{{Short description|American fast food restaurant chain}} {{Use American English|date=December 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = Church's Texas Chicken | trade_name = Church's Chicken<br> or <br>Texas Chicken<br> or <br>Church's Texas Chicken<ref name="int'l" /><ref name=sister /> | logo = Churchs-logo.svg |logo_size = 170px | image = Churches Texas Chicken on Lake Bradford Road, Tallahassee.jpg | image_size = 200px | image_caption = A Church's location in Tallahassee, Florida | foundation = {{Start date and age|1952|04|17}} in San Antonio, Texas | type = Private | founder = George W. Church Sr. | location = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | locations = 1,500+ {{small|(2025)}}{{fact|date=March 2026}} | revenue = {{ nowrap|{{increase}} US$ 1.6 billion {{small|(2025)}} <br/> {{increase}} US$ 1.3 billion {{small|(2022)}} }} | areas_served = United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Bahrain, Cambodia, Egypt, Germany, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Laos, New Zealand, Oman, Qatar, St. Croix, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam | key_people = Roland Gonzalez<br>{{small|(CEO & President)}}<br>Tim Waddell<br>{{small|(EVP, International Business)}}<br>Danton Nolan<br>{{small|(CFO)}}<br>Alisa Cleek<br>{{small|(CPO & CLO)}}<br>Bobby Morena<br>{{small|(CDO, Domestic Business)}} | industry = Quick-service restaurants | owner = High Bluff Capital Partners {{small|(United States)}} <br> South American Restaurants Corporation {{small|(Puerto Rico and Honduras)}} | products = Fast food, most known for its fried chicken, honey-butter biscuits and jalapenos. | homepage = {{URL|http://www.churchs.com/}} }}
'''Church's Texas Chicken''' is an American fast food restaurant chain that specializes in Southern fried chicken and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The chain was founded as '''Church's Fried Chicken To-Go''' by George W. Church Sr. in April 1952, in San Antonio, Texas, across the street from The Alamo.<ref name="antonio" /><ref name="bill" /> Church's Texas Chicken trades as '''Texas Chicken''' or '''Church's Chicken''' in many countries.<ref name="int'l">{{cite web |title=Texas Chicken International Locations |url=https://www.churchs.com/international-locations/ |website=Church's Chicken |access-date=June 8, 2021}}</ref><ref name="sister">{{cite web |title=Church's Chicken names leaders for growing international business |url=https://www.qsrweb.com/news/churchs-chicken-names-leaders-for-growing-international-business/ |website=QSR Web |date=30 March 2021 |access-date=June 9, 2021}}</ref>
The chain is owned by an American private equity firm known as High Bluff Capital Partners.<ref name="canada" />
As of 2017, Church's Texas Chicken had more than 1,700 franchised and company-owned locations in 26 countries.<ref name="canada">{{cite web |title=Our History |url=https://www.churchschicken.ca/our-history/ |website=Church's Chicken Canada |access-date=June 9, 2021 |archive-date=June 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609134337/https://www.churchschicken.ca/our-history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==History== {{multiple image | image1 = Texas-logo.svg | width1 = 143 | caption1 = Logo, Texas Chicken | image2 = Churchs-logo.svg | width2 = 143 | caption2 = Logo, Church's Texas Chicken }} In 1952, retired chicken incubator salesman George W. Church Sr. opened the first Church's Chicken, named Church's Fried Chicken To-Go, in San Antonio, Texas.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jakle |first1=John A. |last2=Sculle |first2=Keith A. |title=Fast Food Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age |date=March 27, 2002 |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |page=223 |isbn=9780801869204 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0nYcgnWKWXgC&q=church%27s%20chicken |access-date=June 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Laulajainen |first1=R. |title=Spatial Strategies in Retailing |date=2012 |publisher=Springer Netherlands |location=Germany |page=87 |isbn=9789400939837 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_m4rBgAAQBAJ |access-date=June 10, 2021}}</ref>
