Restaurant Chain Opens In Darien Next Week

DARIEN, IL – Fry the Coop, a small Chicago area chicken restaurant chain, plans to open its Darien location next week.

In an interview Thursday, owner Joe Fontana said he plans a "soft opening," meaning it won't be broadly announced.

"We originally planned to open in June. When they first started construction in February, they moved so fast," he said.

Things slowed down since. As recently as August, the hope was for the restaurant to open in mid-October.

The restaurant is planned for 2019 W. 75th St., the site of the old Steak 'n Shake, which closed in summer 2020.

Fontana said his company has been unable to hire as many people as it would like for the Darien restaurant. So it is going to be open only for dinner at first and closed Sundays and Mondays.

As more are hired, the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner and eventually every day, Fontana said.

"It might be a few months before we're open seven days a week," he said. "In the long run, it helps the restaurant set a better foundation. You only have one chance to impress in the restaurant business."

The general manager is Sofia Navarro, who has experience in the restaurant industry.

"She is literally amazing," Fontana said.

Fry the Coop has six locations - Elmhurst, Prospect Heights, Tinley Park, Oak Lawn and two in Chicago. The chain started in 2017.