____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Fry the Coop
FRYING HIGH
Fry the Coop’ s recipe for growth combines hospitality, hustle, and hot chicken
Fry the Coop began as a bold idea in Chicago’ s fast-casual food scene, building its reputation on chicken sandwiches made with premium ingredients, high standards, and an obsessive focus on hospitality. What started as a tiny, underfunded storefront on Chicago’ s South Side has quickly become one of the city’ s breakout restaurant success stories.
“ I started the business in 2017 after leaving a corporate job I hated,” begins Joseph( Joe) Fontana, Owner.“ I realized that if you can find something you’ re good at, something you genuinely love, and something that can make money, that’ s the sweet spot. For me, that was food.
“ I’ ve always loved restaurants and the experience of bringing people together over a meal. I’ m not a chef, but I knew I could make great food, and I became obsessed with the idea of creating a highquality chicken sandwich in a fast-casual setting. At the time, most fast-food chicken felt cheap and uninspired, and I thought there was room for something better.
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