Initially, Church's Chicken was a single walk-up establishment<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Klein |first1=Danny |title=Church's Chicken Seeking a Buyer, Reports Say |url=https://www.qsrmagazine.com/finance/churchs-chicken-seeking-buyer-reports-say |access-date=June 4, 2021 |magazine=QSR Magazine |date=June 2019}}</ref> that sold only fried chicken.<ref name="junk" /> Two pieces of chicken and a roll cost 49 cents.<ref name="junk" /> Church's Chicken added fries and jalapeños to its menu in 1955.<ref name="antonio" /> To allow customers to see their food prepared while they waited, Church Sr. designed the kitchen with the fryers next to the takeout window.<ref name="antonio">{{cite news |last1=Quinn |first1=Chris |title=Things to know about San Antonio favorite Church's Chicken |url=https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/restaurants/article/Things-to-know-about-San-Antonio-favorite-13691428.php#photo-8119458 |access-date=June 4, 2021 |work=My San Antonio |date=March 15, 2019 }}</ref>
===Early expansion, franchising and sale=== The company had four restaurants by the time of Church Sr.'s death in 1956.<ref name="antonio" /> After his death, family members took over operations. In 1962, with Church Sr.'s son Bill Church Jr. as top executive, there were eight restaurants in San Antonio. To begin expanding and franchising in 1965, Church Jr. and his brother Richard developed a signature marinade that could be prepared at any location. Former vacuum cleaner salesman J. David Bamberger, who first met Church Jr. when he joined Bamberger's vacuum cleaner distributorship,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Greene |first1=Jeffrey |title=Water from Stone: The Story of Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve |date=April 2008 |publisher=Texas A&M University Press |location=United States |page=77 |isbn=9781603440639 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=prEWJMcxHLwC&dq=george+w+church+sr&pg=PA77 |access-date=June 10, 2021}}</ref> joined Church's Chicken in 1965 to oversee the franchising. In 1967, the chain opened restaurants in five Texan cities outside of San Antonio and operated 17 restaurants in 1968.<ref name="bill">{{cite news |title=Bill Church Jr. expanded Church's Chicken into an extensive fast-food chain |url=https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/Bill-Church-Jr-expanded-Church-s-into-an-5249935.php#:~:text=Church's%20Fried%20Chicken%20was%20incorporated,chain%20behind%20Kentucky%20Fried%20Chicken. |access-date=June 4, 2021 |work=San Antonio-Express |date=February 19, 2014}}</ref><ref name="junk" />
In 1966, a contract between Church's Fried Chicken, Inc. and Jim Dandy Fast Foods, Inc. gave Jim Dandy the right to use the trade names and trademarks "Church's Fried Chicken" or "Church's" within fifty miles of Houston's city hall and within the city limits of Galveston, Texas for ten years, as long as Church's Chicken received the agreed upon royalties.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Church's Fried Chicken, Inc. v. Jim Dandy Fast Foods, Inc. |vol=574 |reporter=S.W.2d |opinion=600 |pinpoint= |court=Tex. Civ. App. |date=November 8, 1978 |url=https://casetext.com/case/church-chk-v-j-dandy-fd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607124439/https://casetext.com/case/church-chk-v-j-dandy-fd |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 7, 2021 |access-date= June 4, 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite court |litigants=Church's Fried Chicken, Inc. v. Jim Dandy Fast Foods, Inc. |vol=608 |reporter=S.W.2d |opinion=242 |pinpoint= |court=Tex. Civ. App. |date=September 24, 1980 |url=https://casetext.com/case/church-chk-v-j-dandy-fd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607124439/https://casetext.com/case/church-chk-v-j-dandy-fd |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 7, 2021 |access-date= June 7, 2021|quote=}}</ref>
In 1968, the Church family sold the company, which became incorporated and went public in 1969.<ref name="junk" /> By the end of 1968, there were more than 100 Church's Chicken restaurants in seven states, making the chain the first from Texas to become a national one. Between 1969 and 1974, Church's Chicken gained 387 more restaurants.<ref name="antonio" /><ref name="junk">{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Andrew F. |title=Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food |date=August 30, 2006 |publisher=Greenwood |page=52 |isbn=9780313086687 |edition=1st |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4jIOEZ5F9fAC&dq=church%27s+chicken+went+public+in+1969&pg=PA52 |access-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref>
