Ezell's Chicken

Ezell's Chicken, also referred to as Ezell's Famous Chicken, is a privately held fried-chicken restaurant brand founded in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by Ezell Stephens and Lewis Rudd. Its first restaurant opened on February 3, 1984, in Seattle's Central District near Garfield High School. The founders were originally from Scottsville, Texas: Stephens had served in the United States Coast Guard, while Rudd had served in the United States Army. They discussed opening a restaurant in 1978, attended night school, and eventually obtained financing through a Small Business Administration loan. The brand developed around freshly prepared fried chicken and a menu of accompanying sides and desserts. Its identity has been closely associated with Seattle and the wider Puget Sound region, where it expanded through company and/or affiliated locations after its original restaurant. A second restaurant opened in Seattle's University District in 1988, although that location closed in 1994 amid financial difficulties. A later expansion phase began in 1998, allowing the chain to establish a broader regional footprint. Ezell's received substantial public attention after talk-show host Oprah Winfrey identified it as her favorite fried chicken. The association became an important part of the brand's popular reputation, and reports have stated that the chicken was flown to Winfrey in Chicago when she wanted it. This publicity helped distinguish Ezell's from other regional fried-chicken operators, although the business remained primarily focused on the Pacific Northwest rather than becoming a nationwide chain. The chain's reported footprint has included locations across the Puget Sound region, including a restaurant on the Microsoft campus in Redmond that opened in 2006. In 2015, Ezell's opened a restaurant in Spokane, its first location outside Western Washington. The same year, the company opened an international location in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, in June. That Sharjah restaurant later closed, leaving the brand's continuing operations centered in the United States. Ezell's corporate history also includes a major dispute involving co-founder Ezell Stephens. Following a contentious lawsuit involving Stephens and business partners Lewis and Faye Rudd, Stephens left the company and lost the right to use the Ezell's name while retaining his chicken recipe. He subsequently operated restaurants in Everett, Lake City, and Renton, Washington. In November 2011, those locations were renamed Heaven Sent Fried Chicken. The Renton Heaven Sent location closed in February 2019. In addition to selling food, Ezell's has presented itself as a community-oriented local business. In 2021, it launched the R.U.B.B. Initiative, meaning Raising Up Black Businesses, which offered twenty inaugural grants of $2,500 to Black-owned businesses or organizations in Washington state. The initiative was expanded the following year to include a leadership conference. Ezell's therefore combines a regional fast-food identity with local philanthropic and community-development activity. Publicly available reference material does not establish a current executive roster, exact ownership structure, systemwide sales, or a definitive current store count.

Ezell's Chicken originated in Seattle through the partnership of Ezell Stephens and Lewis Rudd, two men from Scottsville, Texas. After Stephens left the Coast Guard and Rudd left the Army, they began discussing a restaurant venture in 1978. They attended night school while preparing for the business and later secured a loan from the Small Business Administration. Their first restaurant opened on February 3, 1984, in Seattle's Central District, near Garfield High School. The early business established a local presence through fried chicken and related meal offerings. A second restaurant opened in Seattle's University District in 1988. That location closed in 1994 after financial problems, but the company entered another expansion phase in 1998. Over time, Ezell's built a network in the Puget Sound region. One notable site opened on the Microsoft campus in Redmond in 2006, reflecting the brand's reach into major employment and technology centers in the Seattle area. A major element of Ezell's public profile came from Oprah Winfrey's reported endorsement of the restaurant's chicken as her favorite fried chicken. The association gave the Seattle chain national visibility and contributed to its reputation beyond its home market. The business nevertheless remained a regional operator for most of its history. In 2015, it opened in Spokane, marking its first restaurant outside Western Washington. It also opened an international restaurant in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, in June 2015; that location subsequently closed. The relationship between the founders later deteriorated. Following a contentious lawsuit involving Ezell Stephens and business partners Lewis and Faye Rudd, Stephens left the company. The legal outcome prevented him from continuing to use the Ezell's name, but he retained the recipe. Stephens operated three restaurants in Everett, Lake City, and Renton, Washington, and changed their name to Heaven Sent Fried Chicken in November 2011. The Renton Heaven Sent location closed in February 2019. Ezell's has also pursued community initiatives. In 2021, it created the R.U.B.B. Initiative, short for Raising Up Black Businesses. The initial program offered twenty grants of $2,500 each to Black-owned businesses or organizations in Washington state. In 2022, the initiative expanded to include a leadership conference. This activity reinforced the company's identity as a locally rooted business with an interest in supporting Black entrepreneurship and community institutions. Reference material describes Ezell's as having multiple restaurants in the Puget Sound region in addition to its Spokane operation, but the available material does not provide a reliable current store count, a full ownership history, detailed financial data, or a current list of senior executives. The Sharjah expansion is documented historically, but the international location is no longer operating.

1. 2022R.U.B.B. expands with leadership conference

   The community initiative added a leadership conference.

