Church’s Chicken: San Antonio based company that flew off to Atlanta

Church’s Chicken was born in San Antonio, TX by George W. Church Sr. on April 17, 1952. The location was downtown San Antonio right across from the Alamo as Church’s Fried Chicken to-go, a tourist attraction that drew thousands upon thousands of tourists a year.

The restaurant of course sold chicken but added a Texas flavor with jalapeños and fries as sides to their menu in 1955. The company had expanded to four locations before the death of the founder Mr. Church Sr. in 1956. George W. Church Jr. took over the company after his father’s passing. In the 1960’s Church’s was a publicly held company and their national headquarters complex was located in San Antonio.

In 1989, the company became the second largest chicken restaurant in the United States when it merged with Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits. The brands were still marketed out of separate headquarters.

In 1992, Popeyes and Church’s move to new parent company called America’s Favorite Chicken Company, Inc. with their headquarters in Atlanta. In 1996, the company shortens the name to AFC Enterprises, Inc.