In the late 1970s, the chain briefly operated a hamburger franchise in Texas called G.W. Jrs. The roughly 60 locations were shuttered in 1985.<ref name="antonio" />
In 1980, Church Jr. resigned as corporation chairman, and was replaced by childhood friend, Roger Harvin.<ref name="bill" />
In March 1996, Hala Moddelmog was appointed president of Church's Chicken, making her the first female president of a fast food restaurant chain.<ref>{{cite news |title=The fast-food queen who triumphed over adversity |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-30697413 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |work=BBC News |date=January 12, 2015}}</ref>
===Global and national expansion=== Church's Chicken began its international expansion in the 1970s, in Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Puerto Rico.<ref name="Texas Canada history official website">{{cite web |title=Texas Canada History |url=https://www.churchschicken.ca/our-history/ |access-date=November 14, 2021 |work=Texas Canada |date=February 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127223802/https://www.churchschicken.ca/our-history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Texas Malaysia history official website">{{cite web |title=Texas Malaysia History |url=https://www.texaschickenmalaysia.com/texas-chicken-history/ |access-date=November 14, 2021 |work=Texas Malaysia |date=July 8, 2021 }}</ref> In the 1980s, it gained popularity in Indonesia when it opened under the trade name, "Texas Chicken".<ref name="Texas Malaysia history official website"/><ref name="Texas Singapore history official website">{{cite web |title=Texas Singapore History |url=https://www.texaschicken.com.sg/company-history.html |access-date=November 14, 2021 |work=Texas Singapore |date=March 15, 2021 }}</ref> The first reason of changing the name to "Texas" is because the brand name "Church" was not popular in countries with majority non-Christian religions, such as Indonesia.<ref>{{cite news |title=Weird Texas: Church's Chicken is known as Texas Chicken in other countries |url=https://www.chron.com/business/article/Church-s-Chicken-Texas-Chicken-Fast-Food-America-11230232.php |access-date=November 14, 2021 |work=Chron |date=Jun 20, 2017}}</ref> Afterwards, locations in Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, and the Philippines were also opened under the trade name "Texas Chicken".{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}}
In February 2008, Church's Chicken entered the UK market under the "Texas Chicken" name, claiming to have signed up 50 former Dixy Chicken franchisees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecaterer.com/news/restaurant/texas-chicken-to-challenge-kfc-in-uk?|title=Texas Chicken to challenge KFC in UK|website=The Caterer|date=6 February 2008|language=en-GB|access-date=13 July 2020}}</ref> Only a small number of restaurants opened, with one in High Road Leytonstone, London, and another in Salford, Greater Manchester.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/raver_mikey/6346155976|title=Texas Chicken, Salford|website=Flickr|date=16 August 2011 |language=en-GB|access-date=13 July 2020}}</ref> They withdrew from the UK a few years later.{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}}
In 2017, Church's Chicken announced a multi-year development deal with Goalz Restaurant Group, LLC to develop 20 Church's Chicken restaurants each year in Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina and South Carolina.<ref>{{cite news |title=Church's Chicken signs franchise development deal with Goalz Restaurant Group |url=https://www.thefencepost.com/news/churchs-chicken-signs-franchise-development-deal-with-goalz-restaurant-group/ |access-date=June 8, 2021 |work=The Fence Post |date=May 30, 2017}}</ref>
