Gus’s World Famous Chicken started out in 1957 when Napoleon Vanderbilt, and his wife Maggie, began playing with a fried chicken recipe which would soon become famous. In Mason, Tennessee, word of this super crunchy, spicy chicken quickly spread. Not able to afford a place of their own, the Vanderbilt’s were selling their chicken out the back door of a tavern.
Friends and customers encouraged the pair to open their own restaurant, but the Vanderbilt’s were of modest means. Finally, friends bought or donated the materials to build and Mr. Vanderbilt, along with more friends, worked to construct their own brick and mortar restaurant.
Mr. Vanderbilt’s only son, Vernon “Gus” Bonner took over the restaurant before his father’s death. Gus loved the business and he found a devoted follower with the current CEO Wendy McCrory. McCrory began franchising operations and has expanded the company from 2 locations to 22 locations in less than 5 years. Current plans are to expand at a rate of 5 to 10 franchises each year. McCrory has also stated that she has received requests about franchising in China and South America, though those plans have yet to be finalized.
Gus’s famous recipe is known to only a handful of persons. The frying batter is made behind locked doors in Mason, Tennessee, and is given to franchises in frozen batches. In addition to fried chicken, the company offers fried sweet potatoes, potato salad, fried green tomatoes, coleslaw and pecan pie.
Headquarters for the company as still located in Mason, Tennessee. 
Gus’s World Famous Chicken started out in 1957 when Napoleon Vanderbilt, and his wife Maggie, began playing with a fried chicken recipe which would soon become famous. In Mason, Tennessee, word of this super crunchy, spicy chicken quickly spread. Not able to afford a place of their own, the Vanderbilt’s were selling their chicken out the back door of a tavern.
Friends and customers encouraged the pair to open their own restaurant, but the Vanderbilt’s were of modest means. Finally, friends bought or donated the materials to build and Mr. Vanderbilt, along with more friends, worked to construct their own brick and mortar restaurant.
History
Mr. Vanderbilt’s only son, Vernon “Gus” Bonner took over the restaurant before his father’s death. Gus loved the business and he found a devoted follower with the current CEO Wendy McCrory. McCrory began franchising operations and has expanded the company from 2 locations to 22 locations in less than 5 years. Current plans are to expand at a rate of 5 to 10 franchises each year. McCrory has also stated that she has received requests about franchising in China and South America, though those plans have yet to be finalized.
Gus’s famous recipe is known to only a handful of persons. The frying batter is made behind locked doors in Mason, Tennessee, and is given to franchises in frozen batches. In addition to fried chicken, the company offers fried sweet potatoes, potato salad, fried green tomatoes, coleslaw and pecan pie.
Headquarters for the company as still located in Mason, Tennessee.
Greetings,
I had the opportunity to work in your Dallas restaurant was excited to be apart of a franchise that cared so deeply about the company,food, and it’s employees considering how I came from a more structured environment I felt good about the change of professions. When I started things wasn’t so great employees arguing with one another, store duty not being done, people taking multiple smoke breaks of illegal substances, employees eating essentially amounts of food and taking more home, employees would leave the store to get cigarettes, food, blunts, etc. while on company time, employees coming to work two hours or more with no consequence, or calling off with no explanation but still allowed to work, no one never got written up two months after I started I got written up for lateness but no one else gotten ever gotten written up before or after me, but I would call and let management know I was going to be little late, little meaning 5-6 minutes not hours they usually wouldn’t have a problem with it as long as I called them, I was always at work even on off days, as time went by the wonderful people of Missouri came to our store to help us get the store back on track, I even became a trainer for our store which I really felt appreciated for my work but as soon as they left things went back to how it was before so I was at a loss the hard work went out the door as time progress new people hired and fired not staying long enough to learn anything the employees that are there are burned out from doing doubles and working daily including myself management not wanting to be there, there checking out leaving for hours and leaving the store without management and supervision issues going on but management have no idea what’s going on other employees telling other employees to do thing and they have no idea what they’re doing chicken waste to the point where they’re is no chicken because you let the line cook, cook three running over aluminum pans of chicken that eventually have to be thrown away, if he or she doesn’t drop it back in the grease which is a big no,no or raw chicken being sent out then sent back because the line cook hasn’t been fully trained so Gus’s loosing major money, employees that are friends with management do what ever they want without consequences or if in a relationship or dating, dress code nonexistent they wear what they want to, if things don’t change I’ll give it about three months the store will be closed, I’m reaching out to you because I feel you should know what’s really happening in your Dallas restaurant I got fired after working my tail off for months after telling management my situation and doing what was asked of me, I wanted to tell what was going on it was like it was a secret who I can talk to but didn’t know who to contact until now considering it was a wrongful termination in the first place so I figured now would be the best time to let you know what’s happening in your business and why you are losing money without backlash and cover up, I have a family too and they didn’t care about my situation but pretend they did, if you don’t believe me or think I’m just making it up or retaliation send someone in there randomly they don’t know you’ll see it for yourself, I really liked working for Gus I even consider being management because I wanted to change things in the store but now I don’t have that opportunity anymore. So all I can say is be blessed and continue to open great restaurants.
