Krispy Krunchy Chicken

Update Review, October 2022

During the pandemic, I discovered Krispy Krunchy Chicken.  As you read in my original review, I couldn't quite explain it.  But I loved it.  Not for the chicken of course, as I don't actually eat chicken, but, for one thing in particular: the mac and cheese.  Yup, fast food mac and cheese, and I was totally in love with it.  Enough so that I ventured regularly into the depths of the Tenderloin to get it.  It was a sustaining part of one part of the pandemic for me, really.

Fast forward a year or so, and Krispy Krunchy Chicken was kinda left behind for me.  I was back in the office full time, had no extra time to journey to the Tenderloin, and didn't need "missions" like seeking out mac and cheese to get me out of the house.  And then one day, I was really, really craving mac and cheese.  I could have gotten higher end mac and cheese from any number of places close by, but the moment I thought of the mac from Krispy Krunchy, I could have nothing else.  I needed the Krispy Krunchy Chicken (KKC, as I affectionally call it) mac and cheese, stat.  And lucky for me, all the different Krispy Krunchy Chicken locations in SF (the rest are in gas stations, like most in the rest of the country) are available for delivery.  I still opted to order from my "favorite" Tenderloin location.

I ordered on Door Dash, actually using "Double Dash" to tack my order on to another delivery I was doing.  It was easy to order, and it actually came quite quickly.  My only qualm is that either inflation has really hit KKC, or the Door Dash markup was more substantial than most other businesses.  I was surprised at how pricey it was.

Side note: Stuck doing a lot of takeout and delivery these days? Want to try some free food and new pickup or delivery services?  Here are some codes for free money!

• Nextdish: ($10 off your first order) [ Delivery only ]
• Door Dash ($15 off, $5 each of your first 3 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Caviar ($20 off, $10 off your first 2 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Ritual ($6 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Delivery.com ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Grub Hub ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Seamless ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Allset ($5 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Nextdish: ($10 off your first order) [ Delivery only ]
• Uber Eats ($20 off - use code eats-lejw5 at checkout) [ Pickup or delivery ]

Mac & Cheese (Small). $6.15.

Oh, be still my heart.  The mac and cheese looked exactly the same as I remembered: unnaturally orange, fairly creamy.  I took a bite of the lukewarm delivery product, and a big smile spread across my face.  Yup, the mac and cheese was exactly as I remembered.  The pasta wasn't too mushy, it was creamy, I liked the totally fake cheese flavor.  It was no frills, no breadcrumbs, no seasoning, but it didn't matter.  It is just delicious.  I can't explain it.  Just, so good.

I do recommend pairing it with some steamed green veggies (broccoli, kale, etc), but it is fine just on its own too.  A drizzle of bbq sauce kicks it up a notch, but isn't necessary.

I was thrilled to get this delivered, even though the Door Dash markup here was quite high - when I got it in person, it was only $3.99, which seems much more appropriate for the small side, rather than $6.15 per Door Dash.  Still, this mac, swoon.  ****+.

Barbecue Sauce. $1.38.

I'm really particular about barbecue sauce, and, for some reason, it turns out, I really like the KKC barbecue.  I suspect it is made by some other brand, but, it isn't too sweet, is slightly smoky, and just is the style I like.  It goes great with the mac and cheese, but I also like it on my mashed potatoes, with hot dogs, with fries or onion rings ... I always stock up on it now when I get a KKC order. ****.

Apple Pie. $3.29.

I only ever had the apple pie from Krispy Krunchy Chicken once before, but I couldn't resist adding one to my delivery order.  Unlike the mac and cheese, it didn't look quite as glorious.  It kinda just looked fried, dried out, and old.  It also wasn't warm when it arrived.

I tried a bite cold, and it tasted as it looked - like rather stale oil.  Undeterred, I warmed it up in the toaster oven, got out a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and some whipped cream, and some sprinkles, just in case.  It was certainly better warmed up, and I did still like the filling - yes, just basically canned apple pie filling, not something that tastes homemade, e.g. chunks of apple, goo, spicing, but, it was not too mushy, the spices were interesting and not overwhelming, and it wasn't cloying sweet.  Far better than you'd expect, really.  

