The Award-Winning Michigan Restaurant Known For Its All-You-Can-Eat Chicken

There's nothing quite like a cozy family meal with delicious, crispy chicken as the perfect centerpiece. Chicken is the most popular meat in the United States with the average person consuming about 100.6 pounds in 2022. From Anthony Bourdain's beloved Popeyes and Kentucky Fried Chicken to the best and worst grocery store rotisserie chickens, there are plenty of ways to get the dish on the kitchen table. However, if you are ever in Michigan, you can't miss out on the award-winning restaurant known for its all-you-can-eat family-style chicken dinners.

Zehnder's of Frankenmuth is a highly rated establishment with over 17,000 reviews on Google, a 4.4-star rating. It also won a James Beard America's Classics award in 2020, which recognizes regional eateries that serve "quality food that reflects the character of its community." In a video from the James Beard Foundation on YouTube, Al Zehnder, CEO of Zehnder's of Frankenmuth, said of the restaurant, "It's all about family, it's all about sharing, it's all about getting together."

Zehnder's of Frankenmuth has an origin that dates back to 1929, when it opened on Mother's Day, and has since served millions of guests from all over the world. Now, the restaurant is operated by the fourth generation of the family, who have expanded the brand to include a hotel, country club, and marketplace. But at the heart of it all is the restaurant's famous chicken dinners, invented by Grandma Zehnder.

The all-you-can-eat chicken dinner, served either fried or rotisserie-style, is served in four courses for $29.99 per person, with lower prices for children under the age of 12. First there is a serving of noodle soup with crackers, or for a slight surcharge, the restaurant's signature Vidalia onion soup au gratin. Next, there is a variety of appetizers that come to the table, including fresh bread, creamy cabbage salad, large-curd cottage cheese, house-made cranberry relish, cheese spread with garlic toast, and house-made chicken liver pâté. Alongside the chicken comes mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, dressing, buttered egg noodles, and vegetables. The meal is finished with soft serve ice cream or sherbert for dessert. For those who visit Friday through Sunday, the restaurant offers a larger family-style chicken dinner that also includes breaded jumbo shrimp, prime rib, and fruit strudel. In addition to the chicken dinners, the restaurant offers traditional servings of a variety of steak, sausage, and chicken dishes, as well as some vegetarian options.