Bojangles is a popular fast food chain known for its Southern-inspired chicken, biscuits, and fixin’s. The company was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1977 and has since expanded across the Southeastern United States. With over 750 locations across 14 states, Bojangles has become a staple for lovers of Southern comfort food.
Famous Chicken and Biscuits
Bojangles is best known for its hand-breaded, bone-in fried chicken and scratch-made buttermilk biscuits. The chicken is marinated for at least 12 hours before being hand-breaded and pressure fried to golden brown perfection. The biscuits are made from scratch using buttermilk and baked fresh throughout the day. This signature chicken and biscuits combo is a customer favorite.
In addition to the bone-in chicken pieces, Bojangles also offers chicken sandwiches, chicken supremes, chicken filets, and chicken tenders. All of the chicken on the menu is marinated and breaded by hand. Popular chicken sandwiches include the Cajun Filet Biscuit, which features a marinated chicken breast filet drizzled with Bojangles’ signature Cajun sauce and served on a made-from-scratch buttermilk biscuit.
Variety of Sides
To complement the chicken, Bojangles serves up a variety of Southern-inspired sides and fixin’s. Some customer favorites include:
- Dirty Rice: A spicy blend of chicken livers, ground pork sausage, green onions, and long grain rice.
- Cajun Pintos: Pinto beans slow-cooked with smoked sausage and seasonings.
- Cole Slaw: Freshly prepared cole slaw with carrots and Bojangles’ signature sauce.
- Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy: Creamy mashed potatoes topped with peppery Cajun gravy.
- Mac & Cheese: Elbow macaroni in a creamy cheese sauce topped with cheddar cheese.
- Fried Okra: Crispy breaded okra fried to perfection.
- Boberry Biscuits: Flaky biscuits topped with sweet icing.
In true Southern tradition, Bojangles rounds out its menu with classic sides like green beans, corn, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, french fries, and fried okra. Customers can mix and match their favorite sides to build a meal.
Signature Sauces and Seasonings
Bojangles sets itself apart with its homemade sauces and seasonings that add signature Southern flavor. These include:
- Bo Sauce – A peppery sauce made with mayonnaise, yellow mustard and other spices. It’s used on sandwiches and also sold by the bottle.
- Cajun Seasoning – A proprietary blend of spices like cayenne, black pepper, garlic, and paprika used to season items like the Cajun Filet Biscuit and Cajun Pintos.
- Cajun Gravy – A seasoned sausage gravy with a kick of Cajun spice.
- Honey BBQ Sauce – A sweet and tangy barbecue sauce made with honey.
These signature sauces and seasonings give Bojangles food authentic Southern flavor and heat. The Cajun-inspired offerings like the Cajun Filet Biscuit and Cajun Pintos are especially popular menu items.
Sweet Tea
What Southern meal would be complete without a refreshing glass of sweet tea? Bojangles is known for its perfectly sweet and fresh-brewed iced tea. It’s made with a simple blend of water, pure cane sugar, and tea leaves and steeped for hours to draw out maximum flavor. Sweet tea makes up nearly 50% of Bojangles’ beverage sales and is the perfect complement to its Southern comfort food.
Other Beverage Offerings
In addition to sweet tea, Bojangles serves various other beverages including:
- Unsweet Tea
- Lemonade
- Bo’s Tea – Half sweet tea, half unsweet tea
- Diet Soft Drinks
- Soft Drinks
- Orange Juice
- Apple Juice
- Milk
- Chocolate Milk
- Coffee
Customers can enjoy a refreshing beverage along with their meal, with sweet tea reigning as the signature drink of choice.
Catering and Family Meals
In addition to individual meals, Bojangles also offers catering for larger groups and family meal deals. Catering options allow customers to order chicken, biscuits, and fixin’s by the dozen to feed big gatherings. Family meal bundles combine different menu items together at a discounted price and come in varieties like the 12-piece Supremes Family Meal or the Chicken & Biscuits Family Meal.
Some popular catering and family meal options include:
| Meal | Includes |
|---|---|
| 12-piece Supremes Family Meal | 12 Supremes, 1 Pint of Bojangles’ Coleslaw, 4 Biscuits, 2 Large Sides, 1 Gallon of Tea |
| 20-piece Tailgate Special | 20 pieces of bone-in chicken, 5 Pints of Sides, 10 Biscuits, 1 Gallon of Tea |
| Chicken & Biscuits Family Meal | 12 pieces of bone-in chicken, 1 Pint of Cole Slaw, 6 Biscuits, 1 Large Side, 1 Gallon of Tea |
| 25 Biscuits | 25 fresh-baked Bojangles Buttermilk Biscuits |
Catering from Bojangles is popular for events, office meetings, family dinners, and other gatherings. The family meals offer a budget-friendly and convenient way to feed a crowd.
