The famous gas station fried chicken in South End is back. Here’s why it left
If you’ve wandered into the Shell station at the corner of East Boulevard and South Boulevard lately and found yourself wondering what happened to the fried chicken, you’re in good company.
For a brief stretch, The Chicken Store — a gas station chicken counter that has earned praise from both CharlotteFive and Southern Living — seemed to vanish. The fryers were quiet, the chicken was gone and customers kept asking the same question.
“People would walk in here all the time wondering where the chicken was,” manager Kaushal Prajapati, who took over the Shell in December, told CharlotteFive.
The good news for regulars is that the chicken has returned. The better news, according to Prajapati, is that the operation behind it has gotten an overhaul.
Hatching a rebrand
The disappearance wasn’t the result of a closure so much as a reset.
Prajapati said the restaurant paused operations while undergoing a rebrand and making changes aimed at improving the customer experience. Under the previous setup, customers would order at the counter and then wait there for their food, often creating a bottleneck for people trying to buy gas station essentials like chips, beer or a lottery ticket.
Now, customers have a designated pickup area, creating a smoother flow through the store. Other upgrades are underway, as well, including replacing drink machines that Prajapati said were left in less-than-ideal condition by previous management.
“We’re changing a lot of things in here to make it better for customers,” he said.
Fortunately for longtime fans, the changes stop short of the recipe.
New look, same chicken
The menu remains devoted to fried chicken and little else.
Customers can order meals built around breasts, wings, thighs, legs or tenders, most of them priced between $7-$10 and served with a side and a roll. Larger groups can opt for family-size chicken boxes, with the biggest meals still coming in at under $50.
Prajapati believes the restaurant’s reputation starts with the quality of the product itself.
“The best thing about our chicken is that it’s never frozen,” he said. “We get it fresh every morning.”
The menu branches out occasionally, offering Buffalo wings, fish plates, mini tacos and old-school Southern staples like gizzards and livers. Dessert options include banana pudding and cookies, and Prajapati said additional specials — including ribs and turkey breast sandwiches — are on the way.
So far, customers seem pleased with the return.
“We haven’t had any complaints yet,” Prajapati said.
The Chicken Store
Location: Inside the Shell gas station, 201 E. Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Cuisine: Southern
