Claire Thompson
Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles is a soul food chain restaurant with locations across Los Angeles. The restaurant was founded by Herb Hudson, a Harlem native, in 1975. It is known for serving chicken and waffles, both together and separately. The chain has been visited by many celebrities, including former President Barack Obama, who has his own item on the menu, The Obama Special. In 2016, Roscoe's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and as of 2018, the restaurant was working to pay off a $27 million debt. While it is unclear who the current CEO of Roscoe's is, this paragraph provides an introduction to the history and cultural significance of the restaurant chain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founder/CEO | Herb Hudson |
| Year founded | 1975 |
| First location | Long Beach |
| Current number of locations | 7 or 8 |
| Area served | Los Angeles metropolitan area |
| Celebrity endorsements | Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, Shaquille O'Neal, Natalie Cole, Redd Foxx, Kendrick Lamar, Barack Obama |
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What You'll Learn
Herb Hudson founded Roscoe's in 1975
Herb Hudson founded Roscoe's House of Chicken 'N Waffles in 1975. A Harlem native, Hudson moved to LA in 1975, where he opened the first Roscoe's restaurant in Long Beach. He was inspired to bring his version of chicken and waffles to LA after trying the dish at Wells Famous Home of Chicken and Waffles in Harlem, New York.
Chicken and waffles is a soul food dish with a long history. While it is said to have been made popular during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1930s, people in the US have been eating the combination since the 1700s, and it was enjoyed even earlier in Europe. In the early 1800s, notable figures like Thomas Jefferson served fried chicken and waffles for breakfast when entertaining guests. Enslaved African Americans became experts at preparing the dish as they were the principal cooks for wealthy Southerners.
Hudson's friends in Motown and television, such as Stevie Wonder and Natalie Cole, helped spread the word about Roscoe's to other celebrities, including Redd Foxx, who told his audiences about the restaurant's soul food offerings. Over the years, Roscoe's has been visited by numerous celebrities, including Snoop Dogg, Shaquille O'Neal, and former President Barack Obama, who got his own item on the menu called "The Obama Special."
Roscoe's has become a beloved soul food chain, with multiple locations across Los Angeles. The original location in Long Beach remains open, and the chain has expanded to include seven restaurants in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Despite financial troubles in recent years, including a racial discrimination lawsuit and bankruptcy filings, Roscoe's continues to be a popular destination for both locals and tourists.
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The chain has 7-8 locations in LA
Roscoe's Chicken 'N' Waffles is a soul food chain with a unique offering: a combination of fried chicken and waffles. Founded by Herb Hudson, a Harlem native, in 1975, the chain has become an LA institution, with multiple locations across the city.
The original Roscoe's opened in Long Beach, California, and soon gained a following among celebrities and musicians, including Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, and Redd Foxx. The unique chicken and waffle combination, along with a comfortable atmosphere and good food, has kept customers coming back. Over the years, Roscoe's has expanded to several other locations in LA, including Gower, Pico, Pasadena, and Inglewood, Hollywood, and Waffle Plaza. Each location offers the famous chicken and waffles, served together or separately, along with more traditional menu items.
The chain has faced some challenges in recent years, including financial troubles and a racial discrimination lawsuit. In 2016, Roscoe's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, with debts totalling between $10 and $50 million. Despite these difficulties, Roscoe's remains a beloved fixture in LA, with a dedicated customer base and a place in popular culture, even featuring in the Adult Swim animated series Black Dynamite.
With its seven to eight locations across LA, Roscoe's Chicken 'N' Waffles has become a go-to destination for locals and tourists alike, offering a unique take on soul food and a piece of Hollywood history.
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Celebrities like Snoop Dogg and President Obama have visited
Herb Hudson, the founder of Roscoe's Chicken 'N' Waffles, moved from Harlem, New York, to Los Angeles in 1975. Before he founded the restaurant, he worked as a foreman at General Motors. Hudson's love for fried chicken and waffles inspired him to share the soul food combination with the world.
