24,000 Pieces a Week: The 110-Year-Old Oklahoma Joint Guy Had to See
When a viewer emails Guy Fieri about fried chicken, he listens. When that email mentions a place serving 24,000 pieces of fried chicken a week out of a 110-year-old establishment in Okarche, Oklahoma? He gets in the car.
“Why did you send this to me?” Guy asked the viewer who’d emailed him back in February. The answer was simple: “It’s got a lot of history behind it—known as one of the oldest bars in Oklahoma and best fried chicken in the state.”
A Recipe That Started on a Cast Iron Skillet
The fried chicken operation dates back to 1960, when a man named George started cooking birds on an old cast iron skillet on the stove. George passed away in 1964, but his brothers Ed and Paul have kept the tradition alive for decades, serving chicken “the way we’ve always done it.”
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Guy got a behind-the-scenes look at the breading process—something the family doesn’t show outsiders. “You’re the first person other than family in 40-some years to see anybody mix this,” they told him. The coating starts with wheat flour (George’s original choice), then adds cornmeal, salt, baking powder, a little sugar, paprika, and “a couple other spices” that stay secret. Guy tasted it and could pick out some flavors, but out of respect for the tradition, he kept quiet.
The chicken goes into electric fryers named Elsie, Wanda, Wheezy, Penelope, and Sandy, running at 330-350 degrees for 15 minutes. The lower temperature ensures the meat cooks all the way through without over-browning. And there’s one rule that never bends: you get one whole cut-up bird at a time. Even on your birthday, you can’t order all wings.
Guy’s Verdict
Biting into the still-molten chicken, Guy was direct: “Super tender and juicy. The skin turns into a nice crust because of the flour and the cornmeal.” The locals have their own ritual—alternating bites of chicken with bread and butter pickles and onions. “Pickle, onion, that’s the way to do it right there,” one customer explained.
The Chili That Cooks with a Spoon Inside
Beyond the chicken, Guy discovered George’s chili recipe—another family tradition with its own quirks. The process starts with a half gallon of water, then 10 pounds of ground beef mixed in, followed by another 40 pounds of meat on top. It cooks low for 6-7 hours with the spoon left inside the pot the entire time. Why? “It’s the way we’ve all done it.”
Seasoning goes in at the end: minced onion (fried), salt, granulated garlic, red pepper, cumin, black pepper, paprika, and chili powder, plus canned beans and tomato sauce. The result shows up in Frito pies, burritos, and chili cheese nachos. Guy tried the nachos and called them “very good, old style, wonderful.”
Worth the Drive
One customer summed it up: “I thought my mother’s chicken was the best, but this is the best chicken I’ve ever had.” Another couple drives an hour from Norman just to eat here—”as often as we can.”
If you’re looking for more classic comfort food featured on the show, check out Guy’s take on Pork Tamales or the Pollo Borachon in New Mexico. And to find this Oklahoma legend and other Triple D spots near you, browse our restaurant directory.