I just ordered food from the Chamblee location and received uncooked chicken . I called ahead to let them know what’s going on so I didn’t cause a seen when I got there. The manager soon greats me tells me he apologized and it’s probably just a vein but it was bloody chicken . He then goes on to tell me “Will “ that it was no big deal and I got mad immediately got my chicken and left. I’ve called corporate but no answer I just hope I don’t get sick . Worse experience ever servers were cool.
Greetings, I am an ex- employee of Gus’s Worlds Famous chicken located downtown on South front street in Memphis, TN. I was recently hired as a cook. However, I never received a proper schedule. When I first started, I was asked to choose two off days which were Sunday and Monday. I was placed on schedule to work on a scheduled off day after working six days straight without being informed or aware until 4:00pm later that day on July 3, 2022. I was later fired by a manager by the name of James very unprofessionally over the phone. James chose to replace someone else’s name on the schedule with my name on the schedule to keep that person from losing his job and it was very unfair. I worked as hard as I could and I do not feel like that treatment was professional let alone right, it was very wrong. I was not properly informed of having to work on my scheduled off day and I feel like James should be penalized for not communicating properly as a manager.
Sincerely, Marteerius Henry
I have had to walk out of the Little Rock AR location today. My family and I weren’t even acknowledged when we came in and sat there for 15 min waiting on a waiter. Then we ordered and appetizer after another 20 min the waiter says he didn’t put it in. After all that were waiting another 40 mins, and everyone else coming in after us getting food. When I complained to manager about his drug addict waiter and couldn’t even get a refill on drinks or even food the manager laughs in my face. This is the second experience like this we have had. Someone needs to do a check on this location ,because this is disgraceful. I refuse to go back and I love the food, but the service is absolutely terrible!!!
who can i talk to about a racist manger at the Houston location
Can’t ever get a human on the phone !
I went to Gus in Austin,Tx and was very displeased with the food and the Manager my mac and cheese was cold I had to return it my chicken.was cold and fried in very old grease, the green roasted old liked they been sitting out,I advise my waitress that I was disappointed in the service she got the Manger who basically told me I should have called him over earlier but and there is nothing he can do now. I advise him I dont have problems paying but should be aware of the food there serving. Worst experience ever. Will not return to be treated like I was ever again.
Me and my co-worker ate at Fort Worth, Texas Gus’s world famous chicken branch. When I experienced the WORST AND RUDEST COSTUMER SERVICE I EVER HAD.We initially ordered ToGo but we changed our mind and dine their since it was not full that time then the Assistant Manager Pricilla came to us and told us to seat at the bar since we just ordered TOGo but we said we already started eating so we might as well finish on our table because we were in a hurry too go back to clinic too. However her tone of voice suddenly change and told us that we should leave the restaurant since we just ordered TOGo anyway she said to leave and threatened to call the police eventhough we were quietly eating our food at the very end corner of the place. When we were about to leave but decided to get their card and she was following us and told us in front of everyone looking at us to never come back.She violated so much of our consumers right, humiliated and harassed us. SUCH A BIG SHAME to the reputation of the restaurant and the company itself. I work in the costumer service in corporate world as well but I never treated or discriminated anyone like thatI was so mad and literally shaking on how bad she was treating us and I still was until I got home.Her unprofessional act was so uncalled for and should never be tolerated.
good morning, well afternoon, I am so disappoint with the service I got on April 29th. I go to the Gus on Mt Mariah here in Memphis. On April 29th I went to get dinner for my husband and I , we spent 27.50 for the meal. we were not happy, I called on Wednesday May 1st , the manager I spoke with said because she was not there on that shift she would have to speak with the manager on that shift, I told her I would not be back in Memphis until Saturday (I called back on Saturday spoke with the manager ) she informed me I should have brought the food back, well had I known that I would have put the food in the refrigerator and taken it back to Gus on Saturday. we eat there a lot, this is the second time we have gotten food and it was not good. I am so upset (we don’t have 26.50 to throw away, I am not going to stop just not at that location. I am not happy at all. I work close by I stop to get dinner, but now I will go to another one(which is out the way). My husband and I are not happy campers.