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2. 2021R.U.B.B. Initiative launches

   The brand began a grant program supporting Black-owned businesses and organizations in Washington state.

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3. 2015Spokane and Sharjah openings

   Ezell's opened its first restaurant outside Western Washington in Spokane and launched an international location in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

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4. 2011Stephens-associated restaurants are renamed

   After a lawsuit over use of the Ezell's name, three restaurants associated with Ezell Stephens became Heaven Sent Fried Chicken.

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5. 2006Microsoft campus location opens

   Ezell's opened a restaurant on Microsoft's Redmond campus.

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6. 1998Renewed expansion begins

   The chain began a second expansion period.

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7. 1994University District restaurant closes

   The University District location closed after financial difficulties.

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8. 1988University District expansion

   Ezell's opened a second Seattle restaurant in the University District.

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9. 1984First Ezell's restaurant opens

   The first restaurant opened on February 3 in Seattle's Central District near Garfield High School.

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10. 1978Founders discuss creating a restaurant business

    Ezell Stephens and Lewis Rudd began discussing a restaurant venture after leaving military service.

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A regional, community-oriented fast-food chain focused on freshly prepared seasoned fried chicken, accessible family meals, and Pacific Northwest brand heritage.

• Fried chickenChicken entrées1984

  Ezell's core offering is freshly prepared seasoned fried chicken, served in individual meals and larger family-style combinations. The product is the foundation of the brand's Seattle identity and the item most closely associated with its public reputation.

• Spicy chickenChicken entrées

  Spicy fried chicken is a prominent variation within the brand's chicken range, providing a hotter alternative to the standard preparation and appearing among the chain's recognized flagship offerings.

• Chicken tendersChicken entrées

  Chicken tenders extend Ezell's menu beyond bone-in pieces and are designed for individual meals, family orders, and customers seeking a more convenient chicken format.

• Sides and dessertsAccompaniments

  Side dishes and desserts complement the chicken meals and support the brand's family-meal and casual fast-food format. The available reference material does not provide a complete current item list.

• 2022R.U.B.B. Leadership Conference

  Washington state

  The R.U.B.B. program broadened from direct grants to include a leadership conference for the supported community.

  Outcome. The conference became an additional component of Ezell's Black-business support initiative.

  Source
• 2021R.U.B.B. Initiative

  Washington state

  Ezell's launched the Raising Up Black Businesses Initiative to support Black-owned businesses or organizations in Washington state. The inaugural program offered twenty grants of $2,500 each.

  Outcome. The initiative continued and expanded in 2022 to include a leadership conference.

  Source

• 2021Create a Black-business support programStrategy

  Ezell's used a community-investment initiative to support Black-owned businesses and organizations in Washington state.

  What changed. The company introduced the R.U.B.B. Initiative with twenty grants of $2,500 each.

  Aftermath. The program expanded in 2022 with a leadership conference.

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• 2015Expand beyond the Pacific Northwest and into international marketsStrategy

  After developing a regional restaurant network, Ezell's pursued geographic expansion through a Spokane restaurant and an international location in Sharjah.

  What changed. The company opened its first restaurant outside Western Washington in Spokane and opened a Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, location in June 2015.

  Aftermath. The Spokane opening extended the domestic footprint, while the Sharjah location later closed.

  Source

• 2022R.U.B.B. Initiative adds a leadership conference

  Ezell's expanded the R.U.B.B. program beyond grants by adding a leadership conference.

  Campaign
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• 2021Ezell's launches the R.U.B.B. Initiative

  The company introduced its Raising Up Black Businesses program, offering twenty initial grants of $2,500 to Black-owned businesses or organizations in Washington state.

  Campaign
  Source
• 2015Ezell's enters Spokane

  The chain opened its first restaurant outside Western Washington in Spokane, extending its domestic footprint eastward.

  Other
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• 2015Ezell's opens its first international restaurant in Sharjah

  Ezell's opened an international location in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, in June. The restaurant later closed.

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• 2011Founder Ezell Stephens leaves after naming-rights lawsuit

  Following a contentious lawsuit, Ezell Stephens departed the company and lost the right to use the Ezell's name while retaining his chicken recipe. His three restaurants were renamed Heaven Sent Fried Chicken in November 2011.

  LawsuitLeadership changeOther
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• 2006Ezell's opens a location on the Microsoft campus

  The chain opened a restaurant at Microsoft's Redmond campus, extending its presence within the Puget Sound business community.

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• 1998Ezell's expands during a second growth phase

  The brand began a renewed expansion period after the closure of its earlier University District location.

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• 1988Second Ezell's location opens in Seattle's University District

  The company expanded with a University District restaurant. The location later closed in 1994 after the business experienced financial problems.

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• 1984Ezell's Chicken opens its first restaurant

  Ezell Stephens and Lewis Rudd opened the first Ezell's restaurant in Seattle's Central District on February 3, establishing the brand that would become a regional fried-chicken chain.

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1. Ezell's Chicken
2. Ezell's Chicken official website