Claire Thompson
Ezell's Chicken and Heavenly Sent Chicken are two famous fried chicken restaurants with roots in Seattle, Washington. The original Ezell's Chicken was founded by Ezell Stephens and his business partners Lewis and Faye Rudd, who have since parted ways with Stephens. Following the split, Stephens lost the rights to the name Ezell's in a lawsuit but retained the rights to the recipe. As a result, he changed the name of his three locations to Heaven Sent Fried Chicken. Ezell's Chicken has received endorsements from celebrities like Oprah and currently has 17 locations in the Seattle-Tacoma area, while Heavenly Sent Chicken had four locations at its peak. With Heavenly Sent Chicken closing permanently, this comparison explores which chicken restaurant Seattleites prefer and why.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of outlets | Ezell's has 13 outlets, Heaven Sent has 2 outlets |
| Visual appeal | Ezell's chicken has a golden dark brown colour and a bit more batter, making it more appealing |
| Moisture | Heaven Sent's chicken is moister |
| Texture | Heaven Sent's chicken has a crispier and thicker coating |
| Colour | Heaven Sent's chicken is darker |
| Endorsements | Ezell's has been endorsed by Oprah Winfrey and Esquire Magazine |
| Community involvement | Both Ezell's and Heaven Sent pride themselves on community involvement and giving back to society |
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What You'll Learn
- Ezell's Chicken: Oprah-endorsed, 17 locations in the Seattle-Tacoma area and one in Oregon
- Ezell Stephens lost the rights to the Ezell's name in a lawsuit
- Heaven Sent: founded by Stephens after he left Ezell's, now permanently closed
- Ezell's R.U.B.B. Initiative: 20 grants of $2,500 for Black-owned businesses in Washington
- Stephens' future plans: motivational speaking, restaurant consulting, and reviews
Ezell's Chicken: Oprah-endorsed, 17 locations in the Seattle-Tacoma area and one in Oregon
Ezell's Chicken is a Seattle-based fast-food chain specialising in fried chicken. Founded by Ezell Stephens and Lewis Rudd, the first Ezell's Famous Chicken restaurant opened on 3 February 1984 in Seattle's Central District, near Garfield High School. The chain has since expanded to 17 locations in the Seattle-Tacoma area and one in Oregon, with a brief foray into international expansion in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, in 2015.
Ezell's Chicken gained fame when talk show host Oprah Winfrey declared it her favourite fried chicken. The story goes that in 1989, Oprah was in Seattle and asked for some Ezell's chicken to be delivered to her hotel. When told that they didn't deliver on Saturdays, she called herself and insisted, "This is Oprah Winfrey and I want some of that chicken and I want it now." Since then, it has been reported that Oprah would have Ezell's chicken flown to her in Chicago to satisfy her cravings.
In addition to Oprah's endorsement, Ezell's Chicken has received acclaim from other notable figures. Former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice described the company as "the best of what you want a small businessman to be" and "an integral part of the lifeblood of the Central Area." Esquire Magazine named Ezell’s the Best Fried Chicken in the US, winning by a significant margin.
Ezell's Chicken has a rich history that involves family, struggle, setbacks, and success. The menu has remained largely unchanged since its inception, offering golden-fried chicken and sides like potato salad, mashed potatoes, and sweet potato pies. The chain is also known for its community involvement, often donating food to local organisations and causes, such as the Martin Luther King Jr. march in 1985.
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Ezell Stephens lost the rights to the Ezell's name in a lawsuit
Ezell's Famous Chicken was founded in 1984 by Ezell Stephens and Lewis Rudd, opening its first location in Seattle's Central District. The restaurant chain grew to 12 other locations in the Puget Sound region, including a location on the Microsoft campus in Redmond that opened in 2006. In 2015, the chain expanded outside of Western Washington with a location in Spokane. The first international location for Ezell's opened in June 2015 in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The restaurant was made famous by Oprah Winfrey, who called it her favourite fried chicken and even had it flown to her in Chicago.
However, there was a falling out between the co-founders, and Ezell Stephens was forced out of the company. Stephens then opened his own chain of fried chicken restaurants, Heaven Sent Fried Chicken. This led to a dispute over the rights to the Ezell's name and recipe, with Lewis Rudd fighting in court to keep the name when Stephens left the company. In November 2011, Ezell Stephens changed the name of his three locations to Heaven Sent Fried Chicken after losing the rights to the Ezell's name in a lawsuit. However, he was allowed to keep his recipe.
Despite the legal battle, both Ezell's and Heaven Sent have developed a loyal following in Seattle, with many declaring their fried chicken to be the best in the city. A taste test conducted by Seattle Refined compared an eight-piece fried chicken dinner from both restaurants, with Heaven Sent emerging as the winner. The chicken from Heaven Sent was crispier and moister, while Ezell's chicken was drier, especially the breast. Another taste test by Seattle Unexplored rated Ezell's higher on appearance, with their chicken having a darker golden-brown colour and a bit more batter.
The dispute between Ezell Stephens and the Ezell's board goes beyond the rights to the name and recipe. Court papers reveal that Stephens claimed to be the founder of the company and that the family recipes for the original and spicy chicken dishes were his alone. He argued that he never approved a transfer of his rights to the recipes and other intellectual property and still held a 25% interest in the EFC corporation. The board, on the other hand, accused Stephens of going rogue and misappropriating his own recipes. They stated that they had conducted extensive negotiations and informal mediations over several years to try to resolve the issues but to no avail.
