Not Chick-Fil-A, Not KFC: Reddit Says This Chain Has Better Fried Chicken
The debate around the best chicken chains is eternal. The folks on Reddit rage regularly about fast food fried chicken, and there's one that doesn't always make the lists, though people swear by it. That's because Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken is a fairly regional chain.
In a thread about the best fast food fried chicken, a commenter said, "It's the GOAT for a reason." The original poster clearly agreed that the underrated restaurant is among the greatest of all time, responding simply, "LEES YES." They added in another comment, "I've always gotten really fresh, yummy food from there."
What's interesting about Lee's (no relation to me, sadly) is that it's not located in the American South but rather the Midwest. The majority of its stores are in Ohio and Kentucky; there are also a dozen or so in both Indiana and Michigan, plus single locations in various other states in the southern and eastern United States (and three in British Columbia).
What does Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken serve on its menu?
For those who haven't been to Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, aside from its cult-favorite fried chicken, it sells additional items like a crispy chicken sandwich, tenders, wings, and a pot pie. In terms of sides, it has the usual mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and biscuits, but there are also more unique offerings like okra, baked beans, potato salad, potato wedges, and Cajun rice. Most unique of all is that Lee's sells fried livers and fried gizzards, almost vintage-level foods you rarely see outside of a mom-and-pop type chicken restaurant.
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken has been around for a long time, too, having been founded by Lee Cummings and Harold Omer in 1966. Its original location was in Lima, Ohio, and it grew rapidly in the next 10 years. It's a franchise operation, and it continues to sell its chicken today. Because it's primarily clustered in just a few states, it doesn't often make the national conversation — many people have probably never even heard of it. If you are passing through and you see one, just be aware that some people enthusiastically swear by the chain, and it might just dethrone your personal favorite fried chicken restaurant in your home state.