Can't recall how old I was, but it was at the long since shuttered Montgomery Mall. There were a couple of people standing in front of a store with trays of little chunks of chicken on toothpicks. What the cluck??? Yeah, I'll try one. Okay, that's pretty damn good.
They were giving people a little taste of a novel franchise eatery that would soon be in the Mall, called Chick-Fil-A. GH can tell us the actual history, but I think the idea started back in the 40’s. We all know what it’s become in the decades since.
If you leave my office and drive west a couple of miles, you hit about a mile and a half stretch of chicken joints. It starts with Zaxby’s, then KFC, Guthrie’s, Waldo’s Chicken & Beer, Things & Wings, Popeyes and Goldfingers. Three of those are all located in the same strip mall area around a Publix, which BTW, has great chicken fingers. And by all indications, all of them are thriving. We have two Jesus Chicken locations here, and both stay slammed.
The thing is, getting a box of chicken fingers, or chicken sammich’ and fries, is just simple, damn good food. You’ll get a variation on the seasonings, and each one tries to give their own spin on the dipping sauce. Zaxby’s, Guthrie’s and Goldfingers have similar sauces, while Waldo’s kicks it up a notch with a hint of pepper.
For me:
Best Fingers/Nuggets
1. Zaxby’s
2. Chick-Fil-A
3. Goldfingers
Fries: (From a chicken joint)
1. Goldfingers. They have crinkle fries, but a smaller version. Holy damn, they’re good.
2. Chick-Fil-A. But only if the waffles are fresh and salted properly
3. Zaxby’s
Sammich:
1. Chick-Fil-A
2. Popeyes Cajun. They put about 3 pounds of bird on that bun
3. Guthrie’s. They put the fingers on the bun.
We’re limited here in the small city. What’s your go-to for bird? I’m talking mainly fast food. Not Annie Mae Pearl’s Country Chicken & Fixins.