In 2022, Church's Texas Chicken operated more than 1,500 locations worldwide.<ref name=canada /> Its international locations include Bahrain, Belarus, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand,<ref name="nz-texaschicken">{{Cite web|url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/08/26/texas-chicken-to-open-20-new-branches-in-nz/|title=Texas Chicken to open 20 new branches in NZ|first1=Jordan|last1=Lane|first2=Digital|last2=Reporter|website=1 News}}</ref> Oman, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Qatar,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.iloveqatar.net/dining/foodieNews/texas-chicken-opens-4th-branch-al-rayyan | title=Texas Chicken opens 4th branch in al Rayyan }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://qatar.texaschicken.com/404.html?aspxerrorpath=/|title=Church's Texas Chicken™|website=qatar.texaschicken.com|access-date=December 31, 2022|archive-date=February 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213085123/https://qatar.texaschicken.com/404.html?aspxerrorpath=/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Singapore, St. Lucia, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Vietnam.<ref>{{cite web |title=International Locations |url=https://www.churchs.com/international-locations/ |website=Church's Chicken |access-date=May 7, 2022}}</ref>
However, Church's Texas Chicken's operation in Thailand, which is operated under license by PTT OR (PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pttor.com/en/product/commercial/Texas-Chicken|title=Texas Chicken|website=www.pttor.com| access-date=Sep 16, 2024}}</ref> as Texas Chicken was discontinued on 30 September 2024 as it was announced in their official Facebook page after 9 years of its operation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/share/p/m5AYATEMTN3NWodY/|title=ถึงเวลาบอกลา Texas Chicken หลัง 9 ปีแห่งความทรงจำอันแสนอร่อย! - Time to say good bye Texas Chicken for 9 years of delicious memories|website=Texas Chicken Thailand Official Facebook | access-date=Sep 16, 2024}}</ref> As of 30 September 2024, PTT OR operates 97 Texas Chicken locations nationwide in Thailand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://investor.pttor.com/th/document/viewer/118212/opportunity-day-2q2024|title=Opportunity Day 2Q2024 - PTT OR|website=investor.pttor.com | access-date=Sep 16, 2024}}</ref>
===Acquisitions=== In 1989, after a four-month legal dispute to avoid a takeover, Church's Chicken became the second-largest chicken restaurant chain when it was acquired by Popeyes for $330 million.<ref name="junk" /><ref name="popeyes">{{cite news |title=POPEYES WINS TAKEOVER FIGHT FOR CHURCH'S |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1989/02/17/popeyes-wins-takeover-fight-for-churchs/9736904a-5075-4e6e-8ef2-e1b9ea6b9f47/ |access-date=June 7, 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 16, 1989}}</ref> The acquisition court documents stated that Church's Chicken would close 250 of its restaurants, "keep 92 with the Church's name, rename 303 others as Popeyes and sell 440 others for about $160 million over the next four years".<ref name="popeyes" /> Merrill Lynch and a group of banks led by Canadian Imperial financed the acquisition.<ref name="copeland" />
In 1992, Popeyes' parent company, Al Copeland Enterprises, Inc., was forced to file chapter 11 bankruptcy for the more than $400 million debt it owed its creditors for the Church's Chicken buyout.<ref name="copeland" /> In 1993, Al Copeland Enterprises, Inc. was renamed AFC Enterprises, Inc., or America's Favorite Chicken, and became the parent company of Church's Chicken and Popeyes.<ref name="copeland">{{cite news |title=Popeyes, Church's Chicken Chains Given to Canadian Bank Group |url=https://apnews.com/article/9fb1adb8cbf0d0dd778597fe8076f2d8 |access-date=June 7, 2021 |work=AP News |date=October 21, 1992}}</ref><ref name="antonio" />
In 2004, Arcapita bought Church's Chicken from AFC Enterprises, Inc.,<ref name="junk" /> and former Domino's Pizza and Little Caesars executive Harsha Agadi became president and CEO of Church's Chicken.<ref name="collier">{{cite news |last1=Collier |first1=Joe Guy |title=Private equity firm in San Francisco to buy chain from Arcapita Bank; headquarters to remain in Atlanta. |url=https://www.ajc.com/business/new-owner-for-church/Zd38ruXSy7tim7EQgDdO4N/ |access-date=June 7, 2021 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=August 10, 2012}}</ref> In 2005, because Arcapita invests in companies that respect Shari'ah principles, it removed pork products from the Church's Chicken menu.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hlavaty |first1=Craig |title=Weird Texas: Church's Chicken is known as Texas Chicken in other countries |url=https://www.chron.com/business/article/Church-s-Chicken-Texas-Chicken-Fast-Food-America-11230232.php |access-date=June 7, 2021 |work=Houston Chronicle |date=June 19, 2017}}</ref>
