Richards’ Southern Fried serves up hot chicken at Krog Street Market

“It’s almost rush time, let me see those smiles out there,” the chef for Richards’ Southern Fried calls out from behind the retro-style counter nestled in Krog Street Market. The chicken joint was founded by the 2013 James Beard Awards semifinalist for Best Chef Southeast, Todd Richards. The server is dressed in a shirt embellished with the golden fox mascot, and she scurries around under a neon “hot chicken” sign while handing out Coca-Cola in glass bottles and sweet tea with lemon slices.

I step up to the shining white counter, standing underneath an array of golden light bulbs, and a smiling woman stares back at me. Her hair, that was once neatly slicked back, has frayed and fallen into wispy black strands that frame her face. “Welcome to Richards’,” she says. “What would you like?” As I look over the illuminated menu, she attends to the iPads that hang from the wall next to the register. Each one blinks with notifications from a different food delivery app and all of them demand hot chicken.

I look over my shoulder to find a long line full of narrowed eyes that prod me to order faster. “What is the most popular thing on the menu?” I ask. “Everyone loves our hot chicken sandwich,” the chef calls out. “Pick your spice carefully though, we can always add more.” I order the sandwich and sweet tea before ducking out of line and allowing the lady glaring behind me to order.

The line wraps around, blocking the next vendor’s storefront. A never-ending crowd is drawn in by the scent of hot chicken and chow-chow. They emerge from their homes in Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods, bike or jog from the Beltline; young professionals drive from midtown, groggy-eyed travelers take the exit from I-85, and they have all chosen to end their day at Richards’.

I take a seat at one of the silver bar stools, and the impatient lady also orders a chicken sandwich. “I’m sorry ma’am,” the server says. “We just sold our last chicken sandwich of the day. We’re all out.” I pick up my phone and avoid eye contact as the lady orders one of the specials, hot chicken mac n’ cheese, instead of the sandwich. She takes a seat next to me and the server places two glasses of sweet tea in front of us.

Through the kitchen window, the two chefs can be heard singing a few song lyrics while dropping more chicken into the fryer. Richards’ chicken sandwich is a highly-crafted recipe that begins with crispy, fried dark meat seasoned as hot as the customer chooses and topped with pimento cheese, lettuce, chow chow and pickles. Today, Richards’ has sold out of dark meat.

“I’m sorry, but we can only serve chicken breasts and no more sandwiches,” the server informs each and every person in line as I gaze down at the sandwich before me. It is stacked to perfection and dripping with melting pimento cheese and spice. The guilt of ordering the last chicken sandwich at 9 p.m. on a Friday quickly fades as I take the first bite. The spicy crunch of the chicken pairs with the creamy pimento cheese and pickled chow chow. I do not waste one bite of the last sandwich at Richards’. I am left with lips that are red from spice and wishing I could order another.

The server maintains a smile and jokes with the chefs as she pours cup after cup of homemade sweet tea. Each customer’s reaction differs from the next when they hear the chicken sandwich is sold out. Despite a food hall full of restaurants, none of them decide to eat somewhere else. Instead, Richards’ begins selling chicken breasts to every customer and the line keeps growing.

One women pauses to look at what else the menu has to offer. “I always get the sandwich,” she says. “I’ve never noticed you guys have sides and whole chickens.” She settles on collard green pho, an Asian spin on southern collards and a chicken breast. “What’s your favorite side?” a man in a cycling jersey asks the server. “Definitely the red beans and rice,” she says. “It tastes just like home to me.” He orders them and walks away with his tray while picking up a bean with his fingers and popping it in his mouth. A grin forms just before he turns the corner to find a table.

The menu rotates weekly with traditional southern dishes such as chicken and waffles, fried cat fish and mac ‘n’ cheese. Yet the Richards’ chicken sandwich and chicken with veggies remain staples. The rotating menu offers an excuse for hot chicken lovers to sit at the counter more than once a week.

It’s 11 p.m. and the server removes the magnetic sign that reads “hot chicken mac ‘n’ cheese” from the specials board. She pours herself a cup of sweet tea and takes my tray. I regret not scooping up the leftover melted pimento cheese.

A wall of iPads that display Postmates and GrubHub apps are still blinking with customers attempting to place to-go orders at the last minute. She switches off the golden light bulbs that line the bar, as well as the neon “hot chicken” sign and resumes taking the orders of the last people in line. The rest of Krog Street Market has closed, but Richards’ illuminates the building. The chefs begin preparing the kitchen for tomorrow, when they can once again serve the famous Richards’ chicken sandwich.