The crust was almost awesome, but, it really just suffered from clearly being not fresh.  The crispy, fried nature was nearly great, particularly when it was heated back up, but, it tasted like old oil.  My brain wanted to love it, as it was fried goodness, but, it wasn't actually goodness.  I don't know if this suffered more from delivery or from perhaps actually being fairly old, as its not like KKC makes these fresh to order.

I did still enjoy it, but not as much as before.  It needed the ice cream this time, whereas before it was really fine on its own.  Again, high Door Dash markup, as these are only $1.29 in person.  For $1.29 I'd say its a great item, but for $3.29 .... eh.  ***.

Original Review, August 2021

Krispy.  Krunchy.  Chicken.

Two of these three are words that I really enjoy when it comes to food.  But one, uh, is not.  Probably the key one.  And yet I still keep returning to Krispy Krunchy Chicken, aka, KKC (my own little nickname for it, not actually a name I've seen used elsewhere).  I am addicted to KKC.

But let me rewind.  

Krispy Krunchy Chicken is a chain restaurant, featuring, you guessed it, fried chicken.  Fast casual style, basically entirely takeout.  It hails from Louisiana, but has locations in 46 states, 2400 nationwide due to their huge push of franchising.  Most of their locations are located inside gas stations, or supermarkets, and the like.  They are not standalone restaurants.

Besides the aforementioned chicken (available in several forms), the menu has a slew of southern sides (yup, red beans and rice!), a couple seafood items, and plenty of dipping sauces.  Oh, and of course, biscuits.  From there, individual store Operators can augment the menu however they wish, which usually involves adding a few more random fried things, and sourcing desserts from somewhere nearby.  Some locations offer breakfast as well.

The fast expansion of Krispy Krunchy Chicken seems based on the fact that they have set up a pretty low overhead way for a new Operator to get up and running, supplying all the chicken, sides, sauces, etc, plus the signage, the inventory control system, and more.  And since they operate without dining rooms, far lower barrier to entry as well.

Side note: Stuck doing a lot of takeout and delivery these days? Want to try some free food and new pickup or delivery services?  Here are some codes for free money!

• Allset ($5 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Door Dash ($15 off, $5 each of your first 3 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Caviar ($20 off, $10 off your first 2 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Ritual ($6 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Delivery.com ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Grub Hub ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Seamless ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Nextdish: ($10 off your first order) [ Delivery only ]
• Uber Eats ($20 off - use code eats-lejw5 at checkout) [ Pickup or delivery ]

I ordered in advance every time, usually with AllSet, although once with GrubHub.  My orders were never started before I arrived, and I always needed to point out my ticket sitting there on the printer.  Literally, every time.  That said, it takes them <1 minute to fill an order, so I wasn't ever really waiting.

Setting

In San Francisco, we have a couple locations, and I've visited two.  The first, and one I visit the most frequently, is in the Tenderloin, the heart of the Tenderloin, and it takes some grit to walk there.  But I still do it, regularly, because I love it so much.  I've also visited one near Fisherman's Wharf, which was an entirely different experience, although, tbh, I'm not sure if I want to avoid the 'loin locals or the gaggle of tourists around the wharf more ...

#fried.

The entirety of the shop is mostly the fried food display.  That and a register.  Not much else to the place.

Nothing at Krispy Krunchy is made to order.  It didn't seem high volume.  And yet ... the displays are always full, loaded with all different pieces of chicken, fish, potato wedges, um, even deep fried corn on the cob (really!).  Who knows how long they had been sitting there ...

Biscuits are also kept warm under these heaters, and the other sides are in pots behind the counter.

Sides

The sides lineup at Krispy Krunchy really does have something for everyone.  Those who want to lean into the southern vibe can go for red beans & rice or jambalaya (which yes, has their signature chicken bits in it), those who want classic American comfort food can opt for mashed potatoes with gravy or mac-n-cheese, and of course, there are the signature honey butter biscuits ...  Oh, and fries, potato wedges, and sweet potato fries, for whatever form of fried carb you prefer.

