may get classics like potato wedges and mashed potatoes and gravy. In 2019, they introduced their new chicken sandwich. They also serve fried chicken livers and gizzards.
Between their commitment to loyal customers and different options to drive sales home, Chester's has been ranked in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 many times in the past several years. This ranking is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.
Chester's Chicken undergoes redesign, focuses on fresh
Chester's Chicken has a bold new look that corresponds with the company's fresh, never frozen focus on fried chicken.QSRwebJan 2022
Chester's Chicken was founded in 1952 when W.O. Giles started frying donuts - and later chicken - with his patented fryers in Montgomery, Alabama.Since then, the company has focused almost exclusively on chicken, with its signature double-breaded recipe at the core of the Birmingham, Alabama-based brand. Now in its third generation of family ownership, the company has approximately 1,200 franchised units. Every Chester's Chicken is housed within another concept, usually a c-store, travel stop or supermarket.
QSRweb reached out to William Culpepper, VP of marketing, to learn more about company's redesign and what sets the company apart from its competition.
Q: What's Chester's Chicken's concept?
A:Chester's Chicken is a leading quick-serve restaurant concept, serving fresh, never frozen chicken in c-stores and supermarkets throughout the U.S. We have developed an almost cult-like following among loyal customers who love our double-breaded recipe and enjoy eating delicious food in surprising places.Q: What sets Chester's Chicken apart from the competition?
A:As a franchise, Chester's is unique in that our concept is royalty-free, and the cost of entry is relatively low. We are committed to providing our franchisees with great products, best-in-class operational support, and a newly refreshed brand that will help drive traffic and store-level profits. We are also intently focused in delivering an exceptional food experience for our guests, who love that we provide for a fresh, hot meal that tastes like home cooking while they are on the road.Q: You've entered the chicken sandwich wars. How is Chester's Chicken different from other chicken sandwiches?
A:At Chester's, we were meticulous in selecting every ingredient in our chicken sandwich. Our breast filet is specially marinated and hand-breaded using our signature double-breading process for extra crispiness. Our brioche bun is light and airy to allow the breast fillet to be the star of the show. And a little topping of our signature honey butter gives the sandwich just a hint of sweetness. We've also introduced two LTOs around the chicken sandwich, offering a Honey Stung Chicken Sandwich in the summer of 2020 and a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich in the summer of 2021.Q: You recently redesigned the concept at the store level. What's new in the design?
A:We wanted to create a much bolder and modern expression, giving our operators a store design that is bright and clean and will stand out in a c-store. We also wanted to show consumers our major point of differentiation - that we hand-bread and fry fresh chicken in our stores every day. We now bring more emphasis to the theater of frying and lean into the fact that our fryers are often in plain sight, right behind the service counter.Q: To what does Chester's Chicken owe its success?
A:It all starts with our delicious fried chicken. Chester's has stood the test of time because we have great tasting products, and we have an incredibly loyal following with road trippers, truck drivers, and fried chicken lovers. But we never want to rest on our laurels - we will continue to grow the brand and innovate in ways that complement our original fried chicken recipe.
1985–2004
Logopedia:
Chester's Chicken
2004–2021
2021-present
Chester's sells fresh, never frozen, marinated chicken that's double-breaded and fried using a secret, family recipe. There are over 1,300 locations.
