Krispy Krunchy Chicken (Columbia Ave.)
4647 W. Columbia AvenueTell me if you’ve heard this one before. I stopped for gas station chicken.
It seems like there are A LOT of these Krispy Krunchy Chicken’s popping up at gas stations all over West Michigan.
Thirteen years ago, I wrote my first blog post about the chain. At that time, it wasn’t in gas stations in West Michigan. It was a stand alone store in a shopping plaza in Grand Rapids that was incorporated into another food business. There was only one other store in Michigan at that time, it Ypsilanti. Now it seems like there’s a new one popping up every other week.
I was in Battle Creek the other day for a job assignment near the Air National Guard base. My colleague and I were running pretty tight on time when we got done but I needed gas before heading back to Kalamazoo.
I stopped at Arlene’s Truck Stop on West Columbia Avenue right near the I-94 interchange. I needed gas and I needed a pop. I knew Arlene’s had undergone a major renovation not too long ago and I had seen the signs for Krispy Krunchy Chicken when I drove by. I needed to go inside anyway, so I thought I’d grab something.
The store looks nothing like it used. When I say major renovation, I mean it was a major renovation to both the convenience store and the restaurant. I ate at the restaurant once before they closed for the remodel but I’ll have to stop again sometime in the future when I have more time.
The counter to pay was moved from the south side of the convenience store to the north side and that’s where the chicken display is. There is actually a separate cash register for chicken and regular convenience store items. The set up is pretty much the same as all the other Krispy Krunchy Chickens in the area. There is a big two level case with warming lamps that keep all the food warm so it’s ready to go when a person comes in to order.
You need someone else to box up the chicken and wedges but there is a self serve part of the display with chicken sandwiches and sides already portioned out in cups.
I decided to do something different this time. Instead of the usual tenders and wedges, I grabbed one of the Cajun Chicken Sandwiches and a cup of Mac & Cheese. If I’m going to keep blogging about this chain, I should probably switch it up occasionally.
I also grabbed a Pepsi Zero from the cooler. The cost was just under $10 so this was a much cheaper option than getting the tendies.
When we got back to the office in Kalamazoo, I opened up the mac & cheese first. The cup itself isn’t very big and it was even close to be filled to the top. The portion was actually really small. The mac & cheese itself though was really good. It had a thick, creamy cheese sauce that stuck hard to all of the noodles. The taste was on point but the portion could have been bigger. This definitely isn’t a stand alone meal.
The Cajun Chicken Sandwich was just that. A friend chicken breast on a white bun. No sauce. No pickles. I took a bite not expecting much but was surprised to find it actually had a bit of heat. Not a lot and not overpowering but just enough to give the sandwich a little bit of flavor.
Not really a lot to say about this meal. It was quick and it was cheap. It’s nowhere near as good as getting tenders and wedges but it is a lot cheaper. The food wasn’t bad…it just didn’t stand out. I’d grab it again if I was in a hurry and needed to eat in the car but I think I’ll stick to the tenders from now on.
SW Michigan Dining 