$37 for an 8 piece? Holy crappers, Batman! 8 piece (no sides) at Jewel is a $7.59 coupon special. And Jewel fried chicken is pretty darn good, especially at one of da Jewels where they know how to fry it.

Katie wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote: A bit on the pricey side -- $37 for 8 pieces (w/mini biscuits) ... I have no idea what places like Evanston Chicken Shack, Popeye's or KFC charge these days.

With a coupon that comes in the mail here frequently, $8.99 for 8 pieces at Popeye's on Wednesdays, plus 5 biscuits and 1 large side for $5 more. A few dollars more other days of the week.

tjr wrote:$37 for an 8 piece? Holy crappers, Batman! 8 piece (no sides) at Jewel is a $7.59 coupon special. And Jewel fried chicken is pretty darn good, especially at one of da Jewels where they know how to fry it.

Well, yeah. Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of cheaper options. Even Parson's is cheaper, at $32 for a whole chicken.

I lived in NOLA for a couple of years and have a very soft spot for Popeye's. I love it and that's a solid deal. If the service weren't so consistently awful at every Popeye's I ever go to, I'd probably be there a lot more frequently. And yes, Jewel is fine for fried chicken though, at least for me, it doesn't have nearly the pizzazz of Popeye's. What you get there is almost certain to have been sitting around a while but yes, it's fine.

I'm not defending HBFC (I think it's pretty clear from my posts above that I don't really count myself as a fan) and no doubt, this has been brought up countless times before but they have a different model and the comparisons are not entirely applicable. They're selling antibiotic-free, cage-free humanely-raised chicken, something I doubt either Popeye's or Jewel is doing. My guess is that those joints are offering CAFO birds. Fine if that doesn't matter to you (and it doesn't always matter to me) but they are unquestionably cheaper. HBFC also has a bunch of other practices/initiatives that -- whether you see them as laudable or bunk -- add costs. But yeah, that can add up to some serious sticker shock.

In any case, the range of prices for fried chicken is pretty extreme, as extreme as the differences between the practices of the places selling it. Definitely not judging here but instead, trying develop a better perspective on -- and understanding of -- the overall market.

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Jamie wrote:To each their own. I find thighs greasy and inedible.

The level of grease varies based on the piece of chicken? I'm not a fried chicken fan, but I always thought that issue would vary based on the restaurant doing the frying and their method, but not piece to piece.

bweiny wrote:

Jamie wrote:To each their own. I find thighs greasy and inedible.

The level of grease varies based on the piece of chicken? I'm not a fried chicken fan, but I always thought that issue would vary based on the restaurant doing the frying and their method, but not piece to piece.

While I think it's relatively pointless to debate the merits of personal preference, I'd say that a greasy anything is most likely something that was not cooked optimally.

As for chicken strips, in spite of their recent proliferation, I consider them food intended mainly for children and stoners. While I used to be both, I am no longer either.

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tjr wrote:$37 for an 8 piece? Holy crappers, Batman! 8 piece (no sides) at Jewel is a $7.59 coupon special. And Jewel fried chicken is pretty darn good, especially at one of da Jewels where they know how to fry it.

Sorry but you are comparing apples to oranges. I have had Jewel chicken, and I would say it is a compromise for those of us who cannot afford better; Or for those of us seeking protein to live rather than food as pleasure. I think the latter is a happier place, although only possible with a steady influx of cash.

I think a more fair comparison would be Chicken Shack in Evanston, (the only restaurant in Evanston I go to), and there an 8 piece with no sides goes for about 25 bucks. Again not a totally fair comparison because this is a no frills uh shack so they are able to keep prices as low as possible. I'm not saying what they are asking at Honey is a fair price, I would have to know their costs, just saying not fair to judge those willing to pay it.

bweiny wrote:

Jamie wrote:To each their own. I find thighs greasy and inedible.

The level of grease varies based on the piece of chicken? I'm not a fried chicken fan, but I always thought that issue would vary based on the restaurant doing the frying and their method, but not piece to piece.

We may mean different things by "greasy." Many people bemoan the dryness of chicken breasts and praise the superior juiciness of thighs. I find the moisture content of a well-cooked breast to be ideal. I do get tired of hearing people put it down.

With regard to the price point, it may add some context to note they have a "no tip" structure where they pay the waitstaff a conventional wage rather than having them rely mostly on tips. Or at least that's how it worked for a while; it's been probably 3 or 4 years since I ate there so maybe that's changed since COVID shutdowns put more emphasis on take-out delivery. So it's basically a wash for dine-in customers, while carry-out customers may feel more of a price pinch.

Drover wrote:With regard to the price point, it may add some context to note they have a "no tip" structure where they pay the waitstaff a conventional wage rather than having them rely mostly on tips. Or at least that's how it worked for a while; it's been probably 3 or 4 years since I ate there so maybe that's changed since COVID shutdowns put more emphasis on take-out delivery. So it's basically a wash for dine-in customers, while carry-out customers may feel more of a price pinch.

When I placed and paid for my carry-out order online (the night before), I was prompted to add a tip but I didn't because I prefer to tip after the transaction is completed, not after I simply initiate and pay for it.

Next day, when I went to pick up, with some tip cash in hand, I looked for a tip jar and couldn't find one. I asked and was told that it was included. That's great and admirable but given that I was prompted to add one when placing and paying for the order, there seems to be some inconsistency in their policy. If tips are really included, customers should never be prompted to add them.

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The apples to oranges is corect as their biz model is different. My dear friend Michel Nischan runs a workshop on policy and change for the Beard foundation in which they participated, and tends to turns out chefs w/all sorts of crazy ideas that add costs because of types of products used and treatment of employees as well. https://www.jamesbeard.org/education/bootcamp

ronnie_suburban wrote:When I placed and paid for my carry-out order online (the night before), I was prompted to add a tip but I didn't because I prefer to tip after the transaction is completed, not after I simply initiate and pay for it.

Next day, when I went to pick up, with some tip cash in hand, I looked for a tip jar and couldn't find one. I asked and was told that it was included. That's great and admirable but given that I was prompted to add one when placing and paying for the order, there seems to be some inconsistency in their policy. If tips are really included, customers should never be prompted to add them.

Valuable story on how out of order tipping culture has become. It really is something that an individual has to decide on their own what is and isn't worthy of a tip. Letting prompts factor in is a path to madness. I laugh thinking back to when I worked at a country club 20+ years ago (bag room next to the pro shop, not dining). The environment where tipping is most imperative, and there were still cheapskates who gave zero.

Per facebook, Honey Butter Fried Chicken is closing their Glencoe location. Last day of service there will be 10/27.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/vmC774n8He6RyFdE/

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