In 2007, AFC Enterprises, Inc. filed a lawsuit against Church's Chicken and former franchise group CVI Company, for allegedly colluding to breach Popeyes' franchise, development and guaranty agreements with CVI, when "Church's [Chicken] bought all 10 of CVI's Popeyes' restaurants and converted most of them to the Church's Chicken brand".<ref>{{cite news |title=Popeyes Chicken sues Church's Chicken |url=https://archive.boston.com/business/articles/2007/02/28/popeyes_chicken_sues_churchs_chicken/ |access-date=June 7, 2021 |work=Boston.com |publisher=Associated Press |date=February 28, 2007}}</ref>
In August 2009, San Francisco private equity firm Friedman Fleischer & Lowe bought Church's Chicken from Arcapita, for an estimated value of $390 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/othercities/sanantonio/stories/2009/08/10/daily4.html |title=Church's Chicken sold to private equity firm |access-date=9 September 2016 |date=10 August 2009 |publisher=American City Business Journals |newspaper=San Antonio Business Journal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025230012/http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2009/08/10/daily4.html |archive-date=25 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-06-12|title=Private Equity Firm to Seek Sale of Church's Chicken|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-12/private-equity-firm-ffl-is-said-to-seek-sale-of-church-s-chicken|access-date=2020-09-06}}</ref> In June 2019, Friedman Fleischer & Lowe placed the company up for sale, after years of declining sales and store counts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/churchs-chicken-reportedly-on-the-market-for-350m/556854/|title=Church's Chicken reportedly on the market for $350M|website=Restaurant Dive|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-14}}</ref>
In August 2021, Church's Chicken was acquired by High Bluff-backed Rego Restaurant Group, the owners of Quiznos and Taco del Mar.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kelso |first1=Alicia |title=Church's Chicken Acquired By Investment Firm High Bluff Capital Partners |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciakelso/2021/08/02/churchs-chicken-acquired-by-investment-firm-high-bluff-capital-partners/?sh=175be0443915 |access-date=31 August 2021 |work=Forbes |date=2 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
===Co-franchising=== By the mid-to late-1990s, Church's Chicken and hamburger chain White Castle announced their co-franchise, in which both companies would sell their own separate products, while operating in some shared restaurant spaces, with some shared personnel.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hogan |first1=David G. |title=Selling 'em by the Sack: White Castle and the Creation of American Food |date=1997 |publisher=New York University Press |page=174 |isbn=9780814735671 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d5EUCgAAQBAJ&q=church%27s |access-date=June 8, 2021}}</ref> In Canada, Church's Chicken items were once available in Harvey's restaurants, but the co-venture was discontinued.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lorinc |first=John |date=1995 |title=Opportunity knocks: the truth about Canada's franchise industry |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ycCGvqhBubkC&q=%22church%27s+chicken%22+%22harvey%27s%22 |publisher=Prentice Hall |isbn=0-13-455693-3 |access-date=July 17, 2014 }}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" widths="200" caption="Church's Texas Chicken restaurants"> File:texastbilisi.jpg|Texas Chicken in Tbilisi, Georgia. Image:Church's Chicken restaurant Detroit Michigan.JPG|A Church's Texas Chicken in Detroit Image:Church's Chicken restaurant Saskatoon.JPG|A Church's Texas Chicken in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada </gallery>
==Products== thumb|A 6-pack box of chicken wings from Texas Chicken Church's Texas Chicken menu features a variety of fried chicken options alongside classic sides and desserts. Their menu also includes chicken tenders and boneless wings.
