Zankou Chicken facts for kids
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Tarna plate at Zankou Chicken
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| Private | |
| Industry | Casual dining restaurant |
| Founded | 1962 in Beirut, Lebanon |
| Founder | Vartkes Iskenderian |
| Headquarters |
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U.S.
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Number of locations
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12 |
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Area served
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Los Angeles metropolitan area |
Zankou Chicken is a popular family-owned restaurant chain. It serves delicious Armenian and Mediterranean food. You can find these fast-casual restaurants in the Los Angeles area. They are famous for their tasty spit-roasted chicken. Other popular items include shawarma, falafel, tahini, and a special "secret" garlic sauce.
Contents
The Story of Zankou Chicken
Starting in Lebanon
The very first Zankou Chicken restaurant opened in 1962. It was in Beirut, Lebanon. An Armenian man named Vartkes Iskenderian started it with his family.
Coming to America
In 1983, Vartkes' son, Mardiros Iskenderian, brought the restaurant to the United States. His family moved to Los Angeles, California. Mardiros saw that there weren't many restaurants for people from the Middle East. Many Armenian and Lebanese families had moved to Los Angeles during a difficult time in their home country.
The first Zankou Chicken in Los Angeles opened in East Hollywood, Los Angeles. This area is also known as Little Armenia, Los Angeles. It's located at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Normandie Avenue. This restaurant became well-known for its thick, creamy garlic sauce. Vartkes' wife, Markrid, created this special sauce. Many other places have tried to copy it!
Growing the Business
In 1991, the family decided to split the business. Mardiros wanted to open more restaurants. So, he would own the new Zankou Chicken locations. His parents and two sisters would own the original restaurant on Sunset and Normandie. Vartkes Iskenderian passed away in 1992.
Since then, Zankou Chicken has grown a lot. There are now many locations around the Los Angeles area. You can find them in places like East Hollywood, Hollywood, West Los Angeles, Burbank, and Glendale. Other locations include Pasadena, Toluca Lake, Van Nuys, Montebello, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, and Santa Clarita.
In 2013, Zankou Chicken helped a group called Green Armenia. This group works to solve environmental problems in Armenia.
Images for kids
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Zankou Chicken logo
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A Tarna plate from Zankou Chicken
See Also
- History of the Armenian Americans in Los Angeles
- List of fast-food chicken restaurants
- List of Lebanese restaurants
