Thursday, February 14, 2008

AQ Chicken House


Col. Sanders, Mr. Bojangles, and Popeye himself don’t hold a candle to this World Famous Chicken House located in Springdale Arkansas.

I stopped by yesterday with a few business associates for lunch. I couldn’t help but notice all the pictures of Bill Clinton on the walls. Obviously he likes this chicken house as much as I do. But this is not exactly a democrat house either because they also fed President Bush and his brigade at some point in the past. They had those photos displayed as well.


Before I left I had to get my picture made with the hostess, Jeri, who has worked for AQ Chicken House for 28 years. There was already a picture of Jeri and President Bill hanging on the wall. Now there is photo of Jeri and Bruce. I have a feeling our picture won’t end up on their wall though. But it may end up on my wall.

Just so you will know, I am a connoisseur of fine fried chicken. I don’t think I was ever given a bottle when I was a baby. They just handed me a drumstick. I compare all fried chicken with Jessie Mae King’s that I was raised on. AQ’s is right up there and that is a huge compliment.


For those of you who give a rat’s bahooty, AQ Chicken House opened on July 20, 1947. A fried half-chicken sold for 65 cents. The founder and original owner, Roy Ritter, was a pioneer in the poultry business and one of the first to build large chicken houses in the area. He had a processing plant as well. And some of the chicks were processed right into the AQ Chicken House that sat in front of the live chicken houses on Highway 71 in Springdale.

People flocked to eat there. And they are still flocking 60 years later.

AQ still operates from the same place as they did when they opened in 1947. They advertise that they serve one million customers a year. That’s a lot of chicken eating right there. And I sure do like to hang out where there is a lot of chicken eating going on.

AQ (Arkansas Quality) Chicken House is definitely my kind of place.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bruce,
The next time I am in AR I have to try this. I was at Siloam Srings, AR (our corporate office) in January. Our trip wasn't so pleasant....we dodged tornadoes!
S. Arnold

Anonymous said...

That looks like a good place!

If you're ever in the Columbia, SC area, try the fried chicken a Hudson's BBQ. (You may have already been there.) It's delicious too!

LL in SC

Anonymous said...

May name is Pillow Miner. I was at AQ Chicken today and I will tell you. I will be back. Good chicken. Also I am impressed. The word SMURF has NEVER been said at AQ Chicken or in the AQ Chicken building / structure. I am glad of that too