Accompanying these main dishes are classic Southern sides such as mashed potatoes with gravy, fried okra, coleslaw, corn on the cob and jalapeño peppers. Desserts include honey butter biscuits and apple pie.<ref name="junk" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Menu |url=https://www.churchs.com/menu/ |website=Church's Chicken |access-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> Church's Texas Chicken restaurants offer a seasonal seafood menu, featuring shrimp and crispy fish.<ref>{{cite web |title=Church's Offers Garlic Butter Shrimp, Fish, and Tenders Plus Garlic Butter Packets for Limited Time |url=https://www.brandeating.com/2020/02/churchs-offers-new-garlic-butter-shrimp-fish-and-tenders-plus-garlic-butter-packets.html |website=Brand Eating |access-date=June 8, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Seasonal Seafood Menu Returns to Church's Chicken with More Choices Than Ever Before |url=https://www.restaurantnews.com/seasonal-seafood-menu-returns-to-churchs-chicken-with-more-choices-than-ever-before-012918/ |website=RestaurantNews.com |access-date=June 8, 2021}}</ref>
Since 1952, Church's Texas Chicken restaurants have served beverages supplied by The Coca-Cola Company. In 2008, the companies reaffirmed their commitment with the renewal of their existing contract, continuing to provide customers with Coca-Cola beverages.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Church's Extends Beverage Agreement with Coca-Cola |url=https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/churchs-extends-beverage-agreement-coca-cola |magazine=QSR |location= |publisher= |date=January 24, 2008 |access-date=June 8, 2021}}</ref> In 2021, Church's Chicken appointed Performance Food Group Company as its exclusive distributor in the United States to 2026.<ref>{{cite news |title=Church's Chicken Names Performance Food Group Company (PFG) as Exclusive Distributor |url=https://www.restaurantnews.com/churchs-chicken-names-performance-food-group-company-pfg-as-exclusive-distributor-041521/ |access-date=June 9, 2021 |work=RestaurantNews.com |date=April 15, 2021}}</ref>
==Sponsorship and philanthropy== In 1972, Church's Chicken sponsored The San Antonio Church's Fried Chicken Inc. First International Chess Tournament, with a first prize of $4,000, resulting in the strongest chess tournament in the United States in 50 years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-30 |title=San Antonio 1972 |url=https://texaschess.org/san-antonio-1972/ |access-date=2026-05-19 |website=Texas Chess Association |language=en-US}}</ref> From 1979 to 1986, Church's Chicken sponsored the ChessCafe Grand Prix tournaments, under the auspices of the United States Chess Federation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.uschess.org/news/press/uspr0514.php/ |title=US Chess Federation |access-date=December 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101031056/http://archive.uschess.org/news/press/uspr0514.php/ |archive-date=January 1, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
Church's Partners Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charity that supports the employees of franchisees of Church's Chicken, their families and their communities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Church's Chicken and Church's Partners Foundation Celebrate the Spirit of Giving with Las Vegas Scholarship Event |url=https://www.restaurantnews.com/churchs-chicken-and-churchs-partners-foundation-celebrate-the-spirit-of-giving-with-las-vegas-scholarship-event-113017/ |access-date=June 9, 2021 |work=RestaurantNews.com |date=November 30, 2017}}</ref> The foundation awards $1,000 scholarships to American high school students through their Church's Scholars Program and awarded over $227,000 worth of scholarships in the 2018–2019 academic year.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Church's Chicken® Distributes More Than $200,000 In Student Scholarships Throughout The U.S.|url=https://www.hispanicoutlook.com/articles/churchs-chicken-distributes-more-200000-student-sc |magazine=Hispanic Outlook on Education |location=|publisher= |date=August 2018 |access-date=June 9, 2021}}</ref>
Church's Chicken has partnered with No Kid Hungry since 2016.<ref>{{cite web |title=No Kid Hungry Partner Church's Chicken Helping End Child Hunger |url=https://www.nokidhungry.org/partners/homepage-partner/churchs-chicken |website=Church's Chicken |access-date=June 9, 2021}}</ref>
