National Fried Chicken Day? Why Do So Many Love this Southern Delicacy

South Carolina Public Radio | By Tut Underwood

Published July 9, 2018 at 10:10 AM EDT

Friday was a special day for lovers of the Southern diet: National Fried Chicken Day!

Bernie Shealy, owner of Bernie's Chicken in Columbia, says he thinks people love fried chicken because it's comfort food.

Over at Brookland Baptist Church, known for its weekday buffets that always include its famous fried chicken, Marketing and Public Relations Manager Marnie Robinson believes the crunch of good fried chicken is what makes people say “wow” when they bite into good chicken.

It’s the crust that gives chicken that crunch, says Shealy.

Both chicken lovers give some tips on cooking fried chicken, and Shealy informs us that one of the luxuries of owning a “chicken place” is that quality control means he gets to eat lots of fried chicken.

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Tut Underwood

Tut Underwood is producer of South Carolina Focus, a weekly news feature. A native of Alabama, Tut graduated from Auburn University with a BA in Speech Communication. He worked in radio in his hometown before moving to Columbia where he received a Master of Mass Communications degree from the University of South Carolina, and worked for local radio while pursuing his degree. He also worked in television. He was employed as a public information specialist for USC, and became Director of Public Information and Marketing for the South Carolina State Museum. His hobbies include reading, listening to music in a variety of styles and collecting movies and old time radio programs.

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