Harold's Chicken Shack facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Casual dining Take out |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
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Key people
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Harold Pierce (founder) |
| Products | Fried chicken Seafood |
| Owner | Kristen Pierce |
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Number of employees
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over 3,000 |
Harold's Chicken Shack is a very popular fried chicken restaurant chain that started in Chicago, Illinois. People often call it Harold's Chicken or just Harold's. It's also known as The Fried Chicken King. While many locations are in Chicago, you can also find Harold's restaurants in other cities like Indianapolis, Indiana, Phoenix, Arizona, Atlanta, Georgia, and Los Angeles, California.
Contents
The Story of Harold's Chicken
How Harold Pierce Started His Restaurant
Harold Pierce, an African-American businessman, moved to Chicago in 1943. He had a dream of opening his own restaurant. On June 22, 1950, he opened the first Harold's Chicken Shack. It was located at 47th Street and Kenwood in Chicago. Before this, Harold and his wife also ran a soul food restaurant called the H&H. They were famous for their dumplings and chicken feet.
Harold's Unique Style
Harold Pierce had a special way of growing his business. Unlike many fast-food chains, he wanted each Harold's restaurant to have its own unique feel. He didn't force every location to look exactly the same. This means some Harold's restaurants are very simple. They might serve chicken through a window, which was originally for safety. Other locations let you sit down and eat inside.
Some Harold's restaurants offer fountain drinks, extra menu items, or even delivery. But two things are always the same: the delicious chicken dinners and the special logo. The logo shows a cook chasing a chicken with a cleaver. This image can look different at each place, sometimes in bright lights or hand-painted. Often, the cook in the logo is dressed like a king! This is why many older signs say "Harold's: The Fried Chicken King."
Where You Can Find Harold's
Harold's Chicken Shack is mostly found in Chicago, Illinois. There are about 40 locations across the city. Many of these are on the South Side of Chicago. Harold Pierce focused on opening restaurants in these neighborhoods. You can also find Harold's in Chicago's western suburbs, like Oak Park, and a few on the North Side.
Harold's Place in Culture
Harold's in Music
Harold's Chicken Shack is a big part of Chicago's culture, especially on the South Side. Many famous hip-hop artists from Chicago have mentioned Harold's in their songs. These include Kanye West, Common, Chance the Rapper, and Lupe Fiasco. Rapper Kendrick Lamar even mentioned Harold's in a song, saying he flew all the way from Rome just for the chicken! This shows how much people love Harold's.
Harold's on Screen
Harold's has also appeared in TV shows and movies. It was shown in a scene on the TV show South Side. You can also see Harold's in the music video for "It's True" by BJ The Chicago Kid. It even appeared next to a bar in the movie Weird Science.
See also
- Chicago-style barbecue
- List of fast-food chicken restaurants