==Incidents== ===United States=== ====Oklahoma restaurant closures==== In 2015, the Oklahoma Tax Commission shuttered 15 Church's Chicken restaurants owned by the Reciprocity Restaurant Group LLC, for not paying more than $400,000 in sales taxes to the state of Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mills |first1=Kylen |title=Church's Chicken locations close down after failing to pay sales taxes |url=https://okcfox.com/news/local/churchs-chicken-locations-close-down-after-failing-to-pay-sales-taxes |access-date=June 7, 2021 |work=KOKH |date=November 3, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bailey |first1=Brianna |title=Tax Commission closes Church's Chicken restaurants in Oklahoma City, Tulsa |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/article/5458060/tax-commission-closes-churchs-chicken-restaurants-in-oklahoma-city-tulsa |access-date=June 17, 2021 |work=The Oklahoman |date=November 3, 2015}}</ref>
====Data breach==== In 2019, Church's Chicken launched an investigation into a data breach of their payment processing systems. At least 160 company-owned restaurants in 11 states were affected.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kovacs |first1=Eduard |title=Church's Chicken Restaurants Hit by Payment Card Breach |url=https://www.securityweek.com/churchs-chicken-restaurants-hit-payment-card-breach |access-date=June 14, 2021 |work=Security Week |date=November 25, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cobble |first1=Sarah |title=Church's Chicken Warns of Possible Data Breach |url=https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/churchs-chicken-warns-of-possible/ |access-date=June 14, 2021 |work=Infosecurity Magazine |date=November 22, 2019}}</ref>
====COVID-19 pandemic==== In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, most Church's Chicken restaurants closed their dining rooms and continued their drive-thru,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maurer |first1=Mark |last2=Trentmann |first2=Nina |title=Fast-Food Chains See Shifts Made During Pandemic Paying Off |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/fast-food-chains-see-shifts-made-during-pandemic-paying-off-11596032316 |access-date=June 8, 2021 |work=Wall Street Journal |date=July 29, 2020}}</ref> counter, takeout and delivery services.<ref>{{cite web |title=Health and Safety Updates – COVID-19 |url=https://www.churchs.com/churchs-chicken-health-and-safety-update/ |website=Church's Chicken |access-date=June 7, 2021 |archive-date=June 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608171048/https://www.churchs.com/churchs-chicken-health-and-safety-update/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In March 2020, company executives announced a franchisee relief plan, where Church's Chicken franchisees could defer 50% of their royalties and ad fund contributions for the next four weeks.<ref>{{cite web |last=Shaffer |first=Erica |date=March 31, 2020 |title=Church's Chicken announces franchisee relief plan |url= https://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/22861-churches-chicken-announces-franchisee-relief-plan|location=Atlanta |website=meatpoultry.com |access-date=June 8, 2021}}</ref>
==See also== * List of fast-food chicken restaurants * {{portal-inline|Food}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{commons category|Church's Texas Chicken}} * {{Official website|https://www.churchs.com/}} * {{Official website|https://texaschicken.com/|Official website of Texas Chicken}}
{{Establishments serving chicken}} {{Fast-food chains of the United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Church's Texas Chicken}} Category:Restaurants in San Antonio Category:Fast-food chains of the United States Category:Fast-food poultry restaurants Category:Chicken chains of the United States Category:Companies based in Sandy Springs, Georgia Category:Restaurants established in 1952 Category:1952 establishments in Texas Category:American companies established in 1952 Category:2004 mergers and acquisitions Category:2009 mergers and acquisitions Category:Private equity portfolio companies Category:Fried chicken Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1991 Category:Fast-food franchises