Family-run fried chicken shack celebrates 60 years in Calgary with one-day sale

Chicken on the Way marks 60 years in Calgary Bill Macfarlane speaks with the owner of the Kensington location and customers as the restaurant celebrated its anniversary with a sale.

The owner of Chicken on the Way commemorated his grandfather’s decision to uproot his Edmonton business and move it to Calgary 60 years ago by thanking customers at all of the Calgary locations and the Airdrie store with a 60 per cent discount on Wednesday.

“It actually started in Edmonton in 1957,” explained Russ Dunn. “He was there for a year. They came (to Calgary) for a vacation and they liked it here so they moved here.”

Dunn’s grandfather set up shop at the intersection of 14 Street and Kensington Road Northwest in 1958 where, with the exception of a move of the building further back on the property, it has remained to this very day.

The lineup outside the Kensington store stretched outside the building throughout the afternoon.

Dunn credits the longevity of the business to a number of simple factors. “Good food. It’s pretty fast too. We’re friendly. My staff is friendly most of the time, try to be. It’s reasonable price wise.”

The owner says he doesn’t know the secret recipe of the chicken breading. “A flour mill mixes it up for us and puts all the spices in,” explained Dunn. “I don’t actually have the recipe. They have it. Hopefully nothing happens to them or we’ll be in trouble.”

Chicken on the Way expanded earlier this decade and now operates six stores in Calgary, one in Airdrie and two in Edmonton.

Dunn says the restaurant means a great deal to many people. “The customers come in and they’re my age and they say ‘I used to come here with my grandfather 40 years ago on Sunday mornings’ and all kinds of stories of people coming here for a long time with their family. It’s pretty cool.”

“It doesn’t matter where I go, if I’m wearing the shirt or the jacket they come and tell me a story.”

Greg Sherriff says he’s been a customer of Chicken on the Way for more than 20 years but wouldn’t give an exact timeframe so as not to reveal his age.

“I’ve been coming here for a long time,” laughed Sherriff. “I don’t really live in this area so I come here just for the chicken. His chicken is so moist and juicy. It’s just so good.”

“I would rather support local than buy chain. If I can support local, family-owned businesses, that’s my thing.”

Dunn says the business does face challenges but he plans to keep the family-run restaurant going for the foreseeable future. “It’s a little tougher nowadays but we’re still plugging along. Business is still good. Hopefully we’re here for another 40 or 60 years.”

With files from CTV’s Bill Macfarlane