This regional fried-chicken chain is better than KFC — and now it's ready to take over America

Kate Taylor

Bojangles has already won over fans across North and South Carolina. Now, it's ready to take over the rest of the US. 

The regional fried-chicken chain announced on Monday that it is ramping up expansion, with a new development agreement in southern Alabama and southeast Mississippi. 

Right now, Bojangles' locations are primarily found in the Southeastern US. However, the company estimates it has the potential to open more than 3,5000 locations nationwide, with hundreds of locations in the Northeast, as well as the Midwest, Texas, and California.

As a Bojangles' fan, I decided it was time to stop by the location in my hometown of Durham, North Carolina, and revisit how the chain has built its following.

Bojangles' was founded in 1977 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Today, the chain has 671 locations, primarily in the Carolinas, including my personal go-to restaurant in Durham.

The chain is known for its "chicken 'n biscuits." The chicken is hand-breaded and never frozen, while biscuits are made from scratch and baked fresh every 20 minutes.

Other standouts on Bojangles' menu are the sides — or, as Bojangles' calls them, "fixin's" — including cole slaw, "picnic grits," Cajun-flavored pinto beans, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and "Bo-Tato Rounds" (mini hash browns).