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TheWind Beneath
YourWings
Kickin’ Chicken
In GoodTaste
F
or Mount Pleasant natives
Bobby Perry and Chip Roberts, what
started as an idea to help two friends
who didn’t necessarily want to grow
up has now turned into a business that
won’t stop growing.
When the owners of the now famous
Kickin’ Chicken were students at the University of South
Carolina, they knew a few things – good food, good drinks
and that they wanted to work for
themselves. That and a few
thousand dollars were all it
took to get Perry and Roberts
off and running in what
was, at the time, primarily
a delivery restaurant on
Morrison Drive.
Fast forward almost
20 years, and that small
restaurant has grown
substantially and is now a
staple in the Charleston area.
With five restaurants, one
food truck and a new restaurant opening in Mount Pleasant
next year, The Kickin’ Chicken is a favorite with families and
football fans alike.
The current Mount Pleasant location, located on Johnnie
Dodds Boulevard, became the third restaurant the owners
opened about 15 years ago, just after their third partner,
David Miller, joined the team.
The one item that the owners agree helped fuel their
success? The restaurant’s namesake – the Kickin’ Chicken
Sandwich.
As Perry describes, “It’s a different take on the chicken
sandwich. Hand-breaded and fried or grilled tenders are
sliced and placed in a fresh hoagie roll, topped with bacon
bits and provolone, then toasted up and served with our
very own special sauce. It’s been a staple for lunch, dinner
and hangovers for nearly 20 years.”
By Anne HArris
While the Kickin’ Chicken sandwich may be what they
are known for, there are plenty of other items on the Mount
Pleasant menu to tempt even the most finicky palates.
“Even after 20 years, I still eat at the restaurant
regularly,” said Roberts. “Depends on the day, but some of
my favorites are the Buffalo Kickin’ Chicken Sandwich and
the Parmesan Ranch Burger. But it’s hard to beat our hand-
breaded nuggets or chicken tenders.”
Its not just the food that has kept The Kickin’ Chicken,
well, kickin’ for all of these years. From the beginning,
the partners made a
commitment as a company
to devote themselves to their
guests, employees and their
community.
Each of the owners
can name several people
who have been with the
company for over 10 years.
Over time, employees have
built relationships with
patrons, and it’s that sense
of community, plus the
great food and reasonable
prices, that the partners say is a big part of the
restaurant’s success.
These hometown guys are excited to be a part of the
Coleman Boulevard dining experience, with their new
Mount Pleasant location slated to open in early 2017.
According to Roberts, “The Mount Pleasant location
will be a new and improved building and location with a
new interior design that will encompass our vibe and feel
but will not stray too far from what our loyal guests expect
when they come in to visit us. It will also feature an inside/
outside bar, with lots of local and craft drafts on tap, a full
bar, all opening up onto Coleman Boulevard, making for
lively patio dining.”
To learn more about all things chicken, check out The Kickin’
Chicken website at
www.kickinchicken.com.
Photo courtesy of Kickin’ Chicken.
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