Our All-Time Favorite Fried Chicken Chain Hails From The South (Where Else?)

If there's any dish more closely aligned to Southern cooking than fried chicken, I don't know what it would be. Unlike other regional cuisines spanning the landscape of Deep South states, fried chicken is universal to all, with only slight variations based on flouring techniques, type of frying oil (bacon grease, by many accounts), and what kind of pan to use. As a native Southerner since birth, I'd surely tried them all — yet had somehow, until recently on a trip to Memphis, missed the granddaddy of the best fried chicken chains: Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken.

Originating more than 60 years ago in the small town of Mason, Tennessee, Gus's slowly but surely inched across city and state lines, nurturing 35-plus locations to date. It definitely earns its status as our all-time favorite fried-chicken chain, still primarily perching proudly in the South. Although it's largely a regional fried chicken chain, California, Arizona, and Michigan are honorary (and welcome) members of the Gus's clan as well. The golden-crusted chicken is hand-battered and deep-fried the traditional way, but with a not-so-subtle spicy nudge.

That explains the brand's alternate moniker, Gus's World Famous Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken, dubbed so by Gus Bonner, son of founder Napoleon "Na" Vanderbilt and his wife, Ms. Maggie. They originally offered the secret-recipe fried chicken tucked inside two pieces of white bread, handed through the back door of their roadside Highway 70 tavern. Tasty, crunchy, hot, and juicy, the chicken alone is reason enough to visit one of Gus's — but it's only part of the overall experience.

I daresay many patrons of Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken darken the door as much for the sidekicks as for the main attraction. Side dishes include all the down-home favorites served on everyday supper tables across the South. There's obviously the deep-fried trinity of fried okra, fried pickles, and fried green tomatoes, officially considered starters when dining in full-service Gus's restaurants.

Then, there are the ever-present accompaniments to the crispy chicken pieces and tenders. Baked beans, slaw, and white bread routinely come with each plate, but extra add-ons include potato salad, healthy greens, mac and cheese, seasoned fries, and more. Many folks swing by for family-size takeaways of these dishes to populate at-home dinner tables. The same goes for homemade pies, all deeply Southern staples, including pecan, sweet potato, old-fashioned coconut, and chess or chocolate chess pies. They're available in slices or whole pies, and you can bet on seeing quite a few of them prancing out the front door.

The remarkable thing about Gus's is its uncanny ability to remain rooted in the ambiance and simplicity of days gone by, from authentic brick-walled country-store cafés to roadside diners or local taverns. Red- or black-checkered tablecloths scatter beneath gently circulating ceiling fans or wagon-wheel-style chandeliers, while waiters glide through, refilling glasses of sweet iced tea or lemonade. Neon signs, folk art, and jukeboxes make you want to pluck an old guitar, swing-dance with your partner, or just soak in the glory of tried-and-true, hot and spicy, deep-fried chicken.