Church's Chicken

[Evil Liv]

[floatr]

[/floatr]So we're coming back from my parents in Randleman last night, and I decide I'm hungry. So I'm on Randleman road, perhaps the most ghetto, crime infested place in Greensboro and decide, "what the hell", let's get some Church's chicken. Now for those not familiar with Church's, or those of you reading this from outside of "our" little world, then you probably don't know Church's is "stereotypically" a popular restaurant that serves a certain demographic. For some reason they seem to be only built in the areas of town where the majority of the population is non-Caucasian. The one on Randleman road is especially interesting because Randleman road after sun down becomes a river of blue flashing lights from cops, street walkers, and streets filled with 70's vehicles with metallic paint, and 22" wheels.

So my white family with its mid-sized sedan, 2 baby seats, leather seats and air-conditioning roll into churches chicken on Randleman road. We pull up to the speaker to order and the moment I press the button on the power window, a giant bang rings out. I'm not sure if it was some car back-firing or gun shots, but I wasn't about to pass up a chicken meal special for 1.99. We wait several minutes and there's no answer on the order speaker. Shannon asks, what's that odd smell, then asks if my daughter has gone poo. My daughter feverishly shakes her head no, and I suggest it's coming from the speaker.

A few minutes later and a nice voice asks for my order. I pull around to which I find several 400LB plus woman with gang tattoos, and a 12 lb white woman with no teeth, all staring back at us like we were the first white people they've ever seen in the drive-thru. They suddenly all huddle together and start whispering, at which point, one of them comes over and advises they don't have "dark" meat, would I prefer "white". I say "sure."
I think they thought we were from Church's Chicken's corporate office, and were secret shopping or something. I ordered 6 of their honey biscuits, and got about 20. We got free White meat, and about 300 condiment packs.

The service was excellent, the food was great, and the honey-butter biscuits they sell are like crack. They also sell Jalapenos and Fried Okra which is really good I'm sure, but the chicken, biscuits, and mashed potatoes were worth chancing your life to get to. Which makes you wonder, do they call Church's Chicken, Church's because you're supposed to pray that you make it through the drive-thru?

The "Urban Legends"

According to numerous websites, and, in particular, urban legend expert Jan Harold Brunvand, author of numerous books on the subject of urban legends, beginning in the 1980s and continuing through the '90s, Church's Chicken became the victim of four rumors:

1) That the company was run by the KKK and/or David Duke

2) That the company used saltpeter, or a similar substance, to make black men sterile.

3) That the company killed a Popeye's employee.

4) That the company plotted to kill Al Copeland, owner of Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits.

VIA

[Pineview Style]

Someone once commented about living on the southside. "If the food don't kill you, the people will!"

I too have noticed that Church's Chicken tends to be in a more "diverse" area of town. The one here in Raleigh is on New Bern Ave. on the way into downtown. I hear the food is really good. I'll have to try it once my shot record is up to date....

Does any one remember the "Golden Skillet?" Are they still around?

[erica]

the women who work at the church's chicken on randleman road (or who live near it) are children of god, doing the best they can with what they have. i don't know what kind of life a person might have if they weigh "400 lbs" and have gang tattoos, but it's probably not a luxurious or pleasant one. i hope your other readers are able to see the sadness, and not so much the humor, in the scene you have described. your words have aroused compassion in me for the people you have described, so i truly appreciate your post. thank you.

[cedricissofly]

As a fellow blogger and lifelong resident of this town who has lived everywhere from Fisher park, to Randleman Rd., to southeastern Guilford County I am saddened to see that we as a community have come such short way in such a long time. Call me naïve, but I seriously believed that with all of the gentrification happening in our fair city, people from both sides of the “tracks” were being forced to re-evaluate and let go of their long held social stereotypes.

Clearly, you have proven me wrong. As long as my people (The Blacks) AND well-adjusted Caucasians with baby seats and leather trim continue to perpetuate the idea that the “ghetto” is the “ghetto,” tolerance and change will continue to elude us.

