News

Hot Flavors: Six Brands That Crushed Sampling at NACS 2024

Chester’s

The fried chicken brand set up a “walk-through” mimicking the actual store setup, inviting attendees to “fuel up with flavor” sampling its full-sized offerings, including Bourbon bites, biscuits and chicken sandwiches. With their lunch in hand, the next logical place for them to go was the standing tables at the front of the exhibit and have a conversation about franchise partnerships. 

7-Eleven, Circle K, Chester's Chicken Top Franchise Systems

No. 164: Chester’s Chicken 

Global Sales: $408,305,162

US Units: 1,002

International Units: 68

Total Units: 1,070

Chester’s Chicken Unveils Kentucky Bourbon Bites

Chester’s Chicken is getting a little more Southern this fall. For a limited time, Kentucky Bourbon Bites are on the menu at participating Chester’s locations nationwide.

Kentucky Bourbon Bites are made with Chester’s marinated breast chunks, which were introduced last year and have recently picked up an award from CStore Decisions’ 2024 Hot New Products Contest. The chicken is sauced and tossed in Cattlemen’s Kentucky Bourbon BBQ Sauce, which blends the smooth flavors of oaky bourbon, sweet molasses and warm, signature spices for the perfect Southern flavor in every bite.

Announcing the Winners of CStore Decisions’ 2024 Hot New Products Contest

Winners were determined based on key factors for success at c-stores, including innovation, packaging and more. Each year, thousands of new products and services enter the convenience store industry. But which ones will thrive in today’s competitive marketplace? CStore Decisions’ 2024 Hot New Products Contest evaluated a number of new product launches and is awarding the products set for success at c-stores this year.

Foodservice

Gold: Ruiz Foods Inc. — El Monterey Stuff’d Nachos

Silver: Rich Products — Meat Trio Fully Topped Flatbread

Silver: Cheesewich Factory — Breakfast Taco

Bronze: Chester’s Chicken — Chester’s Frozen Marinated Breast Chunks

Convenience Store News Unveils the 2024 Top Women in Convenience

CHICAGO — The 2024 class of Top Women in Convenience (TWIC) will be the largest yet, comprising 107 established and emerging female leaders making an impact in the U.S. convenience store industry, Convenience Store News announced today. 

From a record number of entries and after much deliberation, judges selected five Women of the Year, 44 Senior-Level Leaders, 43 Rising Stars and 15 Mentors from across the industry’s retailer, distributor and supplier communities to be recognized this year. 

The winners were chosen based on nominations received from their companies and peers. Drawing from achievements during the previous 12 months, nominators were asked to illustrate the candidate's innovative corporate initiatives, extraordinary financial and strategic accomplishments, astute problem-solving acumen, exceptional performance, mentorship work and its outcome for mentees, and selfless charitable participation, along with any other attributes that go above and beyond the call of duty.

Chester's Chicken Hires Industry Veteran Bill Rice as Executive Vice President

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Chester's Chicken, the fresh fried chicken quick-service restaurant concept with over 1,300 active franchised and licensed locations across the U.S., welcomes Bill Rice to the executive team as EVP, Head of Sales, Operations and Supply Chain. Rice joins Chester's after a short retirement preceded by nearly four decades of experience in foodservice supply chain management, most recently as a senior vice president at Krispy Krunchy Foods, LLC.

Under Rice's leadership and with a solid foundation already laid, the company plans to accelerate growth and evolution. Rice will ensure team members have the resources needed to achieve Chester's aggressive growth goals while continuing to support existing franchise partners.

"We continue to prioritize investing in the Chester's leadership team and Bill is the perfect complement," said Alexis Lobodocky, General Manager, Chester's Chicken. "He brings extensive expertise in supply chain, an area of opportunity that will drive gains for the Chester's brand and Chester's operators."

Chester’s Chicken coming to Horizon Fuel Center

At Horizon Fuel Center at the corner of North Lake Wohford & VC Road, it’s out for QDOBA Mexican Eats and in for Chester’s Chicken.

At the same time construction by the San Pasqual tribe is going steadily for another first, a drive through, Ziggi’s Coffee. There’s plenty of coffee vendors in town, but as far as we know this is the first coffee drive-through.

The Birmingham, Alabama-based Chester’s Chicken outlet will take the place of the QDOBA Mexican Eats that had been there since the fuel center opened. It will open at the end of January, said Chris Phelps, general manager of the Horizon Fuel Center.

Phelps said the thinking was that while there are plenty of Mexican food options in the area, “you actually have to leave town if you want to get chicken.”  Chester’s is a growing company that currently has about 1,200 restaurants.

Franchise 500 2024 Ranking

Chester's, which was founded in 1952, is 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.

Franchise Times 2024 Ranking

A quick-service fried chicken restaurant chain headquartered in Mountain Brook, Alabama, Chester's restaurants can typically be found attached to travel plazas and gas stations or inside mall food courts. In addition to wings and chicken sandwiches, Chester’s also serves fried livers and gizzards.

Chester's got its name from a character on the television show “Gunsmoke,” which was a favorite program of the brand's founder, W.O. Giles. Giles opened his first restaurant in 1965. The chain began franchising in 2004.

Chester's Chicken Pits Its Popular Honey Stung Chicken Bites Against New Sweet Chili Chicken Bites

It's a Battle of the Bites! Guests who stop in Chester's Chicken this fall should be prepared for a flavor showdown between the restaurant's reigning champ, Honey Stung Chicken Bites, and the new challenger, Sweet Chili Chicken Bites.