Roscoe's Chicken 'N' Waffles has become a timeless LA classic, attracting celebrities and everyday diners alike. The restaurant has been visited by several celebrities, including Snoop Dogg, Shaquille O'Neal, Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, and Redd Foxx. In 2011, former President Barack Obama visited Roscoe's while on the campaign trail in Los Angeles. Obama ordered the "Number 9 — Country Boy", which consisted of three fried chicken wings and a choice of French fries, potato salad, or a waffle. Following Obama's visit, Roscoe's renamed the menu item the "Obama Special".
The restaurant's celebrity endorsements can be traced back to its early days. Hudson leveraged his connections in the music industry to attract notable figures such as Stevie Wonder. These celebrities helped spread the word about Roscoe's incredible soul food, contributing to its growing popularity and credibility in the city and nationwide.
In recent years, Roscoe's has faced financial challenges, including a racial discrimination lawsuit and significant debt. Despite these difficulties, the restaurant remains a beloved soul food chain and an LA institution.
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Roscoe's filed for bankruptcy in 2016
On March 29, 2016, Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The bankruptcy filing came after an October court ruling that ordered East Coast Foods, Inc., the owner of the seven-restaurant chain, to pay $3.24 million to a former employee who sued on charges of sexual harassment and racial discrimination. The chain's parent company owed more than $3 million to the former employee.
Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles is a Hollywood, California-based soul food restaurant chain founded by Herb Hudson, a Harlem native, in 1975. It is best known for serving chicken and waffles, both together and separately, although they do offer more traditional menu items as well. The original location in Long Beach, California, remains open. Soon after Roscoe's was opened, Mr. Hudson's friends in Motown and television, such as Stevie Wonder and Natalie Cole, would spread the word to other celebrities, making it a timeless L.A. classic.
In 2018, East Coast Foods, the bankrupt parent company of four Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles restaurants, was close to completing a reorganization plan that would pay off creditors without endangering operations. The agreement called for Roscoe's owner and founder Herbert Hudson to pay creditors at least $3 million a year. The debt would be paid from revenues tied to East Coast Foods, as well as the other three Roscoe's restaurants. The proposed deal in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case would pay creditors in full without affecting operations at the company's restaurants.
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The chain was sued for racial discrimination in 2015
In 2015, Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles was sued for racial discrimination by a former employee, Daniel Beasley, who is black. Beasley alleged that the chain, which is African American-owned, had unlawfully terminated him in retaliation for his complaints to human resources about racial harassment from managers. Beasley claimed that Latino employees received preferential treatment, including better work schedules. He was awarded over $1 million in damages by a jury, with the total amount of the lawsuit reaching $1.6 million.
The lawsuit brought attention to the issue of racial discrimination within the popular restaurant chain, which has seven locations across Southern California and a celebrity following, including Snoop Dogg and Larry King. The case highlighted the complex dynamics of race and power within the organisation, as Beasley noted that the African American owner gave "full authority to the Hispanics to run it".
This incident serves as a reminder that racial discrimination can occur even in minority-owned businesses and that it is crucial to address such issues promptly and effectively. It also underscores the importance of creating inclusive and equitable workplaces where employees feel valued and respected, regardless of their racial background.
The financial and reputational impact of the lawsuit on Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles was significant. The chain, founded by Herb Hudson in 1975, had become a beloved soul food institution in Los Angeles, known for its unique combination of chicken and waffles. However, the lawsuit damaged its public image and led to a substantial financial payout.
In the aftermath of the lawsuit, Roscoe's likely had to implement measures to improve its handling of racial discrimination complaints and create a more inclusive environment for its employees and customers. The case also sent a strong message to other businesses, emphasising the need to prioritise diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace actively.
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Frequently asked questions
Herb Hudson, a Harlem native, is the founder and CEO of Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles.
Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles was founded in 1975 in Long Beach, California.
Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles is a soul food chain specialising in chicken and waffles, both together and separately.