People in these areas of Greensboro often spend hours each day commuting across town via public transportation to serve happy meals and big macs to a largely unappreciative customer base. They cross the “tracks” on a daily basis and largely don’t complain about the second class citizen treatment they receive as a result.

I never meat this to be a rant, but your post just got me thinking. Thinking of how I cannot wait until I am at place of privilege that will allow me the opportunity to support and encourage, rather than criticize and mock, those less fortunate than myself.

[hypepatrick]

My God!...Whiteness...overpowering!...Can't see...so much ignorance...Must find...Churches. Must restore my powers...Must not lash out at...terribly offensive...woman...Churches! Food of the non-whites!...lend me your strength! Hope... i don't...get shot...

[Liv]

Clearly, you have proved me wrong. As long as my people (The Blacks) AND well-adjusted Caucasians with baby seats and leather trim continue to perpetuate the idea that the “ghetto” is the “ghetto,” tolerance and change will continue to elude us.

I perpetuate nothing, just tell it how it is. I'm as poor and ghetto as my darker brothers and sisters who served me. Most people who read what I write, would classify me as white, redneck trash, and the statement in the paragraph was a comparison statement which proves "we're all rich to someone, and poor to another."

The ghetto doesn't magically disappear because you want it too, but it's existence continues because you've chose to not change it. Having white people write in a politically correct fashion to suggest it's non-existence is counter-intuitive to your hope of improving the situation, as well as an illogical waste of time and effort as an argument.

[Sanjuro]

Time to drudge up this old chestnut

I actually had Church's chicken yesterday! I don't know if the stereotypes about the demographic are true all over, but It seemed to hold up the night I went.

However those who know me will tell you I shop anywhere I feel produces a good product. And that means regardless of neighborhood or ideas of where I 'should' or 'shouldnt' shop.

I have to say, I thought their spicy chicken was simply outstanding. The mashed potatoes were phenomenal as well. They have a new customer!!! Just not that often, because I mean, DAMN that's some fatty stuff!

[Churchs Chicken Very Unprofessional]

My only real experience with Church's came while I was interviewing for a director positon in the corporate HQ in Atlanta. My first interview was with Carlos Olivo, the corporate HR guy. He seemed nice enough, and the intervew went really well. However, after many follow-up voice-mails, he never even had the courtesy to call me back. I found this to be extremely rude and unprofessional. More than anything, this showed me how the company operates, and that I dont want to contribute my talents to such an organization! The behaviour and unprofessionalism of Carlos Olivo was such a turn-off.

In the meantime I also did some site visits. The first one was to their store at Ponce de Leon and Monroe in Atlanta. What a SKANKY place. I kept asking myself how this place didnt get closed by the health department. The cashier handled my chicken sandwich directly after handling money from the drive-through, it took 10 minutes to get my food, and I had seen portable toilets that were more sanitary than that restaurant!! The restaurant didnt even have lettuce for my sandwich, and the food was greasy!! The second store I visited wasnt much better. In fact, when approached by a homeless person outside the restaurant, instead of giving him money, I gave him my untouched food.

Not only was my interview experience with Church's and Carlos Olivo disgusting, but so were the restaurants. My advice is to avoid Church's Chicken at all costs!

[ranoslot]

