Who Owns Fast Food Chicken Places?

Fried chicken has been a staple of Black American foodways since the time of slavery. It is a crucial component of Black American culture and has been a source of economic growth for Black Americans. Despite this, fried chicken has also been used as a racist trope against Black Americans, with stereotypes and caricatures portraying Black people as chicken thieves and unclean. The fried chicken stereotype has been perpetuated by popular media and films like The Birth of a Nation, which featured a scene of Black legislators eating chicken during a formal proceeding. This has led to an uneasy relationship between marketing, race, and food stereotypes, with companies like Popeyes being criticized for their targeted marketing towards African Americans. While there have been Black franchise owners in the fast-food industry, major chains like KFC and Popeyes are largely white-owned.

Fried chicken's history as a staple food for enslaved people

Fried chicken is now celebrated as "soul food", but its history as a staple for enslaved people has made its association with African Americans a sensitive issue. The dish has its origins in slavery, as enslaved Africans were only allowed to keep chickens, as they were small and didn't take up much space on the master's property. This led to fried chicken becoming popular in the cuisine of the Southern United States.

Chicken dishes were a staple for enslaved people before the American Civil War. They spiced it up by plucking the chicken's feathers, breading the pieces, and seasoning them with paprika and other spices brought over from West Africa. After seasoning, they dropped the meat in hot palm oil. Despite being enslaved, fried chicken jump-started entrepreneurship among Black women who began selling the dish in the 1730s. However, with the ingredients being expensive, and chicken only being eaten on special occasions in West Africa, it was rare for African Americans to eat poultry.

The popularity of fried chicken in the Southern United States and its portrayal in films like The Birth of a Nation contributed to the development of a negative stereotype. Restaurants like Sambo's and Coon Chicken Inn further commercialized the stereotype through their mascots, selecting exaggerated depictions of Black people as mascots, implying quality by their association with the stereotype. Since the American Civil War, traditional slave foods like fried chicken have suffered a strong association with stereotypes of African Americans and blackface minstrelsy.

Public figures like Tiger Woods have been targeted with fried chicken-related remarks, and organizations have been criticized for serving it during Black History Month or making racially insensitive references, such as "Obama Fried Chicken".

In terms of Black ownership of fast-food chicken places, there have been several notable examples of Black entrepreneurs and franchisees in the industry. For instance, a black entrepreneur operated a McDonald's in downtown Chicago, and Brady Keys, a former NFL player, became the first Black franchisee of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Additionally, Julian Bond tried to franchise a Wishbone Chicken restaurant in the 1970s, and a black activist attempted to franchise a Dairy Queen with a white liberal activist.

The commercialisation of fried chicken and its association with Black people

Fried chicken has been associated with Black people since the American Civil War, when it was a staple food for enslaved people, who were often only allowed to raise chickens. This association was perpetuated by its portrayal in films like 'The Birth of a Nation', which included a scene of Black legislators eating fried chicken during a formal proceeding. Restaurants like Sambo's and Coon Chicken Inn further commercialized the stereotype in the 20th century by selecting exaggerated depictions of Black people as mascots. Fried chicken is also celebrated as "'soul food'" within the African American community, with some Black cooks perfecting the art of frying chicken.

The commercialization of fried chicken and its association with Black people is a complex issue. On the one hand, fast-food companies have targeted African Americans with multiethnic marketing campaigns, capitalizing on the desire of African Americans to feel welcomed and included. For example, McDonald's invested in a new business sector, moving into places they hadn't been before and featuring Black celebrities in their advertisements. Black franchise owners also became the backbone of the industry, with companies like McDonald's supporting the United Negro College Fund and historically Black colleges.

On the other hand, the association between fried chicken and Black people has often been used in a pejorative manner. Various groups and organizations have been criticized for serving fried chicken during Black History Month, making references to "'Obama Fried Chicken'" and other racial stereotypes. Public figures like Tiger Woods have also been targeted with fried chicken-related remarks. These incidents highlight the delicate and often negative nature of the association between fried chicken and Black people.

Additionally, the commercialization of fried chicken has contributed to significant health consequences for African Americans. The popularity of fried chicken in the fast-food industry, combined with targeted marketing towards African Americans, has negatively impacted the health of this community.

While the commercialization of fried chicken has had negative ramifications, it has also provided economic opportunities for Black franchise owners and entrepreneurs. The complex dynamics of Black capitalism and its relationship with the fast-food industry present a set of contradictions and tensions that continue to shape the association between fried chicken and Black people.

Black franchise owners as the backbone of the fast-food industry

Despite the fried chicken stereotype being an anti-African American racist trope, black franchise owners have become the backbone of the fast-food industry. This relationship between African Americans and fast food was forged by the removal of discriminatory barriers by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Black franchise owners have played a pivotal role in the success of fast-food companies in black neighborhoods.

