We asked, you voted. Check out the winner of The State’s 2023 Fried Chicken Poll
Some of the Columbia area’s most legendary fried chicken joints were in the running in The State’s 2023 Fried Chicken Poll.
But in the end, only one could be king of the coop.
Readers voted for Drake’s Duck-In as their favorite fried chicken spot in the paper’s recent poll. A dozen Midlands restaurants were listed in the poll, which published online on March 20 and ran until March 27. More than 3,300 votes were cast and, after the feathers were done flying, Drake’s came out on top.
Drake’s got 19% of the votes, finishing ahead of Zesto and Bernie’s, which each got 12%. Drake’s has, for years, been located at 1544 Main St. That Main Street location of Drake’s is currently closed as it undergoes an extensive remodeling. In the meantime, the restaurant is setting up a temporary location at 1840 Hampton St. That temporary spot is expected to open sometime in April.
It will return to its 1544 Main Street location after the remodeling is complete. There also is work being done to convert the second floor of the building at 1544 Main into the Flutter Wing, which will be an outpost of the nearby Hotel Trundle.
Drake’s has been around Columbia, at one location or another, since 1907. The restaurant has been at 1544 Main St. for 26 years. The building at 1544 Main St. was built in the 1870s, according to Historic Columbia. Uses for the building through the years have included a bookstore, beauty salons, a cafe and more.
Daniel Boan and Matthew Bridges bought the Drake’s business and the Main Street building in 2015.
Drake’s has long been known for its chicken filet sandwiches that come with two slabs of chicken on them, as well as burgers, hot dogs, fries and an extensive menu of breakfast biscuits. And it’s been known as an occasional campaign stop, such as when former Texas U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke stopped by in 2019 when he was running for president. O’Rourke dined with then-Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin that day, and had chicken and waffles.