Breakfast
Bojangles serves up Southern classics for breakfast until 10:30am. Options include:
- Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches with egg, cheese, bacon, ham, or sausage on a freshly baked biscuit.
- Chicken Egg & Cheese Biscuits made with a chicken filet.
- Bo-Tato Rounds – Fluffy potato rounds covered in Bojangles seasoning.
- Chicken, Egg & Cheese Bo-Tato Rounds
- Oatmeal
- Yogurt Parfaits
- Hash Rounds
- Breakfast Combos with eggs, meat, and a biscuit or Bo-Tato Rounds
Customers can get a tasty and filling Southern-inspired breakfast without leaving their car thanks to Bojangles’ convenient drive-thru. Biscuit sandwiches make for a quintessential morning meal.
Seasonal Menu Items
Bojangles mixes up its menu with limited-time seasonal offerings around holidays and special events. Some popular seasonal items have included:
- Pumpkin Pie Biscuits and Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee for fall
- Cajun Fried Turkeys for Thanksgiving
- Bo-Berry Biscuit and Cheerwine Holiday Punch for Christmas
- Heart-Shaped Bo-Berry Biscuits for Valentine’s Day
- Carolina Gold BBQ Sandwich and Sweet Potato Waffle Fries for summer
These special offerings provide a creative Southern twist on seasonal favorites. Customers look forward to seeing what festive new menu items Bojangles dreams up.
Community Involvement
In keeping with its Southern roots, Bojangles is also known for giving back to communities across its footprint through charity partnerships and campaigns. Some of their initiatives include:
- Bojangles’ Scholarships – Annual college scholarships awarded to high school seniors in the Carolinas.
- sponsorship – Supporting schools’ athletic programs and nonprofit causes in local communities.
- Annual Bojangles’ Spelling Bee – Hosting regional spelling bees for middle school students.
- Community tailgates – Providing food for neighborhood block parties and events.
Giving back makes Bojangles stand out from other fast food chains. The company takes pride in its Southern hospitality and connection to the communities it serves.
Rapid Growth
Originally starting as a single restaurant in Charlotte, Bojangles has experienced rapid expansion over the past 15 years throughout the Southeast. Some key growth stats include:
- 1977 – First Bojangles opens in Charlotte, NC
- 2007 – 100th location opens
- 2011 – 300th location opens
- 2017 – 600th location opens
- 2022 – Over 750 locations in 14 states
Bojangles continues growing at a rate of around 50 new restaurants per year. As it expands into new markets like Ohio, New York, and Texas, the chain has stuck to its Southern roots and signature menu.
Distinct Brand Personality
From its Southern comfort food to community involvement, Bojangles has cultivated a distinct brand personality that sets it apart. Some defining traits include:
- Down-home charm – Relaxed, comforting, unpretentious
- Southern hospitality – Warm, friendly, gracious, generous
- Tradition – Honoring heritage, classic comfort foods
- Real and fresh – Avoiding gimmicks or things that are fake
- Neighborly – Focus on being part of local communities
This brand personality resonates with Southern culture and traditions. Even as it expands, Bojangles stays true to its identity and roots.
Franchising
Bojangles initially expanded through company-owned restaurants. Beginning in 2006, the chain started franchising as a strategy for growth. Some key facts about Bojangles franchising include:
- About 43% of locations are franchised as of 2022
- Franchise fees start at $25,000
- Total investment to open ranges from $1.2 – $2.9 million
- Franchisees pay ongoing royalties of 5% of gross sales
- 20-year franchise agreements
- Supports franchisees with training, site selection, marketing, and operations guidance
For entrepreneurs interested in running their own business, Bojangles provides an opportunity to join a recognized brand with devoted customers across the Southeast. Both individual and multi-unit opportunities are available.
Conclusion
With its signature chicken and biscuits, authentic Southern sides, sweet tea and homemade flavors, Bojangles has earned its reputation as a go-to for comfort food in the Southeast. Its homespun charm, community involvement, and rapid growth keep fans coming back for a taste of Southern hospitality. While staying true to its roots, Bojangles continues expanding to share its cuisine with more markets across the country.