All quite classic, fast food/convenience store style items, pre-made and ready to go.

Small Side Container.

Most sides are available in small or large containers, and are pre-made, just sitting in soup warmers ready to be scooped out to order.  Biscuits live with the fried items under heat lamps.

Ah, fast food. 

Mac & Cheese. $3.99.

"Okay, this tasty side doesn’t krunch, but it sure does pack a powerful punch. For those of you craving a little comfort food, this pasta with cheddar cheese sauce dish will make you feel like your stomach is hugging your soul."

Fast food mac and cheese.  It has a special place in my heart it seems.  Because I kinda loved this at first bite.

Yes, it was shockingly orange.  Unnaturally so.  Yes the pasta was as generic as can be.  But it wasn't mushy nor overcooked, it was creamy, flavorful, and I kinda loved it.  Hot or cold.  Didn't matter.

Does it taste homemade?  No.  Is it "the best mac and cheese" ever?  Of course not.  Did it have a crispy top, breadcrumbs, seasoning of any kind?  No, no, no.  But, for exactly what it is, it is great.  Reminded me of a far, far better version of Easy Mac.

A small mac and cheese will run you 240 cal, 10g fat, but has a decent 10g protein too.  It really is not the worst.  Or so I keep on telling myself.

****.

Mac & Cheese. $3.99.

Yeah yeah, judge away, but I like this stuff!  I now get it frequently.

Yes, it is strangely orange (less vibrant this time though), and yes there is way too much cheese sauce, and no it doesn't have any unique depth of flavor, no crumb topping ... and yet, yes, I still like it.

It reheats well at home (and uh, is good cold straight from the fridge) and is really perfect comfort food.

****.

Mac & Cheese "My Way"
w/ collard greens, english peas, broccoli, cauliflower.

I think the mac and cheese is particularly delicious when paired with steamed greens, or with bits of cauliflower/broccoli, or peas mixed in.  You know, to be "healthy".  

To make this very jazzed up version, I steamed fresh collards and english peas, and added a little leftover steamed broccoli/cauliflower mix from Ben's Fast Food (review coming soon), to round out the dish.  I adored it.

****+ served "my way".

Mac & Cheese. $3.99.

Yeah, I have a problem.  I'm addicted to this mac & cheese.

It was far less creamy and cheesy this time however.  But still crazy orange, and still crazy delicious.

Again, good as it is.  Good cold.  Good with some veggies added to round out a meal.  Nice with some pepper on top, maybe a touch of onion or garlic powder.  Or bbq sauce.  But really, nothing necessary.

Just, so tasty.

***+.

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy. $3.99.

"For us, no meal is complete without Mashed Potatoes & Gravy. So, of course, we had to add it to our offerings. Our potatoes are light and fluffy, and our gravy is the secret that makes it magical." 

"Krispy Krunchy’s Mashed Potatoes offer a “from scratch” flavor with quick, easy prep. They’ve selected, washed, peeled, sliced, mashed and dried the potatoes. All you have to do is add water and watch the profits pile up. The proprietary process preserves the natural potato flavor and texture and gives you the confidence in serving a quality, consistent product year round." -- Franchise brochure

Given the joy of the mac and cheese, I enthusiastically went for the mashed potatoes and gravy next.

I laughed when I saw the small scoop put into my container, and then watched it be filled to the brim ... with gravy.  I can safely say that there was more gravy than mash here.  

And the mashed potatoes?  Um.  Yeah.  These are fast food mashed potatoes.  Instant for sure (as the KKC reference materials say, clearly, they are dried).  Gloopy.  Starchy in a raw tasting way.  They tasted like Potato Buds flakes, which, uh, I used to love (I grew up on those potatoes, to which I added cheese and sliced hot dogs, and made what I thought was quite a gourmet dish back in the day, heh).  So these had a place in my heart too, nostalgia for sure, but not actually tasty.  After a few bites I was ready to be done.

The gravy pool was thick, not gloopy actually, salty.  No real depth of flavor, but it wasn't bad.  But wow, so much of it.

