Jake Harper
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken is a quick-service restaurant franchise founded in 1966 by Lee Cummings, the nephew of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders. After the sale of KFC in 1964, Cummings began developing his famous recipe and, along with his brother-in-law Harold Omer, started Harold's Take-Home in Lima, Ohio, where he first introduced his famous recipe chicken.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year founded | 1966 |
| Founder | Lee Cummings, nephew of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders |
| First location | Harold's Take-Home, Lima, Ohio |
| Current number of locations | 128 |
| Current location states | Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin |
| Specialities | Chicken, homestyle sides, biscuits |
| Parent company | LFR Chicken, LLC |
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What You'll Learn
Lee Cummings' involvement
Lee Cummings, the nephew of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders, played a significant role in the creation and expansion of Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken. After the sale of KFC in 1964, Cummings began developing his own recipe, which later became known as "Famous Recipe."
In 1966, Cummings, along with his brother-in-law Harold Omer, started "Harold's Take-Home" in Lima, Ohio. This was the first introduction of Cummings' Famous Recipe Chicken. The same year, Cummings opened the first franchise of the restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. Over the following years, additional locations were established in Springfield, Dayton, and Cincinnati, Ohio, as well as Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Cummings was not just a relative of Colonel Sanders; he also had a close working relationship with him. Before the establishment of Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants, Cummings travelled with Sanders as he sold pressure cookers and his secret recipe blend of 11 herbs and spices to restaurants. Cummings also served as the president of KFC operations. However, when Sanders sold KFC in 1962, Cummings left the company and started working on his own fried chicken recipe.
Cummings' recipe and methods drew legal attention from his former associates. KFC sued Cummings, alleging that he was using his uncle's patented pressure frying method and that his chicken seasoning, gravy, and coleslaw were too similar to KFC's. The courts ruled against Cummings, forcing him to change his preparation methods and recipes.
Despite this setback, Cummings persevered, and by 1981, he had established a successful chain. That year, he sold the rights to Shoney's Restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee. The brand continued to flourish under new ownership, and as of 2023, there are over 125 franchised locations across the United States.
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Harold's Take-Home
In 1964, Lee Cummings, the nephew of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders, started developing his own recipe after the sale of KFC. Two years later, in 1966, Cummings, along with his brother-in-law Harold Omer, started a restaurant called "Harold's Take-Home" in Lima, Ohio. This was where Cummings first introduced his famous recipe chicken.
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken is a quick-service restaurant franchise specializing in chicken, homestyle sides, and biscuits. The chicken is pressure-cooked to seal in a special blend of herbs and spices, and it is also honey-dipped and hand-breaded. The brand has gone through several ownership changes over the years, and there are currently 128 locations in 12 states across the North American Midwest and Southeast.
The success of Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken can be attributed to its consistent delivery of delicious food and superior service. The focus is on maintaining the quality of the fryers and shortening to ensure that customers receive the same tasty chicken every time they visit. The brand has also adapted to changing times by introducing a new visual identity and announcing a new restaurant prototype.
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KFC connection
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken was founded by Lee Cummings, the nephew of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders. Cummings travelled with Sanders as his companion when the Colonel was selling pressure cookers and his secret recipe blend of 11 herbs and spices to restaurants across the US. Cummings was one of the few people who knew the Colonel's secret recipe as he oversaw the blending of the seasoning in KFC's early days.
After Sanders sold KFC in 1964, Cummings left the company and began developing his own recipe, which would later be known as "Famous Recipe". Cummings opened "Harold's Take-Home" in Lima, Ohio, in 1966, where he introduced his Famous Recipe Chicken. He opened the first franchise of the restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, later that year.
Due to the similarities between Cummings' recipe and that of his uncle's, KFC sued Cummings. The courts ruled against him, and he was forced to change his recipe. He could no longer use the pressure frying method, and he had to change the seasoning, gravy, and coleslaw. Despite this, some believe that Cummings' recipe is just a variation of his uncle's.
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$10.86
Recipe and cooking method
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken was founded by Lee Cummings, the nephew of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders. After the sale of KFC in 1964, Cummings began developing his own recipe, which would later be known as "Famous Recipe".
Cummings' recipe was first introduced at "Harold's Take-Home" in Lima, Ohio, which he opened with Harold Omer in 1966. The restaurant served chicken, homestyle sides, and biscuits.
While the exact recipe for Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken is not publicly available, some sources suggest that it may be similar to the Colonel's recipe at KFC. Lee Cummings oversaw the blending of the seasoning for KFC in the early days of the chain and was one of the few people who knew the secret recipe. After leaving KFC, Cummings used the Colonel's now-patented pressure frying method and his chicken seasoning, gravy, and coleslaw were reportedly identical to KFC's. This led to a lawsuit, which Cummings lost, and he was forced to change his recipe.
Some tips for recreating Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken at home include using an electric skillet or pressure cooker to fry the chicken, pounding the chicken breast to tenderize it, and soaking the chicken in lemon water or vinegar water overnight before frying. It is also important to brown the chicken on both sides at medium-high heat.
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Ownership changes
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken has undergone several ownership changes since its founding in 1966 by Lee Cummings, the nephew of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders.
In 1981, Cummings sold the chain to Shoney's Restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee. Shoney's continued to operate Lee's alongside their own Captain D's and Shoney's Restaurants until 1995.
In 1995, Lee's Famous Recipe was sold to RTM Restaurant Group in Atlanta, Georgia. This ownership change brought about some updates to the brand, including a new visual identity and a new restaurant prototype.
In October 2003, Lee's Famous Recipes Inc. purchased the chain from RTM. This marked a period of continued growth and expansion for the brand, with a focus on enhancing the customer experience through new menu items and strategic initiatives.
In April 2013, Famous Recipe Group LLC purchased the chain from Lee's Famous Recipes, Inc., continuing the legacy of the brand and its famous recipe chicken.
Most recently, in June 2021, Famous Recipe Group, LLC, agreed to sell the brand to LFR Chicken, LLC, a new entity backed by Artemis Lane Partners. This latest ownership change signals a new phase of growth and reinvestment in the brand, with plans to build on the strong foundation established over the years.
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Frequently asked questions
Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken was first introduced in 1966 at "Harold's Take-Home" in Lima, Ohio.
Lee Cummings, the nephew of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders, created the recipe.
After the sale of KFC in 1964, Lee Cummings left KFC and started developing his own recipe. He was inspired to create a new fried chicken recipe after working with his uncle, Colonel Sanders, who travelled around the U.S. selling pressure cookers and his secret recipe blend of 11 herbs and spices.
Yes, after leaving KFC and starting the Lee's Famous Recipe chain, Cummings was sued by KFC. The courts ruled against him, and he had to change his cooking methods and seasoning.
As of 2025, there are 128-130 Lee's Famous Chicken Recipe locations across 12 states in the North American Midwest and Southeast, including Alabama, Florida, Illinois, and Indiana.
