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The Once-Beloved Mall Food Court Chain Known For Its Chicken And Biscuits By Alexa Valme Oct. 20, 2025 4:39 pm EST

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Chicken George was so beloved that it belongs on our list of mall food court restaurants that completely disappeared . Founded in 1979 at Baltimore's Mondawmin Mall by entrepreneur Theodore Holmes, the chain quickly went from local curiosity to cult favorite. Holmes named it after the charismatic character from "Roots," a nod to the miniseries that had swept the nation just two years earlier. Baltimore diners embraced it instantly. The Afro-American newspaper even stated that it "became a household name overnight."

By 1982, Chicken George was pulling in $14 million in sales and had spread beyond Maryland to Washin

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