Church's Chicken
Encyclopedia
Church's Chicken is a US
-based chain of fast food
restaurants specializing in fried chicken
, also trading outside North America as Texas Chicken. The chain was founded as Church's Fried Chicken To Go by George W. Church, Sr.
, on April 17, 1952, in San Antonio
, across the street from The Alamo
. The company, with its headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia
, is the fourth-largest chicken restaurant chain behind KFC
, Chick-fil-A
, and former sister chain Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits
. Their slogan is "Chicken Genius."
. The brands had their supply lines consolidated but were still marketed as separate chains. Hala Moddelmog
was appointed as president
of Church's Chicken in 1996, making her the first female president of a fast-food restaurant chain.
Church's was owned by AFC Enterprises
, along with Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and Cinnabon
through the end of 2004, when it was sold to Arcapita
(formerly Crescent Capital Investments). Because Arcapita is an Islam
ic venture capital
firm, pork
products were removed from the menu after the sale (as pork is not halal
) in 2005. Also, American Church's Chicken restaurants switched beverage products to Coca-Cola
, while still retaining the Pepsi
contract in Canada
.
On August 10, 2009, San Francisco private equity
firm Friedman Fleischer & Lowe
bought Church’s Chicken from Arcapita.
Church's Chicken began a corporate partnership with the Children's Miracle Network
in association with Saidu Momoh in the summer of 2004.
In some areas, Church's is co-franchised with the White Castle
hamburger
chain. In Canada
, Church's Chicken items were once available in Harvey's restaurants, but the co-venture was discontinued.
To date, Church's Chicken has over 1,650 locations in 22 countries. There are some locations within Honduras
, Venezuela
, Puerto Rico
, Canada
, Guyana
, Mexico
, and Indonesia
. The business was first opened in Mexico by Federico Longoria Jr. of Laredo, Texas.
The menu for Church's has greatly expanded with fried okra
, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and honey butter biscuits being staples. Also, newer entree choices have emerged, including, sandwiches, nuggets, tacos, and a spicy flavor option for the chicken.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-based chain of fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
restaurants specializing in fried chicken
Fried chicken
Fried chicken is a dish consisting of chicken pieces usually from broiler chickens which have been floured or battered and then pan fried, deep fried, or pressure fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or crust to the exterior...
, also trading outside North America as Texas Chicken. The chain was founded as Church's Fried Chicken To Go by George W. Church, Sr.
George W. Church, Sr.
George W. Church, Sr. was the founder of Church's Chicken. He founded the business on April 17, 1952 and willed the business to his son, George W. Church, Jr., upon his death in 1956. Prior to his retirement, he was an incubator salesman....
, on April 17, 1952, in San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, across the street from The Alamo
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, Texas....
. The company, with its headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia
Sandy Springs, Georgia
Sandy Springs is a city in north Georgia, United States. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta. With a 2010 population of 93,853, Sandy Springs is the sixth-largest city in the state and the second-largest city in Metro Atlanta. Sandy Springs is located in north Fulton County, Georgia, just south of...
, is the fourth-largest chicken restaurant chain behind KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A |"fillet"]]) is a quick service restaurant chain headquartered in College Park, Georgia, United States, specializing in chicken entrées and is known for promoting the company founder's claims of Christian values. Long associated with the southern United States, where it has been a...
, and former sister chain Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits
Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits
Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits is a chain of fried chicken fast food restaurants, owned since 1993 by the Sandy Springs, Georgia-based AFC Enterprises, which was originally America's Favorite Chicken Company...
. Their slogan is "Chicken Genius."
History
Initially the restaurant sold only chicken, but fries and jalapeños were added in 1955. The company had four restaurants when George W. Church died in 1956. Rapid growth followed, and Church's became the second-largest chicken restaurant chain in 1989, when it merged with Popeyes Chicken & BiscuitsPopeyes Chicken & Biscuits
Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits is a chain of fried chicken fast food restaurants, owned since 1993 by the Sandy Springs, Georgia-based AFC Enterprises, which was originally America's Favorite Chicken Company...
. The brands had their supply lines consolidated but were still marketed as separate chains. Hala Moddelmog
Hala Moddelmog
Hala Moddelmog is President of Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc., effective May 20, 2010, reporting to Wendy’s/Arby’s Group President and Chief Executive Officer Roland Smith. Previously she was president and chief executive officer of Susan G. Komen for the Cure since September 2006. Moddelmog is a...
was appointed as president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Church's Chicken in 1996, making her the first female president of a fast-food restaurant chain.
Church's was owned by AFC Enterprises
AFC Enterprises
AFC Enterprises is the Sandy Springs, Georgia-headquartered company that owns Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits. AFC Enterprises is a publicly traded company....
, along with Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and Cinnabon
Cinnabon
Cinnabon is a chain of American baked goods stores and kiosks, normally found in high-traffic areas such as malls. The company's signature item is a grande cinnamon roll. As of July 2009, over 750 Cinnabon bakeries are in operation in over 30 countries around the world...
through the end of 2004, when it was sold to Arcapita
Arcapita
Arcapita Inc. is a Delaware-incorporated holding and real estate company, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia....
(formerly Crescent Capital Investments). Because Arcapita is an Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
firm, pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
products were removed from the menu after the sale (as pork is not halal
Halal
Halal is a term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. The term is used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law...
) in 2005. Also, American Church's Chicken restaurants switched beverage products to Coca-Cola
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The company is best known for its flagship product Coca-Cola, invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in Columbus, Georgia...
, while still retaining the Pepsi
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
contract in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
On August 10, 2009, San Francisco private equity
Private equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
firm Friedman Fleischer & Lowe
Friedman Fleischer & Lowe
Friedman Fleischer & Lowe is a private equity firm, founded in 1998 by Tully Friedman, Spencer Fleischer, David Lowe, and Christopher Masto. The firm makes investments primarily through leveraged buyouts and growth capital investments....
bought Church’s Chicken from Arcapita.
Church's Chicken began a corporate partnership with the Children's Miracle Network
Children's Miracle Network
The Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is an international non-profit organization that raises funds for children's hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children's health issues. The organization, founded in 1982 by the Osmond family and John Schneider, is headquartered in...
in association with Saidu Momoh in the summer of 2004.
In some areas, Church's is co-franchised with the White Castle
White Castle (restaurant)
White Castle is an American regional fast food hamburger restaurant chain in the Midwestern United States and in the New York metropolitan area, and the first of its kind in the US. It is known for its small, square hamburgers. Sometimes referred to as "sliders", the burgers were priced at five...
hamburger
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
chain. In Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Church's Chicken items were once available in Harvey's restaurants, but the co-venture was discontinued.
To date, Church's Chicken has over 1,650 locations in 22 countries. There are some locations within Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. The business was first opened in Mexico by Federico Longoria Jr. of Laredo, Texas.
The menu for Church's has greatly expanded with fried okra
Okra
Okra is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It is valued for its edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of South Asian, Ethiopian and West African origins...
, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and honey butter biscuits being staples. Also, newer entree choices have emerged, including, sandwiches, nuggets, tacos, and a spicy flavor option for the chicken.