I'm not sure sure *what* is in these, as they clock in as the highest calorie side, 450 cal in a small (and 1310 in a large!), which is far more than anything else, fries, wedges, jambalaya, etc.

**+, and definitely fun to try, but I wouldn't get again.

Honey Butter Biscuit. $1.29.

"These biscuits give plain biscuits an inferiority complex. Naturally sweetened, these biscuits are made from our signature honey butter mix. Buy them individually, 2 at a time, or even 6 at a time. It’s up to you – or rather – up to your stomach."

People rave about these biscuits.  Reviews on other items are all over the place, but these biscuits, people just love.  And I love biscuits.  And honey butter.  But these biscuits I did not love.  Nor did I even ... like them.

The biscuit was rock solid.  Like a hockey puck.  It had no interesting flavor, no buttermilk tang, no cornmeal grit.  It was just a very, very, very hard biscuit.

In the warmer display the biscuits all had some honey glaze on them already, but more was added "fresh" from a squirt bottle as my order was handed over.

It wasn't, um, actual butter, clearly.

Overall, a big fail for me, and I'm convinced this must have just been a really old batch?

*.

Signature Sauces

What does krispy krunchy chicken need?  Dipping sauce of course!  Since so much of the menu can be dunked it should come as no surprise they have a nice lineup of dipping sauces, bbq, sweet & tangy mustard, ranch, "original", honey mustard, sweet & sour, tartar ...

Some locations only charge $0.50 per sauce, but the one near me charged a whopping $1.25.  For a regular, small little sauce container!

Barbecue Sauce. $1.25.

I got some BBQ sauce to drizzle on the mac and cheese, but didn't end up using it, as I loved the mac so much on its own.  I'll update this review once I do try it!

Desserts

I might not be the target audience for Krispy Krunchy Chicken in most ways (because, um, I hate chicken), but their dessert line up really, really draws me in.  You know me and dessert.

Dessert seems to be left to the individual franchises to do as they please.  My local KKC goes all out in the dessert line up.

They have a huge assortment of F’real shakes - you know, those packaged milkshakes/smoothies/protein shakes with a custom mixer machine that sound pretty awesome, but you never actually order because ... how good is a packaged milkshake?  I really need to try them sometime.

And then they have cake slices, all kinds, ranging from Red Velvet to German Chocolate.  And mini pies.  And peach cobbler.  Banana pudding.  These all come from a local wholesale bakery, pre-packaged.

And then ... there is the one dessert item that is front and center, taking its crowning spot alongside all the fried chicken.  The fried apple pie.  Oh yes.  Kept warm with the other items.  Oh my.

Apple Pie. $1.29.

The first time I got an apple pie from Krispy Krunchy Chicken, I approached it with apprehension, just like the mac and cheese.  I mean really, fast food apple pie?  And who knows how long it had been sitting under that heat lamp?  My only other fast food pie experience was the lackluster strawberry & cream pie from McDonald's.

One bite is all it took to erase all my doubtful thoughts.  

First, it was served warm, so kudos to them for that.  Perfectly warm actually, not too hot, the insides didn't burnt me, I didn't need to wait to devour it.  But it was nicely warm, not just lukewarm.  Excellent.

The crust, while it may not look like much, was crazy delicious.  Everything the McDonald's one was not.  Deep fried, but not oily (probably cuz it had been sitting there a while?  Gulp).  Buttery and flaky.  Tons of flavor in it, probably from being fried alongside the chicken and other items in oil that is changed questionably often.  I loved the exterior.

Apple Pie: Inside.

Inside was apple pie filling, the kind you get in a can, or packaged apple pie at the convenience store.  But it was tasty, chunks of apple, plenty of goo, well spiced.  I was impressed with the spicing in particular, plenty of cinnamon, but nothing overpowering.  It was not too sweet, not too gloopy.  Just, good.

The entire thing came together in perfect harmony.  I picked one up intending to eat it for dinner, as I had literally just finished lunch, with cookies and ice cream after, but ... this was irresistible.  It didn't even need whipped cream or ice cream.

****.