I never understood the appeal. Did not like their food much.

I was shocked to pass by the Roasters in Laurel, Maryland and found it closed down. Apparently it had been gone for a couple of weeks.

I didn’t realize that there were such few locations around the country… don’t understand it… it is so good (the supermarket junk just don’t compare).
I loved it all – the rotisserie, the bread and the veggies.

I also liked their fried seafood offerings (big fan of Long John’s Silver, too… can’t find any of those either)

I just didn’t know how fortunate I was to live 5 minutes away…

Fresno had one for a short time but it only lasted a very few months and closed literally overnight. The employees were totally stumped and so were a lot of patrons. It became a big deal and Kenny himself wound up addressing the issue. Basically he had licensed his name and didn’t have much control, if any, over the operations of the franchises. He apoliged to the employees and the citizens of Fresno but there wasn’t anything else he could do.

I never have eaten there.

MikeS.

There used to be one in Lexington, KY outside Turfland Mall. I worked practically right next to it, and they gave the GTE employees 15% discounts. The chicken, as I recall, was quite good.

There was one here in Jackson, MS. The better half said it was good when they first opened. But, like most all restaurants in this area, the quality of the food deterioriated and the restaurant was closed. Since I have lived here, the location was a Greek restaurant for a while, and is now a Mexican restaurant.

There’s a Kenny Rogers Roasters in Henderson, Nevada. I also thought they were all gone until I food this one while I was out driving. It’s so good. (Henderson is just southeast of the Las Vegas Strip.)

Tried Kenny’s chicken when they first came to Dallas years ago and loved the stuff and his sides… tender, juicy and cooked "just right"… then one day I got an order that was horribly undercooked…
not good… never went back (Kramer be damned!!!).

I’ve never had Kenny’s chicken.
When the "Seinfeld" episode debuted, the Nashville location had already closed down. The next day I took a carload of friends over there and we freaked that the joint had been shuttered.
But, oh those Vandys. One of the sororities wrote lamentation’s about Kenny’s demise all over the windows.

I can verify that the Laurel Kenny Rogers Roasters is still in existance. I have eaten there a couple times recently and the food is still wonderfully great. I live close to the area, so the next time that I go past the restaurant, I will snap a pic and post it. I believe it is a franchise restaurant, and that is why it is still open. I do have some history with the restaurant chain, I did work for them in the late 90’s as a cook and server and then a manager. It is great to see there is such a following still out there for wood fire roasted chicken……its the wood that makes it good!

Is anyone close by the Laurel maryland location?

If so, how about a report? 🙂 with pics, preferrably?

There was only one in our area of Maryland, and that one is in Laurel.

I just googled them and it appears to be the only one existing in the US.

What killed Boston Market and Kenny Rogers roasters is that is What you cook at home,which equals Boring for many people.Most people want fast food(greasy, sinfully unhealthy etc.) or a nice dining experience when they go out to eat ,or are eating on the run.When they first opened up,Boston market,and Kenny Rogers were a novelty,but the fact of the matter is most people talk more about eating healthy,than they actually do.I have been in the food service industry in many different areas,from a supplier,to restaurant owner,which one of the restaurants I owned was a chicken and rib place.We offered great flame roasted chicken along with our fried chicken,and we sold 10 times more fried chicken,to the point where we discontinued the rotisserie chicken.One thing to consider when buying rotisserie chicken from a supermarket(this was told to me by one of the largest poultry suppliers on the east coast)Is that a product that is going out of date in it’s raw form(chicken,meat etc.)becomes a new product once it is cooked and repackaged,which basically means supermarkets cook the old chicken that did not sell when it was packaged in the case,and it becomes a new product when cooked and doubles the life of the product,this was from a person well versed in the industry,I have no evidence of this myself,but it makes economic sense.

My theory is that the supermarket rotisserie chicken is killing Kenny Roger’s chicken. Cockfighing, if you will. The supermarket stuff is cheaper and easier, and no one wants to eat Kenny’s nasty veggies anyway. And what’s an MSG rub among friends?

I used to like the one in Appleton Wisconsin but that too went by the wayside. Now its an Arbys.

FWIW, Jim Rome has been referring to Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers as "The Roaster" on his show.

The KR’s in Charlotte became a Boston Market and the Mai’s Japanese Robato. Now best Japanese place in NC.