How It All Began…

From Stacy’s Kitchen to Successful Franchise

Stacy Brown with children smiling in kitchen

 

Stacy Brown has always been on a quest to find the perfect chicken salad. One day she had an epiphany: Everyone’s idea of the perfect chicken salad is completely different! The stay-at-home mom set to work perfecting her own recipe, recruiting her family and neighbors to taste-test, before arriving at the one.

“Southern cooks will tell you that every recipe has a story to go with it. This is mine.” 
-Stacy Brown

Once Stacy had the chicken salad that made her family and friends say “mmm, yes ma’am,” she started dropping off samples of her creation in teachers’ lounges and hair salons, and then began selling door-to-door. Orders poured in; Chicken Salad Chick was born. One day Stacy received a call from Stan with the Lee County Health Department, who told her the home business was illegal. With her chicken salad still in high demand, Stacy and her husband, Kevin Brown, were motivated to open up a carry-out only, humble yet honest-to-goodness restaurant where they could spread joy, enrich lives, and serve others. The rest, as they say, is history.

Listen here to the “How I Built This” podcast for more of the details in the Chicken Salad Chick journey.

The Future is Bright

Under the leadership of CEO Scott Deviney, franchising has taken off in a major way. Chicken Salad Chick boasts over 225 restaurants today with plans to exceed 250 locations or more including additional states in 2023. We are offering craveable, made-from-scratch meals served from the heart to guests throughout the South, and are well on our way to be “America’s Favorite Place for Chicken Salad.”