Why This Midwestern Fast Food Chain Stopped Selling Fried Chicken

Have you ever had the pleasure of sampling Culver's bone-in fried chicken dinners with two sides? If you answered yes, congratulations on being part of an exclusive culinary group. If you answered no, then we regret to inform you that it's unlikely for that to change in the foreseeable future. The Midwest fast food joint pulled the plug on its fried chicken entree in 2017 and doesn't appear to be going back anytime soon.

The meal in question was a popular one, with people raving about its freshness and quality, so you might be wondering why it was taken off the menu. The answer, according to a Reddit comment from someone who claims to be a Culver's manager, has to do with the added time that bone-in chicken takes to cook to order.

In contrast to breaded filets or chicken tenders — both of which can still be ordered — a fried chicken entree could take up to 20 minutes to cook. That's 20 minutes that can't be used to cook fries or other items, and given the limited fryer quantities at Culver's locations, the resulting logjam "caused operational nightmares" and was costing the chain business. Unfortunately for those who had grown to love the offering, that meant it was time for it to take its place in the fast food graveyard.

Eliminating unnecessary wait times has been important for a chain that has managed to maintain a uniquely steady growth rate (it opened around 50 new restaurants per year between 2019 and 2025), even as the restaurant industry faced a multitude of questions and crises. There are many burger options on the market for those in the mood for some red meat, and while Culver's ranks as Reddit's favorite fast food burger, it's fair to wonder if that would be enough to keep customers in line as wait times piled up.

Meanwhile, for those who love white meat, don't eat beef, or just feel burgered-out, Culver's still has some delicious poultry to munch on. Its chicken sandwich came in fifth in the Food Republic ranking of fast food chicken sandwiches, with customers raving about the spicy chicken sandwich and the high quality of the meat used in it.

This is a common theme with Culver's food. The Culver's ButterBurgers are unique in the fast food landscape thanks to their blend of sirloin, chuck, and plate beef (a cut situated between brisket and flank in the belly) that contains no filler and is always made fresh, not flash frozen. This attention to detail and prioritization of quality meat has not only landed Culver's burgers at the top of fast food fans' ratings, but also explains why both the current chicken sandwiches and the now-extinct chicken entrees command such a loyal cadre of supporters.