What Happened to Holy Chicken? The Rise and Fall of a Controversial Chicken Chain

Have you ever wondered what happened to Holy Chicken? One day it was making headlines as a promising new chicken restaurant, and then suddenly it vanished. I’ve spent days researching this fascinating story and let me tell you – it’s quite the rollercoaster!

Holy Chicken’s story is uniquely tied to filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (of “Super Size Me” fame) and represents an interesting case study in restaurant failures documentary filmmaking, and unfortunately, controversy. Let’s dive into the full saga of this “divinely delicious” fried chicken venture that never quite took flight.

The Origins of Holy Chicken

Holy Chicken emerged around 2015-2017 as both a real restaurant concept and the centerpiece of Morgan Spurlock’s documentary “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” The restaurant promised to offer something different in the fast-casual fried chicken space:

• High-quality ingredients
• Locally sourced products where possible
• Transparency about food preparation
• Flavor profiles that differed from standard fast-food fare

The concept was initially presented as a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the fast food industry. Spurlock’s film documented his journey into opening this restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, positioning it as an experiment to expose the marketing tactics and questionable practices of the poultry and fast food industries.

Holy Chicken’s Brief Existence

Contrary to what many people believe, Holy Chicken was never a long-running restaurant chain. In reality, it operated as:

• A 4-day pop-up in Columbus, Ohio during filming
• A brief pop-up in Manhattan to coincide with the film’s eventual release
• A concept that was discussed for potential franchising, but never materialized

The film culminated with the opening of the Holy Chicken restaurant, showing Spurlock interacting with customers who seemed excited about the concept. At the end of the documentary, Spurlock mentioned receiving calls from potential investors interested in franchise opportunities. However, these plans never came to fruition.

Why Holy Chicken Failed to Launch

There were several key factors that prevented Holy Chicken from becoming a permanent restaurant chain:

1. Documentary Context

Holy Chicken was primarily designed as a film project rather than a legitimate long-term business venture. The restaurant served as a vehicle for Spurlock to illustrate points about:

• The “health halo” marketing techniques used by fast food chains
• Issues with chicken farming and the “tournament system” used by major poultry producers
• The deceptive nature of fast food marketing

2. Film Distribution Problems

The documentary “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” faced significant distribution challenges:

• The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2017
• YouTube Red (now YouTube Premium) initially acquired distribution rights
• Following Spurlock’s sexual misconduct confession in December 2017, YouTube Red dropped the film
• The documentary remained unreleased for nearly two years
• Samuel Goldwyn Films eventually distributed it in September 2019

3. Spurlock’s Sexual Misconduct Controversy

Perhaps the most significant factor in Holy Chicken’s demise was Morgan Spurlock’s public confession in December 2017, where he admitted to:

• A history of sexual misconduct
• A decades-old rape allegation
• Numerous instances of infidelity
• A sexual harassment claim from a former employee that was settled out of court

This confession came at the height of the #MeToo movement and effectively derailed both the film’s release and any plans for expanding Holy Chicken as an actual restaurant chain. Spurlock disappeared from public view, and most of the staff at his production company, Warrior Poets, resigned.

Business Challenges Holy Chicken Would Have Faced

Even if Holy Chicken had attempted to launch as a legitimate restaurant chain, it would have faced numerous challenges that commonly affect restaurant businesses:

Market Saturation and Competition

The fast-casual fried chicken market was (and remains) incredibly competitive:

• Established chains like KFC, Popeyes, and Chick-fil-A dominate the space
• New entrants were constantly emerging with similar concepts
• Deep-pocketed competitors could run aggressive promotions and discounts

Rising Operational Costs

Restaurant operations face continuously increasing expenses:

• Food costs (chicken, oil, produce) continue to rise due to inflation
• Labor costs increase with minimum wage adjustments and competition for workers
• Prime locations command high rents
• Quality ingredients demanded higher price points than standard fast food

Evolving Consumer Preferences

Holy Chicken’s concept may have struggled with changing consumer trends:

• Increasing health consciousness among consumers
• Growing demand for plant-based alternatives
• Expectation of transparency regarding sourcing and nutrition
• Need for constant menu innovation

The Legacy of Holy Chicken

Despite its brief existence, Holy Chicken left an interesting legacy:

As a Film Subject

“Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” did eventually get released in 2019 and is available on streaming platforms like YouTube, Amazon Prime, and iTunes. The film offers insights into:

• The marketing psychology behind fast food
• Challenges faced by small chicken farmers
• The deceptive nature of “farm to table” and “natural” marketing claims

As a Cautionary Tale

Holy Chicken serves as a reminder about several important business lessons:

• The importance of maintaining quality control during expansion
• The need to adapt to changing consumer preferences
• The value of building a strong, differentiated brand identity
• How a founder’s personal behavior can impact business prospects

Could Holy Chicken Ever Return?

While unlikely in its original form, the concept of a transparent, quality-focused fried chicken restaurant still has potential. Any revival would need to:

• Distance itself from Spurlock’s controversial past
• Address the quality control and consistency issues
• Adapt to current consumer preferences for healthier options
• Establish a strong brand identity that stands out in a crowded market

The Real Story Behind Holy Chicken

The most fascinating aspect of Holy Chicken is how it blurred the lines between documentary filmmaking and actual business creation. The restaurant was designed to be both:

1. A real functioning restaurant (albeit temporarily)
2. A meta-commentary on the fast food industry

This dual purpose created a unique situation where the “failure” of Holy Chicken was, in some ways, built into its DNA. It was never truly intended to succeed as a traditional restaurant chain but rather to illustrate points about the industry.

Lessons from Holy Chicken’s Story

For entrepreneurs and restaurant owners, Holy Chicken offers several valuable lessons:

• Quality Control is Crucial: Maintaining consistent quality across multiple locations is essential for building customer loyalty.

• Adapt to Consumer Trends: Restaurants must evolve to meet changing preferences, whether toward healthier options or different flavor profiles.

• Build a Strong Brand: In a crowded market, a clear and compelling brand identity is necessary to stand out.

• Leadership Matters: The behavior and decisions of company leadership can have profound impacts on business success.

• Be Authentic: Holy Chicken’s concept was built around exposing inauthenticity in the industry, but ultimately faced questions about its own authenticity as a business.

The Unsettling Aftermath

Perhaps the most uncomfortable aspect of the Holy Chicken story is how the documentary itself never addressed Spurlock’s misconduct. When the film was finally released in 2019, it was the same version that premiered at TIFF in 2017, with no acknowledgment of the controversy or its impact on the project.

Critics have noted that this omission feels particularly strange given that:

• The film is largely about Spurlock himself
• The word “me” is literally in the title
• The documentary portrays Spurlock as a charismatic figure challenging the industry
• Behind the scenes, Spurlock was abusing his position of power

This disconnection between the film’s message and the filmmaker’s actions adds another layer of complexity to the Holy Chicken story.

Final Thoughts on Holy Chicken

Holy Chicken represents a fascinating case study in how business, media, and personal conduct intersect. While the restaurant itself barely existed in physical form, its concept and the controversy surrounding it provide valuable insights into the challenges of the restaurant industry and the impact of personal behavior on business ventures.

For now, Holy Chicken remains firmly in the past – a brief experiment that was more about making a point than making chicken. But the issues it raised about fast food marketing, poultry farming practices, and restaurant industry challenges remain relevant today.

So next time you bite into a fried chicken sandwich, maybe spare a thought for Holy Chicken – the restaurant that was designed to fail, but still managed to teach us something about the industry in the process.

---

Have you seen the Super Size Me 2 documentary or visited one of the Holy Chicken pop-ups? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!