Just call Guy Fieri Chicken Guy! That’s the name of the celebrity chef’s latest restaurant, and the inexpensive eatery, which is located in the Disney Springs section of Disney World in Orlando, Florida, is one that he is immensely proud of.
“Chicken Guy! is really something else. It’s hitting all of the chicken sweet spots,” he tells Us Weekly of the restaurant, which boasts an array of fried and grilled chicken dishes as well as some healthier chicken-topped salads and decadent sweet treats. “[It’s] fresh, delicious, a great value and a good time.”
While Fieri’s restaurant empire consists of several Guy’s Burger Joint restaurants, many Guy’s Sammich Joint eateries and more, Chicken Guy!, which opened in August 2018, marks the first time the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives host has focused specifically on poultry. “I’ve always been down with chicken and have been working on the recipes for a long time for other restaurants of mine,” he explains of how the idea for this restaurant came about. “But, one day, my partner Robert Earl and I were tossing around the idea of opening some more of my Guy’s Burger Joints and he just threw it out there … ‘How about Chicken Guy?’ Done deal. The bird is the word.”
But don’t worry, just because Chicken Guy! centers around one main ingredient, that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to choose from. In fact, the establishment offers 22 different dipping sauces to accompany the chicken, and there are even dedicated Sauce Slingers who roam the restaurant armed with condiments and encourage customers to sample something new. “Our chicken is great on its own … you don’t need to dip it to win, but, I’m all about adding to the experience with our scratch-made sauces,” Fieri, 50, says.
And while The Next Food Network Star winner likens picking a preferred sauce to choosing a favorite band, he wanted to “give a little something for everybody.” Adds Fieri: “We’ve got signature classics like Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ and Donkey Sauce, and then some funky flavors that you may not have tried before, like the spicy Peri Peri and Wasabi Honey. I’m telling you, they are all worthy of a try.”
Considering the customer response to Chicken Guy! has thus far been “amazing,” it’s no surprise that Fieri already has plans to take the concept beyond Disney World. “Chicken Guy! is built for speed and we’ve got some new locations to be announced soon,” he tells Us. “But not to worry, no sauces will be slung until the right time and place.”