I live in Dallas,Texas close to a Church's chicken at Ferguson and Gus Thomasson.It is an old part of the city with 60 year old houses and crappy schools throughout.It isn't considered the Ghetto but it's not far off.I'm surrounded by families of 15 crammed into 1,100 square feet houses.Upon moving in my house my neighbor asked the realator how many trucks I had?I was amazed at the relief that came across his face when he first saw me and my girlfriend get out of the car.Anyhow,the area I live in perpetuates what you should expect when you enter any establishment.For instance,the blockbuster closest to me has a cabinet of new movies which contains demographic oriented products.I asked the store clerk why don't you have such and such movies,I was informed that the products were supplied based on customer type.I was shocked, I thought Blockbuster was Blockbuster wherever you were living,not the case.And one of the persons responses to the editors blog was concerning the hygene and quality of personel to which I whole-heartedly agree.I too sat and watched as the cashier handled food directly and then the money with the same pair of gloves on.Absolutely disgusting!The were slip-sliding from counter to counter and half of them were chomping away while doing so.At least they were taught to multi-task.Think about it,keep your balance,eat,disperse food to the correct bags(while remembering what goes into your mouth and what goes into a bag) and dole out cash to patrons.My mother is on the way here as I type and i'll be a monkies uncle if I subject her to that kind of trashy people and establishment.People are who they are no matter where they live.If you defend the so called ghetto,you are part of the ghetto chances are.Where you live makes no difference.And lets no be so quick to defend the people who work there.They perptuate all that goes on there.What a bunch of crap that someone spends hours on transit just serve my ass humble pie.What crap!They spend hours on transit to disgrace a once nice and respectable chain.By the way,There isn't one nice Churh's chicken in the DFW Metroplex that I have seen.Demographically based company is what it is.Just like the movies at Blockbuster.

[C. Alice]

I've been to the Church's on MLK and have always had great food and received great service.

[Guest]

I JOE brought some chichen ,Ibelieve it was a nine piece special and i added a large frie added to my order and my total was $10.05 and the time was 10:00 pm on a friday night in the city of fort lauderdale florida between 7 avenu and 6 street. Igave her 10.00 dollars extra and she stop me when i was about to pull off an she gave me my 10.00 dollars back and i thought that was the most wonderfull thing that happen.I do not know the young laddie name, she was taken orders at the drive throu ,so i believe that she need to be reconize,so other employees can see her good work. To whom it may concern:Thank you for your coroperation. THANkS

[Millie]

I live in an upscale, mostly white neighbourhood in Oklahoma City (I'm not from here, however) and we have a Church's Chicken less than 2 miles from our gated community. I visit a shop next door quite often and I see all kinds of people going in and out of there; rich, not-so-rich, white, black, asian... I don't think it matters really, everyone seems to like it. Being from Canada, I have to admit that I always paired foods like fried chicken and that nasty white gravy crap with all people from the Southern and Midwestern states, not with a particular race. We don't eat the amount of fried foods that Americans do, so I've yet to eat there. I actually googled it to find out if it was any good and came apon this blog. I seen a special on Good Eats (food network) recently that had a history lesson on fried chicken and apparently, it does indeed decend from slavery here in America. But since these slaves were cooking for their white counterparts, its pretty safe to say that both enjoyed a little fried chicken now and again:) Perhaps you were getting funny looks because the people working there are used to a certain demographic of people, given the neighbourhood... because I know our neighbourhood Church's is obviously friendly to everyone.

[Sanjuro]

Perhaps you were getting funny looks because the people working there are used to a certain demographic of people, given the neighbourhood... because I know our neighbourhood Church's is obviously friendly to everyone.

You know, thats a pretty good point.

[me]

Church's Chicken on Spring Garden is in a reasonable area near Friendly Ave, West Market, etc... Blog writer do you consider that a ghetto area...

[Liv]

Church's Chicken on Spring Garden is in a reasonable area near Friendly Ave, West Market, etc... Blog writer do you consider that a ghetto area...

Not overly anymore... Although it's always been borderline industrial. It's just many retail chains have moved in around it. Technically for sometime you had one of the largest homeless hideouts in Greensboro just down the road until they tore down the Cotton Mill Square for condos....

[TaylorRoxs3]

I ate at Church chicken in K-town.
<.<
I like Mr.C's better myself
Funny rumors tho
xD

[arona]

i did not take offense at all from the blogger ,she was basically stating you can't judge a book by its cover. the food was great,the service was outstanding. and she will probably stop there agian if she's in the area.

[arona]

the chicken at churchs is definitely not as good as it use to be ,or maybe it's the people that are frying it.

[jim]

I just had the most disgusting shrimp in my 67 years of life. The shrimp inside the breading was raw, the breading mildly warm. And soft. After two or three, I tore one in half and pulled a shrimp out without messing up the batter. In other words, the batter was not even stuck to the shrimp.