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Drunks Don't Care About Wheat Bread at Three in the Morning

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Mar 23, 2006 2:30PM

2006_01_Harold.jpgIn case you missed it the first time Chicagoist weighed in on the subject, WE LOVES US SOME HAROLD'S CHICKEN!!!!!!! We also love to do the housequake, but that's a story for another time.

Honestly, we're so happy to see a Harold's Chicken Shack opening up in Liquor Park sans bulletproof glass and burglar bars, but that's no reason for them to start going full-on boojie and serving wheat bread with the half-white holy grail. Harold's operations manager, J.R. Williams, was quoted in yesterday's Sun-Times thusly, "It's a new millennium for Harold's. We want to have a store that fits with the neighborhood."

As reader Ken commented in yesterday's "Extra, Extra" post, not having a bulletproof lazy susan is a good start. But 1361 N. Milwaukee sure as hell ain't 74th and Halsted, either. That and other south side locations still manage to be successful, and it's because the proof is in the chicken. Nor do they need plans for serving chicken sandwiches or offering whole wheat bread with their meals to be successful in the neighborhood. Their primary customer base will be the drunks flopping out of Double Door, the Note, and other bars at closing time. All those fools will need is a can of energy drink (or Sparks), some headache powder, and that tasty bird. Everything will be copacetic, and the line will flow out the door.

Williams correctly pointed out in yesterday's article that Wicker Park is ready for some good chicken. All the folks at Harold's Chicken Shack need to do is heed the wisdom of Gladys Knight and keep on keepin' on.