The 1960s Southern Fried Chicken Chain You'll Only Find In 13 States

These days, it seems like there's a fried chicken chain on every corner. Whether it's Zaxby's, Raising Cane's, Chick-fil-A, or Popeyes, the demand for fried chicken has definitely seen a boom in recent years. But there's one 1960s-era restaurant that was something of a trailblazer, and is still churning out crunchy breaded poultry to this day: Guthrie's — an Alabama-based chain with locations in 13 states, primarily in the South.

Hal Guthrie opened Guthrie's as a drive-in restaurant in Haleyville, Alabama, in 1965. This original location served everything from burgers and steaks to milkshakes, and it wasn't until 1978 that Hal decided to add fried chicken fingers to the menu. Needless to say, that menu change was a hit. In an interview with QSR Magazine, CEO Joe Guthrie, Hal's son, said chicken fingers accounted for 60% of the restaurant's sales at the time. So, when Guthrie's opened a new location in Auburn, Alabama, in 1982, the chain became chicken-fingers only.

While many competing chains have exploded in growth, Guthrie's is an example of a steadier, slower model. In 1992, the chain had just five locations. By 2005, Guthrie's began franchising and today has 75 locations, with restaurants outside the South in Nevada and Idaho, and plans for further expansion across the country.

The best fast food chicken finger chains typically have great original signature sauces, and Guthrie's is no different. The chain's eponymous sauce, in all its creamy, tangy, peppery glory, originated from a competition between Hal Guthrie's children. The winner's sauce would go on the menu, and the rest is history. Today, many chicken chains boast similar dipping sauces.

Much like its younger competitor, Raising Cane's, Guthrie's is serious about its commitment to serving only chicken fingers. Beyond the crispy main attraction, options include crinkle-cut fries, thick slices of Texas toast, coleslaw, and a chicken sandwich made with three chicken fingers, lettuce, and Guthrie's sauce tucked into a bun. Prices are comparable, even a little cheaper, to other similar chains: Depending on your location, a 3 Piece Snack Combo with fries and a drink could cost you between $9 and $10, while a five-finger Original Box Combo with fries, Texas toast, slaw, and a drink might run $12.19. For larger groups, Guthrie's serves a Family Meal that includes a bucket of 25 chicken, fries, four Texas toasts, four coleslaws, six sauces, and a gallon of tea (sweet or unsweetened) for around $50.

While Raising Cane's and Zaxby's may have a larger footprint across the country, it's encouraging to see a classic chain like Guthrie's continue to make an impact while expanding gradually. It's not the 1960s anymore, but these chains have Guthrie's to thank for making fried chicken fingers with signature sauce a restaurant feature, not just another menu item among many.