..Call Chicken Delight!

There are still many Chicken Delight restaurants around the country, so they are not entirely gone. However, many in NJ have vanished.

Here are some still remaining – go out and get some Chicken Delight!

https://www.chickendelightsubworks.com – OPEN

https://orderchickendelight.com – OPEN

Here is a video:

NJ’s favorite Comic, SAVAGE Uncle Joey! – Remember to check out Uncle Joey

The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Chicken Delight: A Fast-Food Pioneer

Chicken Delight’s story begins in the post-World War II boom, when American families craved convenience amid rising dual-income households and suburban sprawl. In 1951, Montreal-born entrepreneur Al Tunick (1915–?), then a scrap metal dealer in Rock Island, Illinois, envisioned fuss-free fried chicken dinners. Teaming with inventor Cora Deacon, he patented a pressurized “glori-fryer” cooker and a heat-retaining, steam-escaping container, enabling quick deep-frying of spicy-breaded chicken that sealed in juices. Launched in 1952, the chain’s debut menu—a half-chicken meal with waffle-cut fries, blueberry muffin, and cranberry sauce for $1.39, ready in under 15 minutes—targeted take-out and delivery, predating similar models by rivals. Franchising kicked off immediately, hitting 25 U.S. locations by year’s end, with Deacon Products supplying proprietary equipment.

The 1950s and early 1960s marked explosive growth. Tunick’s slogan, “Don’t Cook Tonight… Call Chicken Delight,” became a radio and TV jingle sensation, backed by a mascot: a chef-hatted chicken clutching biscuits. Emphasizing delivery to harried homemakers, the chain ballooned to over 1,000 outlets across North America, crowning it the continent’s top fast-food chicken operation. In 1958, Winnipeg businessmen snagged Canadian rights, opening the first store in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. By 1964, Consolidated Foods (later Sara Lee) acquired it for $12 million, fueling further expansion; Sioux Falls, South Dakota, welcomed its spot at 125 E. 10th St., run by local jeweler Dick Kenney, who promised 15-minute free delivery. Menu additions like pizza, ribs, coleslaw, and cheesecake broadened appeal, though poutine stayed a Canadian staple.

Yet, hubris and lax oversight sowed decline. Unlike McDonald’s rigid standards, Chicken Delight’s quality varied wildly, tarnishing its reputation amid KFC’s rise—ironically founded the same year, KFC’s 1972 “Extra Crispy” mimicked Delight’s texture. Franchisee gripes peaked in the late 1960s: 94 owners sued under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, decrying forced buys of overpriced supplies and gear from the parent company. The 1971 Siegel v. Chicken Delight ruling (9th Circuit) shattered contracts, awarding damages but dooming the U.S. arm; Consolidated bailed, leaving independents to rebrand as “Chicken Tonight” or fend solo. Outlets dwindled from thousands to dozens by mid-decade.

Salvation came northward. In 1969, German immigrant Otto Koch, a Winnipeg bartender turned entrepreneur, snapped up his first Canadian franchise on Page Avenue. Stressing spotless service, he amassed locations, acquiring Chicken Delight of Canada Ltd. in 1976. By 1979, Koch scooped the fractured U.S. and global remnants for $1.5 million, consolidating under one Winnipeg banner. This pivot stabilized the brand, though U.S. footprints shrank.

Koch’s 2010 death didn’t derail it. Sister Rose Brenner helmed briefly, then in 2012, locals Jim and Nadine Cartman assumed control, marking 60 years since founding. August 2023 brought fresh blood: Tushar Sukhadiya (ex-robotics engineer, now President) and Dipak Koladiya (pharmacy franchisee, Secretary), both Alberta transplants, who eye renovations, new items, and franchising.

Today, from its Manitoba HQ, Chicken Delight endures with 26 spots—20 Canadian, six U.S. (mostly New York metro)—a nostalgic underdog in a KFC-dominated world. Its legacy? Pioneering delivery-fried chicken, antitrust lore, and resilient reinvention, proving even crispy birds can rise from ashes.