In her book, Franchise, Marcia Chatelain explains how black franchise owners became the backbone of the fast-food industry. She recounts her own experience as a teenager in the 1990s, where she would frequently visit a downtown Chicago McDonald's with black history brochures and community events. It was only later that she discovered that these touches in her beloved McDonald's came from a black entrepreneur who operated that store.

Black franchisees have turned "undesirable" stores into lucrative businesses. They were intimately familiar with the neighborhoods they operated in and understood their customers in a way that fast-food executives did not. For example, at the insistence of some black franchise owners, McDonald's hired Burrell Communications, a celebrated black-owned advertising agency in Chicago, to launch a campaign aimed at African American customers.

The fast-food industry's courtship of African Americans began in the 1960s, a time of racial tension. Fast-food companies opened their doors to African Americans with a carefully tailored message, and black Americans accepted the invitation. This was facilitated by federal programs that offered financial assistance for blacks to enter fast-food franchising and the departure of white business owners from black neighborhoods to the suburbs. Fast-food brands changed their tone and offered a welcoming experience, taking advantage of the limited choices available to African American consumers.

Black capitalism became central to a fast-food industry that now earns $570 billion annually. While there may be contradictions and tensions within the black capitalism movement, black franchise owners have undoubtedly played a crucial role in the success of the fast-food industry in black communities.

Multiethnic marketing campaigns targeting Black consumers

Fast food and African Americans have had a long and complicated relationship. Fried chicken, in particular, has been a racist trope since the American Civil War, when it was a traditional slave food. In the 20th century, restaurants like Sambo's and Coon Chicken Inn capitalized on this stereotype, using exaggerated depictions of Black people as mascots. Despite this, fried chicken is also celebrated as "soul food" within African American culture.

In the 1960s, federal programs began offering financial assistance to help Black entrepreneurs enter the fast-food franchising business. This, combined with the departure of white-owned businesses from predominantly Black neighborhoods, created an opportunity for fast-food companies to target African Americans with multiethnic marketing campaigns. These campaigns aimed to offer a welcoming experience to Black consumers, who had previously faced discrimination in restaurants and other spaces.

One example of a company that successfully targeted Black consumers is McDonald's. The company featured Black celebrities in its advertising, used R&B and rap music, and incorporated Black idioms to appeal to Black customers. McDonald's also supported Black institutions like the United Negro College Fund and historically Black colleges. The result was that McDonald's became a part of Black cultural life.

Another example is Popeyes, which was founded by New Orleans businessman Al Copeland in 1972. Copeland, who was white, realized that he could differentiate Popeyes from its competitor, Kentucky Fried Chicken, by offering a spicier, "Cajun" option. This new flavor profile, combined with convenient locations in Black neighborhoods and a welcoming atmosphere, helped Popeyes cultivate a loyal Black customer base.

Today, Black consumers represent a significant economic force, with an estimated collective spending power of $900 billion in 2022 and a projected growth to $1.7 trillion by 2030. To attract Black consumers, brands must demonstrate quality, social mission, and good value. Additionally, Black consumers are more likely to seek out trustworthy brands that align with their cultural values and have credibility within the Black community. Companies that want to authentically serve Black consumers must make holistic investments in meeting their needs, including addressing the dissatisfaction and access issues that Black consumers often face in physical stores.

The role of Black cooks in introducing fried chicken to American foodways

Fried chicken has become a staple of American foodways, thanks to Black cooks. Before the American Civil War, enslaved people were only allowed to raise chickens, which led to the popularity of fried chicken in the cuisine of the Southern United States. Black cooks introduced the dish to American foodways, and it was celebrated as "soul food".

However, the affinity that African American culture has for fried chicken has also been considered a delicate and often pejorative issue. The negative stereotypes associated with fried chicken and African Americans have their roots in the American Civil War and traditional slave foods. D.W. Griffith’s 1915 film “The Birth of a Nation” included a scene featuring Black legislators eating chicken during a formal proceeding, perpetuating a racist trope. Restaurants like Sambo's and Coon Chicken Inn further commercialized the stereotype through their mascots, selecting exaggerated depictions of Black people as mascots.

Despite these negative connotations, fried chicken provided some means of economic empowerment for enslaved and segregated African American women, who became noted sellers of poultry and cooked chicken as early as the 1730s. In the 20th century, Black franchise owners became the backbone of the fast-food industry, with companies like McDonald's specifically targeting Black consumers and investing in Black communities.

Today, fried chicken is more American than apple pie, and its history is deeply intertwined with Black American culture and empowerment. Black cooks played a crucial role in introducing fried chicken to American foodways, and their contributions should be celebrated and recognized.

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