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Heaven Sent: founded by Stephens after he left Ezell's, now permanently closed
Ezell Stephens, the founder of Ezell's Famous Chicken, was forced out of the company and subsequently founded Heaven Sent Fried Chicken. The recipes and menus of the two restaurants are nearly identical, and both claim the same history. Stephens even made sure to emphasise his involvement with Oprah on Heaven Sent's Facebook page, stating: "you will only find Ezell Stephens, the person who cooked for Oprah at Heaven Sent Fried Chicken."
Heaven Sent's marketing claims that it has been making the best fried chicken since 1984, the same year Ezell's was founded. The Renton location of Heaven Sent closed after Ezell's moved in nearby. Heaven Sent Fried Chicken is now on Lake City Way and in Everett.
Ezell's has 13 outlets around the Puget Sound region, including a location on the Microsoft campus in Redmond, which opened in 2006. In 2015, the chain opened its Spokane location, its first restaurant outside of Western Washington. The first international location for Ezell's opened in June 2015, in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The Sharjah location has since closed.
While some reviews praise Ezell's chicken for its appearance, others have found the chicken at Heaven Sent to be crispier and moister. One review notes that the "notoriously dry cut, the breast, was significantly juicier from Heaven Sent than from Ezell's."
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Ezell's R.U.B.B. Initiative: 20 grants of $2,500 for Black-owned businesses in Washington
Ezell's and Heaven Sent are two popular fried chicken restaurants in Seattle. Ezell's, which opened in 1984, gained fame after Oprah Winfrey declared it the best fried chicken she had ever tasted, and would fly it in from Seattle to Chicago. However, after a falling out with the co-founders, Ezell Stephens was forced out of the company. Stephens then opened his own chain of fried chicken restaurants, named Heaven Sent.
Since then, there has been a debate in Seattle over which restaurant serves better fried chicken. While some prefer the taste and appearance of Ezell's chicken, others find Heaven Sent's chicken crispier and juicier.
Amidst this competition, Ezell's has demonstrated a commitment to supporting Black-owned businesses. In 2021, the company launched the Raising Up Black Businesses (R.U.B.B.) initiative, distributing $2,500 to 20 Black-owned businesses in Washington. The fund, amounting to $50,000, was created in partnership with DoorDash, which contributed $40,000, while the Rudd family donated $10,000. The initiative was inspired by Lewis Rudd's own struggles as a Black business owner and aimed to help Black businesses struggling with lost income or temporary closures due to the pandemic.
The R.U.B.B. initiative received an overwhelming response, with over 540 applicants from the Pacific Northwest. The 20 recipients of the inaugural grant program included a diverse range of businesses, such as Art by Lisette, Dotz Allergy-Friendly Baked Goods, Noir Lux Candles, and more. The initiative has continued to provide grants to Black-owned businesses, with plans to explore ways to offer ongoing support.
In 2023, Ezell's funded more than 24 businesses through its R.U.B.B. initiative, providing a total of $30,000 in grants. This included grants to six Black-owned business organizations and 24 sub-grantees, marking a 20% increase in the number of businesses supported compared to the previous year.
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Stephens' future plans: motivational speaking, restaurant consulting, and reviews
Ezell Stephens has a wealth of experience in the restaurant business, having been involved in the famous Seattle fried chicken rivalry between Ezell's and Heaven Sent. Stephens founded Ezell's with Lewis Rudd in 1984, but later left the company and opened his own chain of restaurants, Heaven Sent Fried Chicken. The rivalry between the two restaurants has been likened to that of Paseo vs Un Bien, with both serving nearly identical food and laying claim to the same history.
Given his experience in the industry, Stephens could pursue restaurant consulting as one of his future plans. He could offer his expertise to help other restaurants succeed, particularly those that are family-run or struggling to raise capital, as he has firsthand knowledge of the challenges they may face. Stephens could also consider reviewing restaurants, sharing his opinions on their food, service, and overall dining experience. With his background in the industry, his reviews would carry weight and could help guide diners in their choices.
In addition to his potential ventures in the restaurant industry, Stephens could also explore motivational speaking as a career path. Stephens' story, which involves family, struggle, setbacks, and success, is an inspiring one that others could learn from. He could share his journey of starting Ezell's, the challenges he faced, and how he eventually founded Heaven Sent Fried Chicken. Stephens could also draw on his experience of giving back to the community, as Ezell's has been known for its decades of community involvement and support for various organizations and causes.
Stephens' future plans in motivational speaking, restaurant consulting, and reviews could be informed by his extensive knowledge of the restaurant industry and his own personal journey. By sharing his story and expertise, he has the potential to inspire others and make a positive impact in these fields.
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Frequently asked questions
Ezell's Chicken, officially Ezell's Famous Chicken, is a fried chicken chain founded by Ezell Stephens and his business partners Lewis and Faye Rudd. The chain has 17 locations across the Seattle-Tacoma area and one in Oregon.
Heavenly Sent Chicken, or Heaven Sent Fried Chicken, is a fried chicken restaurant founded by Ezell Stephens after he left Ezell's Chicken. Heavenly Sent Chicken had four locations at its peak but is now closed.
This is a matter of personal preference, but some people preferred Heavenly Sent Chicken over Ezell's Chicken.
