Chester’s Chicken (Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo)
491 W. Michigan AvenueI eat more gas station food than I care to admit. I just started with a new co-worker who was surprised that I can find meals when I stop for gas. I’ll stop at a gas station somewhere and come out with a burger, a slice of pizza, or even a cold deli sandwich to go along with the three Pepsi’s I just bought.
My typical go-to when it comes to gas station food is Speedway. Some of them, like the one in Wayland, have full-on cafe’s where food is made fresh 24/7. Others have burgers, pizzas, Tornados and hot dogs waiting for you to grab at certain times of day.
One day recently, I went out on a solo task and left my colleague at the office. On the way back, I stopped at the Shell Station on the corner of Michigan and Westnedge for gas and to pick up a Pepsi. As I was standing there, I started looking at chips or a beef stick or something to tide me over and thought, that’s stupid. Get some chicken.
Chester’s Chicken is found inside the Shell Station on the west end of downtown Kalamazoo. The chain of fried chicken restaurants based in Alabama is pretty exclusive to convenience stores throughout the country. There are no stand alone restaurants that I’m aware of. They’re really popular in trucks stops and here in Kalamazoo, there are two that I know of. Both of them are in Shell Gas Stations.
The Chester’s part of the Shell station isn’t much more than a glass enclosed warming counter with food on display. It sits apart from the main register area but close enough that the same person can work both counters if need be.
The menu is mostly chicken, but they have some other fried stuff as well including pizza puffs, Bosco sticks, and potato wedges.
I’ve eaten at this Chester’s a few times just because there is always food here hot and ready to eat. I’ve always really liked everything I’ve gotten.
My plan was to eat at my desk I went something pretty simple. I got five chicken fingers and grabbed a Mt. Dew from the cooler next to it. If you pay cash, you pay right at the chicken counter. If you’re doing credit, they’ll have to ring you up at the main counter.
The chicken and drink came out to a little over eight bucks. I had the cash on me so I just paid there to make things easier on both of us.
The chicken tenders from Chester’s are a pretty good size. They’re covered in kind of a cross between a batter and a breading. The crispy batter/breading is has the crunchiness of breading and it’s loosely stuck to the big, juicy pieces of white meat chicken like a batter would.
The chicken comes out of the warming area really hot. When you break the pieces open, steam comes pouring out. The pieces of chicken are too hot to handle when you first get them so the short drive back to my office gave them some time to chill out.
Chester’s Chicken is kind of an oddity. It’s gas station food, but it’s actually quite tasty. I don’t know if this location is always serving chicken 24/7, but I know I’ve been in there late at night and there is still food available. During the day, there is always a good selection of chicken. The best thing about it is that it’s fast, it’s fairly cheap, and it’s a delicious filling meal that you can pick up while stopping in just for gas.
SW Michigan Dining 