Monday, November 4, 2024

[EXCLUSIVE] The "Resurrection" of Church's Chicken is Starting in Georgia

A new Church's Texas Chicken is coming to Georgia!  The restaurant, planned for 760 E. Franklin Street (US-29) in Hartwell, will be just over the South Carolina line.  Planning documents reviewed by ToNeTo Atlanta suggest the new Church's will be 996 square feet. 

The new restaurant marks one of the first new ground up Church's Chicken's to open.  Atlanta-based Church’s has more than 1,500 units globally, but its U.S. unit count has been declining in recent years.  The brand started 2021 with 1,015 units but was down to 901 at the end of 2023.  The Church's website suggests that there are just 786 domestic locations today.  

Rival chicken chain Popeyes, which purchased Church's in 1989, but after a bankruptcy filing sold the brand in 2004, by comparison, operates more than 4,200 restaurants globally including more than 3,100 domestically.  

[Video: Church's Chicken - The Rise and Fall...And Rise Again]

Mrs. Winner's, a one-time challenger in the value-oriented chicken space, operated about 200 locations at one time but is today down to about a dozen.  

Metro Atlanta is littered with former Church's Chicken restaurants - many today operating as independent ethnic eateries - but Georgia is still home to 49 locations, including seven with an Atlanta address.  

Church's, started by George W. Church, Jr. in San Antonio in 1952, is known as "Texas Chicken" in many international markets and adopted "Church's Texas Chicken" as its trade name in most other markets.  

Joe Guith was named CEO at Church's Chicken in August 2022.  Guith, a veteran of The Coca-Cola Company, Yum! Brands, and Cinnabon, was Category President (McAlister’s Deli, Moe’s Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky’s) at Atlanta-based GoTo Foods before joining the chicken chain.  He and his team are leaning into simplicity and value in their efforts to reignite domestic growth in the brand.  

In addition to the Hartwell restaurant, another new Church's is planned for Cheraw, South Carolina, near the North Carolina border.  

Did you know Church's Chicken still existed?  Who do you think offers the best chicken?  The best biscuit?  What quick serve chain would you most like to see make a comeback?

Please share your thoughts below.  

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not hardly "Atlanta News" but whatever. Always liked Churches when they were on Cheshire Bridge. But if I want fried chicken, Publix is my choice.

Anonymous said...

I've never eaten at Church's because they seemed run down and in bad neighborhoods. A fresh coat of paint and new signage seems to solve one of those issues.

Jodyml813 said...

They used to be one of the most inexpensive franchises to start. My parents had a business next door to one in Florida so I had my fill. Although I would happily go for hot honey butter biscuits just about any time nowadays!

Skrybe said...

Church's Chicken still exists?

I mean ........... Why?

Anonymous said...

Aren't there already enough chicken bones littering Atlanta streets?

Anonymous said...

Pick them up and clean up your mess Col Sanders!

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